Greenisland Presbyterian Church, 166 Upper Road, Greenisland, Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim, BT38 8RW

Greenisland Presbyterian Church is a handsome interwar church in brick with understated modernist detailing featuring geometric emphasis. Built in 1940, it occupies a prominent roadside location on Upper Road in Greenisland, under Knockagh War Memorial, and is of local interest.

The building is a single-cell double-height Presbyterian church with a rectangular nave, chancel to the west, single-storey porch to the east, and a square two-stage tower to the south-east. The roof is pitched natural slate behind a parapet, with flat roofs to the porch and tower, and a chimneystack to the west. The walling is Flemish bonded red brick with V-shaped buttresses between windows.

The principal elevation faces east. The gable-end of the nave comprises at upper level a three-order rebated opening with soldier-coursed head, containing a large window surmounted by four brick relief motifs. The ground floor is abutted by a porch containing three windows at the centre. A canted entrance bay at the right contains a rebated opening with brick voussoirs holding modern double-leaf timber doors with glazed lights. The porch is abutted at the left by the square tower with corner buttresses. The tower features a three-order rebated opening surmounted by a sandstone bas relief panel depicting a burning bush motif, dated 1940, with a chamfered sandstone lintel. The belfry stage of the tower contains two narrow louvred openings.

The south elevation consists of five bays to the nave, each separated by buttresses, with pairs of windows to each of the three central bays. The right bay contains a drainage opening at parapet level. The tower at the right contains windows at ground and first floor levels and three narrow louvred openings at belfry stage. A double-height return abutts the tower at the left, containing two windows at ground floor and a single window at first floor. The north elevation is detailed as the south, abutted at the right by a single-storey link block to the hall and at the left by a porch containing a pair of windows to the west. The west elevation is abutted by a canted chancel with a further canted projection, and abutted at ground floor by the modern hall.

The plain exterior is enlivened by a particularly attractive stone panel of artistic merit. Windows are replacement uPVC square-headed casements with aluminium sills. The interior exhibits simple finishes and restrained use of materials characteristic of this period of church building. Notable attractive features include the pew ends and door handles, and the whole is well-preserved. Although a contemporary extension exists, its effects are confined to the rear and the main elements of the church remain intact.

A modern church hall, constructed in the style of the church, was built to the west around 2000 and is of no interest. The churchyard is modern. Access from Upper Road at the east is framed by square brick pillars with concrete coping and bounded by further brick pillars connected by steel chains.

The gutters are cast-iron half-round with round downpipes.

Historically, a hall of timber construction called Knockagh Hall was opened on Upper Road in 1912 to provide worship space for the increasing population of Greenisland, created by the Church Extension Committee under the care of Whiteabbey Congregation. The first meeting to consider building a proper church was held in 1935. Land almost opposite Knockagh Hall on the other side of the road was obtained from the Golf Club. Four foundation stones were laid on 6 April 1940 by Sir Joseph McConnell, Bt, DL, MP; Rt Hon John F Gordon, MP; Mrs Jane Shannon; and Mrs Agnes H Wallace, the latter two being founder members of the congregation. The church was opened on 6 September 1941 by Miss Emma Roome, another founder member. The church was designed by Gamble and Maxwell and seated 400 people. Building was carried out by James Moreland, Belfast. A church hall was opened in 1964 on the site of Knockagh Hall. The adjacent manse was built in 1970.