First Presbyterian Church, 41 Rosemary Street, Belfast, County Antrim, BT1 1QB

Free-standing double-height brick First Presbyterian church, dated c.1783, to the designs of Roger Mulholland, with symmetrical stucco and stone fronted two-storey entrance block added c.1833. Elliptical on plan with two-storey entrance block to the south front elevation and double-height rear projection. Natural slate roofs throughout, elliptical with flat central section over sanctuary, hipped behind balustrated parapet to entrance block. Moulded eaves cornice throughout supporting cast iron rainwater goods on large iron brackets. Walling is rebrick, handmade in English garden wall bond to elliptical section, machine-made redbrick laid in Flemish bond to side walls of entrance block. Facade is stucco over band-rusticated ground floor, separated by a plain tooled stone platband simply incised with ‘First Presbyterian Church’. Windows are round headed throughout with exception of those to the classically detailed first floor of the entrance block, which are square-headed with plain stucco architraves having drip mould. Original windows comprising 1/1 timber sashes with horns to entrance block, stained glass windows to sanctuary having rendered reveals, brick voussoirs and projecting painted masonry sills; margin panes to gallery. Symmetrical entrance block faces south and is classically styled, three openings wide at each floor about a central round-headed double-leaf timber-panelled entrance door incorporating semi-circular transom; the central voussoir reads ‘FOUNDED XVII CENTURY / REBUILT 1783’. Flanking ground floor windows are set in recesses. First floor openings each framed by paired Ionic pilasters supporting a plain entablature with dentil moulding to cornice. Returning elevations of the entrance block have original flush panelled doors to ground floor and a window to first floor. Elliptical west side elevation is six windows wide with plain glazed windows to the upper level having margin lights and stained glass to the lower level with weather glazing over. Rear elevation abutted by two-storey redbrick projection housing the organ, Minister’s room and daise, built c.1900 with lean-to projections to either side. The upper level has a Venetian type window opening with stone sills and weather glazing to stained glass windows. Elliptical east side elevation as per west elevation. Setting Located on the north side of Rosemary Street in the centre of commercial Belfast encroached by taller and later commercial buildings with a walled bitmac parking area to the rear and railed bitmac are to the front. Partial original nineteenth-century railing on moulded plinth wall remains to the west of the front area. Roof: Natural slate RWG: Cast-iron Walling : Redbrick / stucco / sandstone Windows : Timber sash / fixed-pane / leaded stained glass