Survey Data
Reg No
12402303
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Artistic, Historical, Social
Original Use
Church/chapel
Date
1805 - 1815
Coordinates
247688, 147326
Date Recorded
10/11/2004
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Detached three-bay double-height single-cell Gothic-style Board of First Fruits Church of Ireland church, built 1810, possibly on site of earlier church, pre-1700, with single-bay three-stage entrance tower to west on a square plan possibly originally having spire. In use, 1947. Now in ruins. Roof now gone (possibly originally pitched and hipped) with cut-limestone coping to gable, and no remains of rainwater goods surviving on cut-limestone stepped eaves. Roof to tower not visible behind parapet. Unpainted roughcast walls over part slate-hung random rubble stone construction with cut-limestone dressings including plinth course, stringcourse supporting frieze, surround to gable, paired stringcourses to first stage to tower, rendered advanced corner piers to upper stages having square-headed slit-style gun loop apertures, camber-headed recesses to second stage, carved cut-limestone stringcourse over, battlemented parapet on cut-limestone course having corbel table, and cut-limestone corner finials. Pointed-arch window openings to nave with cut-limestone sills, carved cut-limestone hood mouldings over, and no fittings surviving (square-headed blind openings to west with concealed red brick dressings). Pointed-arch blind openings to first stage to tower with concealed red brick dressings. Pointed-arch openings to top (bell) stage to tower (one on rectangular recess) with cut-limestone sills, concealed red brick dressings, carved cut-limestone hood mouldings over, and no fittings surviving. Tudor-headed door opening on four cut-limestone steps with carved cut-limestone surround having moulded reveals, and no fittings surviving. Set back from road in own grounds with unpainted roughcast lime rendered boundary wall to perimeter over random rubble stone construction having unpainted roughcast lime rendered piers, and wrought iron gate. (ii) Graveyard to site with various cut-stone markers, pre-1700-post-1947.
Appraisal
A middle-size rural parish church conforming to the standard arrangement of nave and tower associated with churches sponsored by the Board of First Fruits (fl. c.1711-1833): the church is distinguished by the various limestone dressings enlivening the architectural design value of the composition together with an enriched battlement according to Samuel Lewis (1837) originally enclosing a spire. Although having fallen into ruin following closure after the mid twentieth century the elementary characteristics survive largely intact, thereby maintaining much of the character of the site. Enhancing the setting value of the church an attendant graveyard incorporating a range of markers displaying high quality stone masonry possibly includes models of some archaeological significance, thereby identifying a long-standing ecclesiastical presence in Burnchurch.