Survey Data
Reg No
14939001
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Archaeological, Architectural, Artistic, Social, Technical
Original Use
Church/chapel
Date
1760 - 1800
Coordinates
213939, 202221
Date Recorded
13/09/2004
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Detached gable-fronted Church of Ireland church, built c.1780, with four-bay nave and graveyard. Located on site of Saint Kieran's Abbey with ruined remains to site. Pitched slate roof with cast-iron rainwater goods, sandstone coping and eaves course and crow-stepped limestone bellcote. Squared limestone and sandstone walls with limestone quoins and skew-corbels. Limestone plaque to front elevation. Pointed-arched window openings with punched limestone surrounds and timber and leaded replacement windows. Pointed-arched window opening to chancel incorporates a thirteenth-century window from Augustinian priory on site. Comprises carved sandstone triple-light with trefoil lancets and quatrefoil lobes under a hoodmoulding. Pointed-arched louvred opening to front elevation. Pointed-arched door opening with punched limestone chamfered surround and timber battened double doors. Door accessed up two limestone steps. Graveyard with varied upright and recumbent grave markers. Ruins to earlier church and abbey to graveyard. Graveyard enclosed by random coursed wall. Site accessed through wrought-iron double gates supported by sandstone gates piers with stile in wall to east of gates. Entrance gates to road accesses driveway to church.
Appraisal
The site of this church has been the focus of religious activity for many centuries as it is located amongst the ruins of the former Saint Kieran's Abbey. The abbey of Saighir was founded by Saint Ciaran before AD 489. Located in the graveyard are the remains of a round tower and the base of an Early Christian high cross. Nestled in the sloping valley of the Fauraun River and with views across the valley to Saint Kieran's Catholic Church, the simple form of this church is enhanced by the limestone bellcote and limestone dressings including the quoins and window and door surrounds. Of particular note is the re-use of a thirteenth-century chancel window from the ruined Augustian priory in the present church. The priory was founded on this site c.1200, the ruined remains of which are in the north-west corner of the graveyard. The collection of Early Christian, medieval and nineteenth-century ecclesiastical structures are contained within a random coursed stone wall and accessed through wrought-iron double gates. This church is almost identical to the Church of Ireland church in Eglish.