Survey Data
Reg No
40401303
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Artistic, Historical, Social
Previous Name
Templeport Church of Ireland Church
Original Use
Church/chapel
Date
1810 - 1820
Coordinates
221606, 316657
Date Recorded
03/08/2012
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Freestanding Gothic-Revival hall-and-tower church, built 1815, entrance in two-stage pinnacled tower with spire, three-bay nave, single-bay chancel added to east 1860, vestry to north, with recent lean-to extension on east side. Pitched slate roof, clay ridge tiles with roll-profile, stone barge stones with corbelled kneelers and trefoil apex finials to east gables, cast-iron rainwater goods with eaves gutters resting on stone corbels. Octagonal-profile cut-stone spire, crenellated ashlar parapet, corner pinnacles with trefoil headed recesses below, all projecting forward on stone corbel table. Roughcast rendered walls, projecting stone string courses marking tower stages. Pointed arch louvred belfry openings with hood moulding to upper stage of tower. Pointed arch windows with hood profile to west and north sides at lower stage of tower, twin-light timber multi-pane to north, twin-light metal lattice to west. Paired lancets to nave with dressed stone chamfered block-and-start surrounds and metal lattice windows with margin panes. Single lancets to north and south of chancel, three graduated lancets to east gable with stained glass, all having similar surrounds. Square-headed double light window to vestry with hood profile and trefoil-headed multiple-pane timber window. Square-headed door with hood profile to vestry. Pointed arch entrance on south side of tower with chamfered stone dressing, square blank recess above with hood profile. Replacement timber sheeted doors. Interior with exposed timber roof structure of king-post trusses with curved struts, curved supports below tie beams resting on profiled stone corbels set in nave walls. Scissor-braced roof over chancel. Exposed timber rafters and purlins. Wall-mounted memorial plaques of various sizes. Pointed chancel arch, pointed arch door openings to entrance and vestry with timber sheeted doors. Raked timber gallery canted at ends to meet window openings supported on stone wall corbels and four Doric cast-iron columns, timber front with chamfer-stop panelling. Pointed arch to gallery door with access via timber stairs in tower. Raised timber floor below pews, stone to area in front of chancel with decorative cast-iron floor grills, decorative tiling to chancel floor. Timber pews with widened area to centre of aisle, carved pulpit. Burial ground to south. Rendered rubble-stone boundary walls with pyramid-capped ashlar piers flanking double cast-iron gates to south-east.
Appraisal
Built with a loan from the Board of First Fruits to hold some 200 persons the church is typical in style and size of many Church of Ireland parish churches built in the early nineteenth century. It was remodelled and enlarged by Welland & Gillespie in 1860. The church retains most of its original materials and features and is well composed with a rich and well-balanced interior. Despite the many lakes in the county, the church is unusual in its lakeside setting at the end of a lane. In former times the approach to the gates from the east was lined by a number of houses and outbuildings, one of which remains to the north side of the road. The approach road retains good definition with boundary hedges and trees. The church adds strong definition to the architectural and landscape character of its setting.