First Presbyterian Meeting House and Burial Ground, High Street, Newry, Co Down, BT34 1HB

First Presbyterian Meeting House and Burial Ground, High Street, Newry, County Down

This is a simple rubble stone meeting house, now roofless and ruinous, with an associated burial ground containing several historically and architecturally notable memorials. The building most likely dates from around 1722–1724, when ground was leased to the Presbyterian congregation according to the Ordnance Survey Memoir, though the Memoir itself incorrectly states a construction date of 1774. A notice board at the entrance gates gives the date as 1724. The congregation moved to a new church in John Mitchel Place (formerly Needham Place) in 1853, after which the building fell into decline. An early 20th century photograph shows the ruins still retaining a slated roof and sliding sash windows. On the 1835 Ordnance Survey map the building appears as a square structure with a full-width wing on each wall. By the 1861 map only the south-west wing remained, and the site is captioned "Unitarian Meeting House (old)".

The Meeting House

The building is orientated south-east to north-west. Its original two storeys have been reduced to one, and the structure is now roofless and in a ruinous condition. Walls are of random rubble with brick dressings to the openings. The north-east gable has been reduced in height and is now cement-coped. Its central doorway has a timber lintel with a segmental brick relieving arch above. To either side of this doorway are single window openings. All windows are tall and semicircular-headed with no cills; the intrados is splayed internally. At first-floor level, the original window openings — which are in line with those below — have been infilled. The side elevations are narrower than the gable ends. The north-west elevation has a now-headless doorway to the left and a window to the right. The south-east elevation has two windows. The south-west wall, which forms the boundary with the adjacent convent, is blank. In line with and to the east of the north-east gable is a ruinous section of wall retaining one complete window opening, with the openings to its left and right in a ruinous state.

The Burial Ground

The churchyard is enclosed by a rubble stone wall with a retaining wall to the east end. It is grassed with modern plots laid out and concrete paved paths throughout. To the east end is a small graveyard containing 19th century graves, tombs, and memorials, of which the following are particularly notable.

1. Colvin Memorial Situated at the north end of a row of 19th century graves at the south-east end of the graveyard. It consists of a rectangular white marble tablet fronted by a Gothic-headed and traceried cast-iron panel. The tablet is incised with the names and dates of those interred, the earliest being Mary Ann Colvin, who died in 1864. The cast-iron encasement has a semicircular head with a projecting hood topped by a strapped ball finial upon which rests a dove. The memorial rests on a chamfered granite plinth and has an ill-fitting asbestos panel attached to its back. The rectangular plot is delineated by a wrought-iron link chain hung from cast-iron piers, each with a pitched top and marked "Smith Patent Sun Foundry Glasgow". There is one pier at each corner and one at the centre of each side.

2. Malcolm Memorial Also situated at the south-east end of the graveyard, this is a Grecian Revival mausoleum aligned east–west and executed in Roman cement. It is rectangular in plan with advanced corner piers, all on a plain base. Each elevation and pier tapers inwards as it rises. The north and south faces have inset white marble panels with moulded architraves. The south panel is now illegible. The north panel bears the inscription: "This monument is erected by the Presbyterian congregation of Newry who while they bow to the will of the most high deplore the loss of him who was during 14 years their beloved pastor. May this marble speak to future time and stimulate the successive ministers and members of this congregation to follow his example and emulate his virtues." The west and east elevations each have a raised rectangular panel with an embossed patera to each in-stepped corner, within which is a diamond-shaped inset of black stone with a white marble bible embossed upon it. Each corner pier has a recessed vertical tapering panel with an inverted segmental head, above which is an inverted acroterion decorated with anthemion. The piers and each elevation are topped by a plain frieze with raised edges. Each pier has a shallow pyramidal cap, and the mausoleum as a whole has a shallow hipped roof topped by a large foliated oval urn. The whole is set within a granite-paved enclosure with plain spiked railings — including a small integral gate to the east side — and urn-topped posts.

3. Alexander Memorial A tapered ashlar granite obelisk with a pyramidal head, in a similar style to — but very much smaller than — the nearby Corry Memorial. It rests on a square pedestal with a projecting cornice with coved eaves and a drip course. Each face of the pedestal is coffered, with inscribed slate tablets inset to the west and east faces. The west panel commemorates the Reverend Henry Alexander, this church's minister for 27 years, who died in 1868. The pedestal rests on a plinth made up of three granite steps.

4. Reverend Mitchel Tomb A rectangular mausoleum aligned west–east, situated within an enclosure at the centre of a row of 19th century graves at the south-east side of the graveyard. Executed in Roman render in a neo-classical style, it has raised tapering piers to each corner, all resting on a raised moulded base course. Each pier carries an inverted embossed classical torch with an embossed laurel wreath above, and each is capped with a hipped render coping with moulded eaves. The whole structure is capped with a hipped overhanging render lid. The north and south faces have inset white marble text panels. The south panel is now unreadable, though a later inscription in the render below states: "In the same tomb must rightfully repose the honoured remains of Mary the noble wife helpmeet and friend of him whose name is inscribed above. Born 8th April 1788, died 8th April 1865." The marble panel to the north reads: "He chose to obey God rather than man and endured much for conscience sake. He fearlessly and ably advocated the sufficiency of scripture and freedom from human creeds. With apostolic simplicity and mild persuasive eloquence he maintained that God is one, that God is love and that he sent his son to be the saviour of the world. As was his life so was his death, calm, peaceful, holy and like how he wished it to be inscribed on this tomb — In Christ is my hope." The west face is inscribed: "Holy father keep through thy own name knows whom thruoughest given me that they may be one as we are." The east face reads: "Born 11th Nov. 1781 / Died 28th Feb. 1840 / aet. 58 / 'Love one another as I loved you'."

5. John Mitchel Memorial This memorial consists of a square granite pedestal on a moulded granite base, very finely dressed to the front, with a shallow hipped overhanging coping. The front face is incised: "In memory of John Mitchel, born Nov. 3rd 1815, died March 20th 1875. After 27 years spent in exile for the sake of Ireland he returned with honour to die among his own people and he rests with his father and mother in the adjoining tomb." At the foot of the memorial is a long granite slab with a pitched top and roll-mould to the ridge, incised on each pitch with details of Mary Mitchel (fourth daughter of the Reverend Mitchel), who died in 1898, and William Haslett, who died in 1891.

John Mitchel's father was minister of Newry First Presbyterian Church, and the family resided at Ivybrook Lodge. John became a lawyer in Banbridge and was a vocal member of the Young Ireland Movement. He was tried under the Treason-Felony Act and deported to Tasmania to serve 20 years, but escaped in 1854 and lived in America until returning to Ireland in 1874. He was voted Member of Parliament for Tipperary in 1875 but was debarred from parliament owing to his conviction. He died in Newry in 1875.

1. Sundial Situated on the south corner of the graveyard. A decoratively moulded one-piece octagonal granite post resting on a square plinth of three granite steps supports a circular bronze face set horizontally, the perimeter of which is incised with Roman numerals and some decoration. The decorative bronze gnomon is intact. The sundial was made by Adams of London and was presented to the congregation by Robert Wallace in 1757.