Strabane Presbyterian Church, Derry Road, Strabane, Co Tyrone, BT82 8DY

Strabane Presbyterian Church, Derry Road

A substantial gable-fronted church of considerable architectural merit, built 1955–1957 to designs by architect Thomas T. Houston, A.R.I.B.A. of Belfast. The building was constructed by J. T. Robinson & Son of Strabane and dedicated on 2 May 1957. It replaces an earlier church dedicated in 1871, which was destroyed by accidental fire on Christmas Day 1938, leaving only the walls, spire and bell standing. The congregation itself was established in 1659.

The church is a rare example of Scandinavian-influenced modernist architecture in County Tyrone. Despite its plain external appearance, the building reveals substantial understated detail and craftsmanship that give it considerable overall coherence. The foundation stone was laid on 19 May 1955 by the Right Honourable Lord MacDermott, Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland. A sealed time capsule was buried beneath containing a 1954 financial report, the Strabane Weekly News of 14 May 1955, contemporary British and Irish coins, and signatures of the elders, minister, office-bearers, architect, contractor and foreman.

The church is rectangular on plan with a double-height three-bay nave, facing south on the east side of Derry Road. A large square-plan tower rises from the west side elevation, and a series of single-storey flat-roofed annexes extend to the northeast. The pitched roof is natural slate with black clay ridge tiles. A single brick chimney or vent projects to the rear. Overhanging concrete moulded eaves arranged in panels to the gables are supported by concrete sprockets. Eaves to the nave support a timber fascia and cast-iron rainwater goods.

Walling is yellow brick laid in stretcher bond, with a cement moulded plinth course simulating stone ashlar. The tower brickwork is laid in English garden wall bond. Windows throughout are segmental-headed with cast cement moulded surrounds, concrete transoms and mullions, and coated aluminium casement windows with applied lead caming.

The south entrance gable features an oversized segmental-headed central opening set within a moulded cast cement splayed surround containing a pair of concrete mullions and a single transom. Glazing in coated aluminium sits above the transom, while a hardwood frame below contains a central double-leaf hardwood door carved with abstract figurative work. To either side are square-headed door openings recessed within moulded cast cement surrounds, arranged in panels to reveals and soffits. Both contain double-leaf hardwood doors with tongue-and-groove panels and bronze door furniture. The doors open onto a concrete paved platform spanning the front elevation, with steps down to a bitumac forecourt.

The west nave elevation has four large segmental-headed windows, with a series of small square-headed clerestorey window openings below eaves level separated by the large square-plan tower. The tower's second stage features a tall segmental-headed window opening with a moulded cast concrete canopy and balconet with iron rail. The upper stage contains three square-headed louvred openings to all sides with cement coping. The roof terminates in a bellcote comprising four copper-clad columns supporting a pyramidal copper roof and finial, sheltering a large copper bell.

The rear north gable has a square-plan projection with a square-headed window opening containing stained glass by Morris & Co. depicting Christ and the Little Children. A flat-roofed annexe wraps around part of the rear elevation at the northeast corner.

The east nave elevation contains two large segmental-headed window openings with fifteen clerestorey window openings below eaves level. A single-storey projection to the left has a series of diminutive window openings positioned above on the nave wall. A double-height annexe set at an angle to the right has three tall square-headed window openings to the south elevation and three to the east. A further single-storey flat-roofed annexe attached to the northeast continues westward, wrapping around the east end of the rear gable, with small square-headed window openings containing steel-framed windows and a square-headed door opening with cast concrete surround, tongue-and-groove hardwood door and overlight.

Interior

The church has a raking floor and skewed choir, unusual features that create an auditorium-like ambience. It retains all original fixtures and fittings. The war memorial organ was built by Alfred E. Davis & Son of Northampton and dedicated in 1957.

Setting

The church is set back from Derry Road within its own grounds, enclosed by a low rubble-stone wall with stacked coping and a pair of low stone piers supporting steel gates. A bitumac drive and large parking area occupy the south side, with various later buildings to the east of the site.

Historical Context

The present site was cleared in May 1954. Prior to this, a building captioned "Manse" appears on the 1905 Ordnance Survey map. The church does not appear on the 1951 fourth edition Ordnance Survey map. The previous Presbyterian church building, a cut-stone structure in semi-Gothic style dedicated in 1871, stood on Meetinghouse Street. It was destroyed by accidental fire on Christmas Day 1938.

The building is of local social and cultural interest as a continuous expression of Presbyterian worship in the Strabane area spanning from the congregation's establishment in 1659 through to the present day.