[Extracts from the North Derry list by W D Girvan, published by the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society in 1975.]
The List covers Ballykelly, Castlerock, Downhill, Limavady and Magilligan.
1870. Architect Frederick William Porter. Superintended by William
Hunter. Contractor George and Robert Ferguson. Porter (1820-1901)
was a London architect who built for the Clothworkers' Company;
of his churches this is the most distinguished design. It is typical
of the High Victorian interpretation of the Early English Gothic
style. The stone used is very dark basalt with white Glasgow trim
to the windows and doors, and banding. The plan is cruciform with
a three-sided chancel. An engaged north-western tower provides
access. Tower and walls are supported by gabled buttresses. The
lancet windows, often in groups of three, originally had diamond
panes, some of which survive. The ground floor of the tower contains
the entrance doors, moulded Gothic arches with attached columnettes;
the tympanum has peculiar dog tooth decoration incised with a
pattern of triple circles The belfry storey has well-detailed
louvred openings; the eight bells, dating from 1891,are by Messrs.
Taylor and Co. of Loughborough - a memorial to Sir Hervey and
Lady Bruce. The broached ashlar spire rises from a corbelled parapet,
from which four angry corner gargoyles gaze into the distance.
The spire has four clock faces which were not part of Porter's
design.
The interior provides a distinct contrast. It is lined with vivid
Belfast brick (a space being left between the outer stone and
brick facing); sandstone is used for the window surrounds, chancel
and transept arches. The windows have deeply splayed reveals and
shallow Tudoresque arches. Above them, at cornice level, is a
series of circular paterae. The pitch-pine roof is supported on
beams resting on corbels. The sombre atmosphere of the chancel,
with its altar raised two levels above the nave floor, reflects
the influence of Pugin. Contributing to this is the exceptionally
high quality of the church furniture - elaborate brass candelabra,
mostly five-branched, lectern, altar-rail and pulpit; multi-coloured
encaustic tiles and organ pipes, stamped with decorative patterns;
above all the richly-hued stained glass windows some of which
are memorials to the Bruce family. The three light west window
was designed by Messrs. Wailes and Strang, Newcastle-on-Tyne.
Refs: RCB 10; IB XII 1 July 1870; Dixon; North Antrim Standard
31 Dec 1891.
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1872. A lofty and confident free-standing building rendered behind,
but with a finely detailed sandstone front. Its restrained classical
features might indicate Thomas Turner as architect, although the
exaggerated height of the first floor looks amateurish. The facade
is three bays wide; the ground floor is lightly rusticated with
three round-headed openings, two windows and an elaborately panelled
door. Above runs a fluted band of floral insets, then a double
string course which contains a bulging balustraded balcony supported
on large scrolly brackets. The first floor is of smooth ashlar;
the tall windows have shallow moulded surrounds. Above the central
one is an awkwardly placed two-faced clock, bearing the motto
- Alexander Memorial Hall. Surely the clock was intended to be
placed in the empty oculus in the middle of the pediment - now
the haven of pigeons.
[Note: Planning permission has recently been granted for
demolition of all but the facade of this building].
Some of this area, particularly Ballykelly, is also covered
in the Society's book on the Fishmonger's
Company in Ulster.
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