First Non- Subscribing Presbyterian Church, John Mitchell Place, Newry, Co Down, BT34 2BP

First Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church, John Mitchell Place, Newry

A T-planned Gothic Revival granite church with tower, designed by the important Newry architect William J. Barre and opened on 17 July 1853. This is a good, relatively unaltered early example of Barre's work, marking the transition from plain, simple Non-Conformist churches to more elaborate architectural designs. The plan form, roof detailing, and steeply pitched porches contribute significantly to its architectural interest.

The church faces west towards John Mitchell Place at the junction with William Street. It is constructed of squared random granite rubble with dressed granite buttresses and openings. The pitched natural slate roof has coped and parapeted gables with gablets at the bottom of each verge, half-round metal gutters and down pipes to the sides.

The main elevation presents a gable end with a projecting tower and entrance to the right. The gable is surmounted by a stone finial and has a stepped buttress to the left corner. It contains a large traceried Gothic window with chamfered jambs and cill and a voussoired hood, with a small lancet vent above. The square-plan tower rises three stages over a raised stepped plinth on all sides except where it abuts the church. It is surmounted by an octagonal stone spire. Stepped ashlar buttresses rise to the spire at each corner of the tower.

The ground stage of the tower facing the street contains the main entrance, comprising a pair of vertically sheeted timber doors with large iron hinges beneath a steep Gothic gabled and finialised porch. The first stage, which rises clear of the abutting gable, contains a louvred ogee-headed lancet opening flanked by identical blind openings on either side. The wall of the second stage is recessed slightly behind the general line of the wall, delineated by three sloping cill courses at the bottom and a flat arch at the top. This panel contains a pair of blind Gothic lancets. The tower is topped by an ogee-moulded cornice. The front cant of the tower has a lucarne at its base and small sloping buttresses on each flanking cant.

The right elevation of the tower is similar to the principal façade, except the ground floor has three small ogee-headed lancet windows divided by colonettes at the base instead of a door. The east elevation is identical to the front elevation, but the ground stage is plain. The left elevation is identical to the right side from the first stage upwards.

The right elevation of the church (the south-facing section of the nave) has, to the right of the tower, two traceried Gothic windows with chamfered surrounds separated by a stepped buttress; below each window is a small vent. At the right is a gabled south transept with paired corner buttresses similar to those on the main façade. Its gable contains a window similar to but smaller than that on the main façade, and also has a ventilation slit above. Its left cheek contains a lancet window.

The left (north) elevation of the nave is identical to the right elevation except that a third window replaces the tower, identical to the two on its left. The gabled north transept at its far end is also identical, except that a steeply gabled porch is on its right cheek, with the left pitch of this roof continuing to ground level.

The east-facing walls of the transepts are abutted by a block to the rear. A gable rises from the eaves at the middle of this wall and contains a small vent at its apex. At the back of the nave is a two-storey block set at right angles to it, running the width of the nave. It has a natural slate gabled roof and walls of squared granite rubble with strap pointing. Its south-facing gable has a large segmental-headed window opening extending over both floors, with a modern painted timber window insert. The opening in the corresponding north gable is identical but contains an original traceried timber window; below is a lean-to porch to the basement door. The east elevation of this block is abutted by a later extension. A gable rises from the middle of this wall, with a tall stepped chimney to its right.

A one-storey hall with a flat roof and cement-rendered walls abuts at the rear. There is a granite entrance porch with a pair of modern doors and segmental transom light at its south end in the angle with the block which it abuts. Along its back wall are three sets of nine-paned windows and a pair of three-paned windows. The Warnock Hall was opened by Lord Grey of Naughton, Governor of Northern Ireland, on 14 September 1969.

The church is bounded by a squared strap-pointed rubble granite wall with splayed copings and gabled piers pitched along its outside faces. Gabled and buttressed gate pillars support the boundary. The wall is surmounted at the front by decorative wrought iron railings.

William J. Barre (1830–67) was a Newry-born architect and student of Thomas Duff. He also designed the Ulster Hall and Albert Clock, both in Belfast. His design for this church broke with the tradition of plain and simple Non-Conformist churches, establishing a new direction in their architectural treatment.

The organ currently in use was first played in St George's Chapel, Windsor from 1806 to 1898. It was then removed to Rosemary Street Presbyterian Church, Belfast, before being installed here in Newry in 1928.