Survey Data
Reg No
20903416
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Artistic, Historical, Social
Original Use
Church/chapel
In Use As
Church/chapel
Date
1865 - 1875
Coordinates
172829, 99309
Date Recorded
30/10/2006
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Freestanding gable-fronted Roman Catholic church, built c. 1870, facing west, having seven-bay nave with side aisles, chancel to east, and sacristy attached to south-east corner. Pitched slate roofs with cut limestone openwork bellcote to gable-front, carved limestone cross finials to gables of nave and chancel and having limestone bracketed eaves to chancel, and having cast-iron rainwater goods. Steeply hipped slate roof to sacristy with ornate cast-iron ridge crestings and cut-stone chimneystack, with cast-iron rainwater goods. Snecked squared red sandstone walls, having buttresses to front elevation corners of nave, cut limestone quoins, cut limestone block and start surrounds and cut limestone sill courses to opening surrounds, and copings to buttresses. Cut limestone bands at sill and impost levels to side aisles, similar bands also to imposts of windows to upper gable-front and chancel, to base of bellcote and to sill level of sacristy. Pointed trefoil-headed window openings to side aisles with chamfered surrounds and lead-glazed windows having some painted glass. Quatrefoil clerestory windows with alternate limestone and sandstone voussoirs, set into round recesses and linked by cut limestone platband. Pointed triple-light window opening to chancel with hood-moulding, ornate raised limestone voussoirs at intervals, reticulated tracery window and stained glass. Triple lancet window with hood-moulding to gable-front, with trefoil-headed lights having stained glass. Double-light window openings to front end of side aisles, with trefoil-headed lights and quatrefoil lights above, under hood-mouldings. Double and triple-light square-headed window openings with lead glazed windows to sacristy. Pointed arch main door opening to gable-front with moulded limestone surround, hood-moulding, alternate limestone and sandstone voussoirs and timber battened double-leaf door. Ornate cut limestone stoups flanking entrance. Interior has pointed arch arcade of rendered columns with moulded limestone capitals and bases, with continuous hood-moulding. Exposed timber scissors truss roof with braces supported on rendered corbels. Diagonally timber boards to ceiling and boxed timber boards to ceiling of chancel. Pointed chancel arch springing from marble columns half-way up arch, with ornate capitals and corbels and having moulded archivolt. Marble altar rail with marble colonnettes and trefoil-headed arcading. Recent marble altar. Recent internal wooden lobby to entrance end. Square-profile piers to entrance gateway, having sandstone walling with ashlar limestone plinth, quoins and gabled caps with crosses in relief to faces and ornate double-leaf cast-iron gates, flanked by ornate cast-iron railings set on cut limestone plinths terminating in similar piers.
Appraisal
This handsome Gothic Revival church was designed in 1870 by the renowned architect George Ashlin. The use of red sandstone and white limestone create striking visual effects. The building is a manifestation of the growing confidence of the Irish Roman Catholic Church in the mid-to late nineteenth century. The coherent decorative scheme, using pointed arch windows, hood-mouldings, buttresses and side aisles with clerestory windows, unifies and emphasises the Gothic theme. The interior with its lofty arcades and chancel arch give a sense of grandeur. The scissors-truss roof is elaborate and an excellent example of sophisticated and highly skilled carpentry. The sacristy with its iron cresting and decorative surrounds to the openings adds grace and style to the building. The roadside boundary of piers and cast-iron railings and gates adds to the overall Gothic ambience of the church and exhibits a high standard of stone and iron craftsmanship.