Stranorlar Presbyterian Church

This Presbyterian church\meeting house retains much of its early form, character and much of its fabric despite some modern alterations. The pointed-arched openings give this built a Gothic Revival character that is typical of its type and date in Ireland. Of particular significance is the well-detailed main elevation to the east, which is enlivened by the wide c window opening with intricate cut stone Decorated\Geometric Gothic tracery, and the wide Tudor-arched doorway with elaborate surround with engaged colonnettes (and a pair of solid oak doors with attractive stained glass) that together create a strong central focus. The unusual stumpy offset tower with slated spire/roof having a delicate wrought-iron finial over to the south-east corner of the main elevation creates a distinctive appearance that gives this building a strong architectural character in the streetscape to the north of Stranorlar. The tripartite arrangement of the front elevation is very similar to that seen at the Presbyterian church\meeting house at nearby Convoy (see 40832015), which was built around to same time and probably to designs by the same architect\engineer (see below). The other elevations are more prosaic with only rendered buttresses and simple pointed-arched openings lightening the bare expanses of rendered walling This Presbyterian church/meeting house was built for the Revd. Curry to designs by the civil engineer John McIntyre (1857/8 - 1935), of Letterkenny, at an estimated cost of £1,496. 10s. (the final cost was c. £1,800). The main contractors were the firm S. Dorrell & Co, of nearby Strabane, County Tyrone. The foundation stone was laid by a Mrs Ross Hastings of Derry on the 14th of April 1906 – an inscribed ceremonial silver trowel marking this event exists in the interior of the church (not viewed). McIntyre was also responsible for the construction of the adjacent Presbyterian hall (see 40832014) in 1910, as well as a number of other Presbyterian churches/meeting houses in Donegal including the construction of a new Presbyterian church (1st Presbyterian) in nearby Raphoe in 1906 (and alterations to another in 1905), Convoy in 1903 (see 40832015), Kerrykeel in 1913, and repairs to the church at Manorcunningham (1st Presbyterian) in 1918. The present building replaced an earlier Presbyterian church\meeting house on or close to the same site (Ordnance Survey first edition six-inch map of 1837), which was a T-plan structure (with a slated roof) that dated back to c. 1800. Apparently some of the foundations of this earlier church are under the carpark just to the rear of the site. The Presbyterian congregation in Stranorlar officially dates back to 1709 when the first minister was appointed but it can trace its roots in the area back to at least 1675 when a meeting house was in existence. Stranorlar is, reputedly, the second oldest Presbyterian community in Ireland, established in 1649 (seven years after Carrickfergus). The detached two-storey building to the north-west was apparently built around 1881 as a lecture room and stables. It was mainly used as a Sunday school, however, and although altered and modernised, this simple structure adds to the context of the church. This Sunday school was apparently used a temporary place of worship in 1906-7 whilst the new church was being constructed. The attractive wrought-iron gates and railings to the front add significantly to the setting of this building. This fine Presbyterian church is one of two Presbyterian churches\meeting houses in Stranorlar (see 40838031 for Reformed Presbyterian church), reflecting the religious diversity in this part of County Donegal, and represents an integral element of the built heritage and social history of the local area.