Tower of the former Annahilt Church of Ireland, Church of the Ascension, Church of Ireland, Glebe Road, Annahilt, Lisburn, Co. Down, BT26 6NE

Tower of the Former Annahilt Church

This is the free-standing remains of a square-plan rubblestone tower, originally dating to 1741 as part of the former Annahilt Church of Ireland. The tower was erected in 1768 at the expense of the Marquis of Downshire as an addition to the west façade of the existing church, which had been built in 1741. The tower was the only part of the original church to survive standing, prior to its demolition around 1996.

The remains now stand approximately one metre tall, filled with rubblestone and located on the east side of Glebe Road within the grounds of the Church of the Ascension (constructed 1856). The tower retains an embedded stone plaque on its east elevation inscribed: "Thomas Smyth, Preecentor of, Dromore first, designed and soo, after at his own, proper and sole, expence erected, this church, at Annahilt, Anno Domini, 1741". The west elevation has a flight of stone steps and wrought-iron gates opening to rubblestone piers within the boundary rubblestone wall of the graveyard, which open onto Glebe Road.

The original church was a simple rectangular nave aligned east-west, as shown on the first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1833-34. The tower abutted the west end of this nave. By 1858, the second edition Ordnance Survey map records the church as demolished and the tower captioned as "Tower of Old Church". Historical records indicate that the 1741 church replaced an even earlier church on the site, possibly destroyed in 1641. The consecration of the 1741 church took place on St Peter's Day. The earlier church had been condemned by William Fullerton, architect to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, which led to its demolition and the subsequent rebuilding of the current Church of the Ascension adjacent to the former site.

The tower remains are set on an elevated site at the west end of the graveyard, at a bend in the road. The tower was demolished in 1996 after becoming unstable and presenting health and safety risks, following consultation between the Northern Ireland Environment Agency and the Heritage Buildings Council.