Survey Data
Reg No
20803001
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Artistic, Social
Original Use
Church/chapel
In Use As
Church/chapel
Date
1835 - 1840
Coordinates
154296, 109053
Date Recorded
25/09/2006
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Freestanding T-plan gable-fronted Roman Catholic church, dated 1836, facing south, with three-bay nave, three-stage bell tower to street, west elevation, fifteenth-century tower to east elevation and with gable-fronted sacristy addition to west elevation. Pitched slate roof with castellated verges, pinnacles and with limestone cross finials to west and south gables. Rendered chimneystack to sacristy. Tooled cut limestone walls with plinth course, string course to upper walls, and stepped buttresses to nave and to corners. West and entrance gables have string courses, and niches to base of apex pinnacles. String courses to west tower. Entrance gable has further niches with religious statuary flanking main window, and holy water font to side of main doorway. East tower has random rubble sandstone walls, with slit window openings. Painted rendered walls to sacristy. Clock to west elevation of west tower. Pointed arch window openings throughout, with chamfered surrounds and sills and with hood-mouldings and stained glass. Multiple-light and with panelled tracery to transepts and south gable, and double light to nave. Lancet arch window openings to first stage of tower, having latticed glazing, and with timber louvers to pointed openings of top stage, all with hood-mouldings. Blind windows to south elevations of transepts. Pointed window with hood-moulding to west gable of sacristy. Square-headed six-over-six pane timber sliding sash window to north elevation of sacristy. Pointed arch chamfered door openings to entrance gable, having carved timber panelled doors, double-leaf and folding to centre and single to flanking doors, all with label-mouldings. Tudor arch door opening with label-moulding to west tower, pointed arch with hood-moulding to south elevations of transepts and to medieval tower, all having carved timber panelled doors, with Y-tracery overlights to pointed openings, accessed by limestone steps to east elevation and medieval tower. Decorative floor tiles to vestibule, with limestone threshold and half-glazed stained-glass timber panelled porch. Marble altar, altar rail and steps, with mosaic floor. Carved marble panels flanking altar backdrop and window opening above. Carved timber panelled balconies to transepts and organ loft. Ribbed depressed Tudor arch ceiling with gold-leaf render decoration. Graveyard and ruins of thirteenth-century friary to site. Tooled limestone boundary walls with double-leaf cast-iron entrance gate and wrought-iron arch.
Appraisal
This fine Roman Catholic church, designed by Charles Cotteral of Cork, is a dominant building on the streetscape and is interestingly positioned between two terraces. The design makes full use of the site and incorporates a medieval tower to the east elevation. The detailing, both internally and externally, has been well executed. The retention of original features such as the carved timber panelled doors, stained-glass windows and intricate stonework add character and charm to the building and to the town.