Presbyterian Church, 149 Melmount Road, Sion Mills, Co Tyrone, BT82 9EX

Sion Mills Presbyterian Church is a Grade B1 listed building of considerable architectural and historical significance. Built in 1866 to designs by the accomplished local architect John Guy Ferguson, it is a double-height Gothic Revival church located on the west side of Melmount Road within the Sion Mills Conservation Area.

The church comprises a rectangular nave with a three-stage steeple to the east. A double-height church hall, dated 1905, is attached to the south elevation, with a single-storey porch to the west. Later lean-to additions abut the west side of both hall and porch, these being of poor repair and limited architectural interest.

The main structure features pitched natural slate roofing with angled clay ridge tiles, stone verges on cavetto moulded kneelers, and a filigree cross finial raised on a tapered plinth at the apex. A quatrefoil chimney stack rises from the south gable. Ogee cast-iron rainwater goods sit on corbel blocks. The walling is random coursed rubble blackstone with cement pointing over a slightly battered plinth. Diagonal buttresses with offsets articulate the main body of the church and steeple.

Windows throughout are margin-paned cast-iron diamond lattice lancets with chamfered blocked stone surrounds and sills—a feature particularly notable for a Presbyterian church, where such ornamentation was unusual. The east gable, facing the road, contains a single Decorated tracery window. The south elevation, to the right of centre where the steeple abuts it, has one window to the right and three to the left. The north elevation comprises four windows, with a north porch at the right end.

The tower is square on plan, rising to an octagonal cement-rendered third stage over offset spurs. The spire is faceted and constructed of brick, rendered yellow. The first stage features, to the south, a double-leaf pointed-arched timber sheeted door with strap hinges, set in a chamfered reveal with hood mould and rubble stone voussoirs, with a window to the east. The second stage has a central trefoil opening to each face. The third stage is fitted with louvred lancets to alternate faces and small apertures to the remaining elevations.

The north porch has a hipped roof and a square-headed timber sheeted door in a stop-end chamfered stone reveal to the east. A later cement-rendered lean-to, in poor repair, abuts the north elevation.

The attached hall is rectangular on plan, projecting beyond the church by a single bay to the south-west. Its roof and walling follow the church pattern but without buttresses. Windows are paired pointed-arch headed with coloured diamond lattice glazing. The entrance to the east comprises a pointed-arch headed double-leaf door in a projecting surround with a stone lean-to roof. Five pairs of windows face west; a single window to the south gable; the north gable is abutted by the later lean-to mentioned above; small louvred openings occupy the gable apexes.

The church occupies a compact roadside site enclosed by rubble stone boundary walls with soldier coping. Access from the road at the east is via a pair of cast-iron gates on square piers. Grassed areas with mature trees to the east, tarmac perimeter paths and hardstandings complete the setting. The former Sion Mills Primary School, now in use as a church hall, is located immediately to the north and is accessed from the church grounds via an opening in the boundary wall. A pedestrian gate leads to Church Square to the west.

According to the Dublin Builder of 15 October 1865, the building was designed in the Early English style, measuring 65 feet in length by 33 feet 6 inches in width. The description records that the roof and benches were to be open, with stained and varnished woodwork. A wheel window with pierced trefoil lights was intended for the west gable, with lancets on the flanks and a handsome traceried window to the east front. The sashes were to be filled with cathedral glass. The walling was to be of rubble with dressings from the Dungannon quarries. Ornamental painted and gilt finials were specified for the gables and apex of the spire, though the gilded finish does not appear to have been implemented. The west window has since been subsumed into the Sunday School extension. The contractor was James Gallagher of Derry, working under the superintendence of John G Ferguson, also of Derry.

An extension to serve as a Sunday School room was added to the west in 1905, as indicated by valuers' notes from 1934. A further extension, dating from approximately 1960, has been added to the minister's room and contains a kitchen.

The church first appears on the third edition Ordnance Survey map of 1905, captioned "Presb. Church". It was first recorded in Annual Revision records in 1867, when it was valued at £45 10 shillings. The Annual Revisions Town Plans of Sion Mills show that the church underwent changes in plan between 1898 and 1908, accounted for by the addition of the hall. The valuation was revised in 1934 from £45 10 shillings to £90, with the church said to seat approximately 250 people.

The church holds profound significance in the social and economic history of Sion Mills village. It was the first church to be built in the village and reflects the Presbyterian faith of the Herdman family, founders of the mill and village in 1835. Before this building, there was no dedicated church in Sion Mills, and worship took place in a converted building. According to the village records, James Herdman would beat a drum to call the people to church. The construction of this substantial stone church no doubt reflects the increasing success of the developing mill and village enterprise.