St.John'S Church (Cofi), Malone Road, Belfast

St John’s is a late Victorian parish church of the Church of Ireland, built in the Decorated Gothic style by the Belfast architect Henry Seaver. Construction took place between 1880 and 1899, with the nave being lengthened in 1905. The church is located in the Malone Lower townland of Belfast and sits within a conservation area. The exterior walls are of Scrabo sandstone with dressings of sharp red Dumfriesshire sandstone. The building follows a standard cruciform plan, featuring a squat tower situated between the chancel and north transept, and an open porch near the western corner. Originally, the tower was intended to be much taller. A modernist parish office extension, dating from the mid-1960s, is tucked away to the south-west, connecting to a more visible hall built of sympathetic rustic brick in 1938. The church is a neat and unfussy example of late Victorian Gothic Revival architecture, fitting well within the largely residential and leafy streetscape.

The interior is particularly notable and displays a distinctly Arts & Crafts influence. It features warm red brick walls, exposed roof timbers, and medieval-inspired floor tiling to the chancel, based on designs found at St Patrick’s and Christ Church Cathedrals in Dublin. Alternating pink and grey stonework defines the arches, complemented by a decorative gothic oak pulpit, reredos paneling, and choir stalls. A wealth of striking stained glass windows, created by numerous renowned late 19th and 20th century artists including Mayer of Munich, Ward & Partners, Clokey, William MacBride, Wilhelmina Geddes, Katherine O’Brien and Evie Hone, are also present. The interior has remained largely unchanged since the 1905 nave extension. The combination of materials and quality of workmanship make St John’s one of the best examples of its type in the Belfast area, and a building of special architectural and historic interest.