Methodist Church, Central Promenade, Newcastle, Ballaghbeg, Co Down

Methodist Church, Central Promenade, Newcastle

A small, two storey Methodist church built in 1928, constructed mainly of granite and Gothic in form with an eclectic front gable and octagonal tower. It replaced an earlier Methodist church on the site that had stood since 1826, marking the first Methodist church established in Newcastle.

The church is set back from the terrace line on the east side of Central Promenade and is somewhat crowded by neighbouring buildings. The front façade faces east in rock-faced coursed granite. To the left is a Tudoresque arched recess containing a timber sheeted entrance door, with steps leading up to it. All dressings, including those around the entrance, are executed in a concrete-like composite stone. To the right of the doorway is a broad Tudoresque arch-headed window with three lights in a timber frame and stained glass to the centre, with dressings and label moulding above.

Both entrance and window sit within a projecting bay. Above the entrance, this bay rises to form a two storey octagonal tower topped with a short octagonal splayed spire. The four faces of the tower visible from the east and north-east each contain a pointed arch three-light window. The rear face is blank, while the south and south-east faces have window-like recesses. To the right of the tower, the front projecting bay steps down to single storey with a hipped roof. On the short north side of this portion is a marble panel commemorating the centenary of Methodism in Newcastle in 1926. The main front gable features a large pointed arch window with stained glass, dressings and label moulding over. The gable appears to rest on a corbel, has a step to the verge and flattened apex.

A gabled transept projection rises from the left of the south façade, partially rendered. The north façade has a gabled transept projection to the right, its rendered gable containing a large pointed arch window with triple lancet timber frame and stained glass. The lower half of this gable appears to be abutted by the neighbouring building. The short west face of this transept joins a large modern flat-roofed extension. The short east face is built of granite like the front and has a pointed arch window with stained glass and dressings matching the front gable window. Three similar windows appear to the south nave façade to the left of the transept, also in granite, with buttresses between them.

The rear façade features a large central gabled chancel projection with a high-level window similar to that of the north transept, together with a modern PVC door and window at ground level. To the left, this projection is abutted by a modern two storey flat-roofed section with modern windows and door linking to the south transept. To the right of the chancel is a small single storey lean-to attached to the west face of the north transept, with a modern window to its west face and a pointed arch window to the west face of the north transept. The entire rear elevation is finished in unpainted rough-cast.

All roof sections of the original building are covered in natural slate, believed to be Westmoreland slate. The roof has a slight overhang to the nave and transepts, where rafter ends are exposed. Cast iron rainwater goods are fitted throughout. A small forecourt to the east features a low granite wall with relatively plain gates and railings.