Survey Data
Reg No
12402819
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Artistic, Historical, Social
Original Use
Church/chapel
In Use As
Church/chapel
Date
1815 - 1835
Coordinates
259840, 145179
Date Recorded
19/11/2004
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Detached three-bay double-height Church of Ireland church, c.1825, with single-bay double-height chancel to east on a engaged half-octagonal plan, single-bay single-storey vestry to north, and single-bay three-stage entrance tower to west on a square plan rising into single-bay single-stage turret on an octagonal plan. Pitched slate roof (continuing into half-polygonal roof to chancel; hipped to vestry) with clay ridge tiles (rolled lead ridges to chancel) cut-stone coping to gables, and cast-iron rainwater goods on cut-limestone eaves. Limestone ashlar roof to tower sweeping into turret with cut-limestone course on cut-limestone corbels. Random squared rubble limestone walls with tooled cut-limestone dressings including gabled stepped buttresses (diagonal clasping to corners) rising into diagonal finials, stringcourses to each stage to tower, full-height gabled advanced corner piers to upper stages rising into finials, limestone ashlar walls to turret with carved cut-limestone stringcourses, and lead-lined coping. Round-headed window openings with cut-limestone sills, cut-limestone surrounds having chamfered reveals, dressed limestone voussoirs over, cut-limestone Y-mullions forming bipartite round-headed arrangement (tripartite round-headed arrangement to chancel), and fixed-pane fittings having leaded stained glass panels with some twelve-over-nine timber sash windows. Round-headed window openings to first stage to tower with cut-limestone sills, cut-limestone surrounds having chamfered reveals supporting dressed limestone voussoirs, Y-mullions forming bipartite round-headed arrangement, and six-over-six timber sash windows. Square-headed openings to second stage with cut-limestone surrounds having chamfered reveals, and louvered panel fittings. Round-headed blind openings to top stage with cut-limestone sills, dressed limestone voussoirs, and rubble limestone infill panels. Round-headed openings to turret (round-headed blind intermediary openings) with no fittings. Round-headed door opening with three cut-limestone steps, cut-limestone surround having chamfered reveals, dressed limestone voussoirs over, and timber panelled double doors having overpanel. Round-headed window openings to vestry with cut-limestone sills, cut-limestone surrounds, Y-mullions forming bipartite round-headed arrangement, and fixed-pane timber fittings having iron bars. Set back from line of road in own grounds with random rubble limestone boundary wall to perimeter of site having rubble limestone coping, dressed limestone piers having cut-limestone capping, and iron double gates having finials.
Appraisal
A well-composed modest-scale 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) but the particularly fine detailing of which indicates an additional or alternative patronage from the Bushe or Power family of nearby Kilfane House (12402820/KK-28-20). Distinctive attributes enhancing the architectural design value of the church include the dressings to the window openings introducing a somewhat Romanesque theme to the composition while the turret occupying the position normally embellished by a battlemented parapet further distinguishes the composition in the landscape: delicate stained glass panels exhibiting high quality craftsmanship identify the artistic design achievement of the composition.