Hutton Church And Churchyard

Hutton Church And Churchyard

Hutton Church is a substantially detailed Romanesque church built in 1834 on the site of an earlier church of 1765, which itself replaced a mediaeval structure. The earlier 18th-century church had become nearly ruined by 1834, described at the time as being so damp that people of delicate health were prevented from attending. The present church has undergone internal modernisation in 1934, re-roofing in 1961, and a false ceiling was inserted in 1970. It remains in ecclesiastical use.

The building is a rectangular-plan structure of 2 bays by 6 bays, constructed in coursed and tooled cream sandstone to the east and south elevations, with sandstone rubble to the north and west, and sandstone ashlar dressings throughout. A 3-stage engaged square-plan tower projects from the north-east corner. Single-storey projections are present at the rear.

The church sits on a stepped base in part, with continuous cill courses. String courses link windows at spring level to the east, south and west elevations. A corbel-table runs at the eaves to the south and north with a round-arched decorative frieze above. Plain parapets are present, and a zig-zag moulding decorates the east gable end. Shallow angle buttresses are distributed throughout the exterior, with shallow buttresses dividing the bays to the east and south.

The east elevation features a 3-stage square-plan tower projecting to the right. The tower has a base course, cill courses, and string courses linking windows at spring level, with a corbel-table at the eaves. Angle buttresses sit at the first and second stages, whilst engaged angle colonnettes with cushion capitals are positioned at the upper stage. Round-arched bipartite windows with flanking colonnettes and columnar mullions occupy the main block. A round-arched entrance is centred at ground level, fitted with a round-arched boarded timber door with decorative hinges and paired flanking colonnettes with scalloped capitals. A bipartite window is aligned at the first floor, with a louvred bipartite window above. The gable end to the left is recessed with single windows flanking a central buttress, narrow louvred openings flanking the centre above, and a surmounting finial.

The south elevation comprises the principal 6-bay block with regularly-spaced single windows in all bays between buttresses. The 3-stage tower recesses to the outer right with a narrow opening at ground level, a bipartite window centred at the first floor, and a louvred bipartite window above. A slightly recessed single-storey porch sits to the outer left with a round-arched entrance fitted with a 2-leaf boarded timber door with decorative hinges and flanking colonnettes with scalloped capitals. A single-storey vestry is set behind.

The west elevation displays a principal gable with various single-storey additions at ground comprising a lean-to and a 3-bay projection at the centre with a shouldered surround to a boarded timber door and flanking narrow windows. A single window is centred in a gabled vestry projecting to the outer left, and a narrow window is centred in a gabled porch projecting to the outer right. The principal gable end is centred behind with large windows flanking the centre.

The north elevation features buttresses flanking the centre with large windows offset to left and right. The 3-stage tower recesses to the outer left with a bipartite window centred at the first floor and a louvred bipartite window above. A single window sits in a single-storey vestry recessed to the outer right.

Round-arched windows to the east and south elevations have flanking colonnettes with cushion capitals to the south and scalloped capitals to the east, with roll-moulded arches and billet-frieze detail. Plain round-arched windows are present to the west and north. Predominantly diamond-pane leaded glazing is employed throughout, with decorative stained glass windows to the east dating from 1903.

The roof is covered in grey slate with gablet-coped sandstone skews. A sandstone apex stack is situated to the west.

Interior

The interior features a timber floor with plain plastered walls above timber dado panelling. Long and short surrounds frame the chamfered window openings. Timber pews are in place throughout. A raised chancel to the east contains a timber pulpit and communion table with a decorative balustrade to its front. An organ of 1908 and choir area occupy the west end. Various wall tablets are present. A bell inscribed 'Soli Deo Gloria Iohannes Burgerhvs me fecit 1661' is housed in the bell tower and was in use in 1999.

Burial Vault

A separate mid-17th-century single-storey rectangular-plan burial vault stands in the graveyard to the north-west. It is constructed of squared sandstone rubble. The south elevation, which serves as the entrance, is of 2 bays with a boarded timber door offset to the left of centre and a small blocked window to the right. The east elevation has a blocked window centred in the gablehead. The north elevation is blank and obscured by gravestones. The west elevation has a barred window centred in the gable end. The vault is covered by a stone-slab roof with sawtooth-coped sandstone skews.

The interior, now used as a store and not accessed in 1999, is reputedly fitted with arched vaulting and contains an arched recess in the north wall holding a memorial to the last burial, dated 1823.

Graveyard

The near square-plan surrounding graveyard contains various gravestones from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, including table-top monuments, classically-detailed stones and examples bearing memento mori carving. A stone stair to the north-east is formed with sandstone pedestals sourced from 18th and early 19th-century table-top monuments, these pedestals serving as balustrades.

War Memorial

An early to earlier 20th-century pink sandstone ashlar war memorial sits to the east of the church, comprising a Celtic cross with decorative carving and embossed memorial plaques to its front.

Boundary Walls, Railings, Gatepiers And Gates

A low coped sandstone wall with iron railings encloses the site to the south. Rubble walls enclose the site to the north. Square-plan gatepiers flank entrances to the east and south-west, with 2-leaf iron gates. Coped circular-plan tooled sandstone gatepiers sit to the north; the gates are off their hinges.

The church tower is particularly notable as the most significant architectural feature of the site. The burial vault and early gravestones are rare survivals of their period. The former manse is located to the north and is separately listed as Hutton, Antrim House. The war memorial is similar in design to that at Paxton, also separately listed.