First Ballybay Presbyterian Church

Free-standing single-cell Presbyterian church, dated 1786, having six-bay west elevation and four-bay east elevation. Half-hipped slate roof with cut limestone eaves course, and cast-iron rainwater goods. Roughly dressed limestone walls with dressed quoins, date stone to north over blocked door opening. Date stone to east elevation also. Round-headed window openings having six-over-six pane timber sliding sash windows with intersecting timber tracery, and tooled sills. Two window openings to east elevation converted to doorways. Segmental-headed door opening to south gable end, having cut-stone block-and-start surround with prominent dated keystone, and double-leaf timber battened door, with intersecting timber tracery to fanlight. Smooth rendered walls to interior, having timber panelled dado, carved marble memorial plaques to north, flat plastered ceiling to nave with rolled cornice and plaster medallions to light fixtures. Double-width nineteenth-century timber pews to centre of nave, flanked by aisle and pews to east and west. Open choir box, and plain timber altar table to north end, in front of pulpit. Nineteenth-century carved timber pulpit to centre of north end, approached by steps on either side from east and west, with pointed-arch balustrade and segmental-headed carved timber arched niche to north wall. Two square-headed door openings with double-leaf timber panelled doors, having pointed-arch detailing, accessing vestibule to south end. Timber stairs from east elevation of vestibule to gallery. Carved timber pews to gallery, now in use as nursery. Graveyard to site, with graves mainly to east of church. Square-plan piers to west with double-leaf wrought-iron gate.

First Ballybay Presbyterian church is of social significance to the local Presbyterian community, acting as the sole Presbyterian church, particularly following the closure of Derryvally Presbyterian Church and Cahans Presbyterian Church in 1972. First Ballybay was constructed in 1786 over an 'Irish mile' from Ballybay, as was the law at the time (Second Ballybay was constructed in the town about 1834). In 1800 a disagreement in the Derryvally congregation concerning the appointment of a new minister resulted in the construction of Derryvally Presbyterian church only two hundred yards to the north-east. In 1909 the congregations were reunited into the First Ballybay church and Derryvally church since became a community hall. Built at the turn of the nineteenth century this former church is typical of the Presbyterian type and its plain unadorned elevations, a reflection of the Presbyterian ethic, are complemented by its barn-style roof and enlivened by round?headed window openings. First Ballybay church forms a group with the other Presbyterian-associated structures in the vicinity.