Downshire Road Presbyterian Church, Downshire Road, Newry, Co Down, BT34 1DX

Downshire Road Presbyterian Church, Newry

A classical Presbyterian preaching house erected in 1843, positioned prominently on a corner site facing east onto Downshire Road. The building presents a restrained exterior that belies a dramatic interior, with most original features well maintained.

The church is a painted rendered structure set on a two-course granite plinth, with a shallow pitch natural slate roof. The façade features a pedimented gable with a cast iron ridge light positioned behind the gable and a ventilator to the centre of the ridge. Cast metal rainwater goods are throughout.

The principal façade is symmetrically composed with a central recess framed by two-storey pilasters, paired internally with fluted Ionic columns. Four granite steps rise from the forecourt to the central entrance, flanked by modern wrought iron handrails that are splayed and freestanding with urns mounted on granite plinths. The doorcase itself is distinguished by a moulded cornice supported on foliated console brackets and a shallow pediment with simple acroteria at each end. The double doors are painted six-panel with two fixed panel transoms. Above the doorcase is an architraved plaque bearing raised gold letters reading 'AD 1843'. The central pilasters and columns support a deep entablature extending across the full width of the façade, which breaks slightly forward over the central bay. To each end of the façade are paired pilasters defining a bay on either side of the door. Each bay contains a tall semicircular-headed recess enclosing a recessed stained glass window, framed with a moulded archivolt and pilastered jambs with moulded capitals and bases. The entablature is finished with a deep cornice and triangular pediment with plain tympanum.

The side elevations follow a consistent treatment in their eastern bays, with pilasters to each corner supporting entablature and eaves cornice with blocking course above. The middle section of each bay features a full-height recess containing a segmental-headed blind window at ground floor and a flat-headed stained glass window above. The remainder of each side elevation contains four window openings per floor, set into shallow recesses within the otherwise plain lined render wall. Ground floor windows are segmental-headed stained glass; first floor windows are semicircular-headed stained glass. All windows have granite cills. A granite eaves course runs continuously.

The rear wall is blank. A contemporary two-storey return adjoins the rear, pitched with natural slate roof and two chimneys—one to the end gable and one to the left pitch. Metal rainwater goods are fitted. The return's right cheek displays three openings per floor: at centre, three steps lead to a door flanked by segmental-headed 6/6 margin-paned sliding sash windows. At first floor level are three semicircular-headed 9/6 sashes in line. The back gable incorporates a low flat-roofed extension with two small toilet windows.

A larger hall of more recent construction stands offset to the left, abutting the left cheek of the return. This adjoins the back gable of the church. A single-storey block projects to the front with a passage between it and the right elevation of the church. At the rear of this passage, between the two buildings, is a granite doorcase with entablature and shallow pediment, plain double doors and a narrow transom light providing access to the hall. The wall above has three segmental-headed high-level 10-pane fixed windows with a stringcourse and plain render wall rising to a cornice and coping with arcaded detailing. The lower block features two segmental-headed windows to the front and three plain flat-headed casements to the side facing the passage. The composition is plain and does not enhance the quality of the group. The hall stands separately to the left with blank walls on both sides, an unpainted plain render rear wall containing six tall rectangular windows, and a granite datestone reading '1991'. It has plain lined rendered walls and a pedimented gable.

The site is bounded to Downshire Road by fine cast-metal railings set on a low granite plinth, with square granite gate piers to the front centre. The piers are in two blocks with recessed panels to all faces, corniced capping, and domed square top blocks. Identical piers mark the boundary with the adjoining telephone exchange at the corner of Downshire Road, with central double gates directly aligned with the front entrance. Spear finials top the circular bars with central and lower embellishments. Similar railings continue with occasional restraining posts, finishing approximately at the level of the church rear wall where they terminate at a square rendered pier. This is followed by a rendered wall bounding the remainder of the road frontage and continuing around the rear of the site.

The ground surrounding the church is tarmaced, with a grassed area facing Downshire Road frontage.

Recent internal renovations were undertaken by Alex Whelan, a Newry contractor, to specifications prepared by architects Young & McKenzie, at a cost of approximately £500. This work included a new pulpit constructed from pitch pine, yellow pine and American walnut. The church remains in use and the interior retains its dramatic character with all primary features largely original and well preserved.