Survey Data
Reg No
15403006
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Artistic, Social
Original Use
Church/chapel
In Use As
Church/chapel
Date
1930 - 1940
Coordinates
214807, 241994
Date Recorded
15/10/2004
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Freestanding Roman Catholic church on cruciform plan, built c.1932, comprising a four-bay hall, two-bay transepts to the northwest and southeast, a polygonal apse to the southwest and a four-stage tower on square-plan attached to the southeast side of nave, adjacent to entrance gable. Polygonal tower built into southeast side of tower. Single-storey vestry to the rear (southwest). Pitched clay tiled roofs with raised verges to gable ends having Celtic cross finials over gable apexes to the main body of church. Shallow hipped tiled roof over tower having a wrought-iron finial over. Rendered walls with extensive rendered decoration, including recessed round-headed openings and hoodmouldings over window openings. Rose window (six petal) to front gable (northeast). Central round-headed doorcase, set in projecting porch, to entrance gable having surround with three orders of arches and having timber panelled double doors. Doorcase flanked by round-headed openings with blind-arcading over. Paired round-headed window openings to sides of nave, set in recessed panels, and round-headed openings to northwest and southeast faces of transepts. Round window openings to gable apexes to end faces of transepts. Round-headed doorcase to the northeast face of tower with timber double doors having round-headed windows over to second stage and a blind round-headed arch to third stage. Round-headed openings to belfry. Limestone boundary wall with cast-iron railings over and moulded gate posts having cast-iron gates to the entrance front (northeast), erected c.1860 and associated with an earlier church on site. Located to the northwest of Moate.
Appraisal
An interesting and unusual Lombardo Romanesque-style Roman Catholic church, which retains much of its early form, character and fabric. This is an unusual choice of style for an early twentieth-century church in rural Ireland, and is unique within Westmeath. This church is very well-detailed with the Lombardo Romanesque theme extending into the interior. This church was built to designs by Martin McGuire and replaced an earlier T-plan Roman Catholic church (c.1830) on the same site. The appealing boundary wall, railings, gate posts and gates to the front survive from this earlier church and enhance the setting. This church occupies a prominent site in the landscape to the northwest of Moate, with the stout tower a local landmark, and is an interesting and unusual addition to the built heritage of Westmeath.