Historic Buildings Record · Northern Ireland
Learmount Parish Church (C of I),
Tireighter, Derry City and Strabane, Northern Ireland
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade B1
- Grade
- B1
- Type
- Church
- Date of listing
- 26 February 1979
- Date of construction
- 1820 - 1839
- Address
- Learmount Parish Church (C of I),, Learmount Wood,, Tireighter Road,, Park,, Co Londonderry, BT47 4BA
- Townland
- Tireighter
- Council
- Derry City and Strabane
- Country
- Northern Ireland
- Coordinates
- 54.86500, -7.08853
- Date of survey
- 19 August 1997
- HB reference
- HB01/01/011
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1811 "Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
The Department's description
Exterior description and setting
A small rectangular three bay long simple hall church built of stone with roughcast rendering all round except for a shallow projecting stone faced porch and equally shallow chancel. Each corner of the church is emphasised by diagonal and shouldered stone faced buttresses. The roof is slated and surmounting the entrance gable a small decorative bellcote with pointed finial. Three tall pointed windows on each of the long walls of the nave have timber ‘Y’ tracery and diamond panes of glass. Gutters and downpipes are cast-iron. Barges in sandstone.
The building is set in a secluded corner of what was formally the grounds of Learmount Castle and now a Department of Agriculture forest. Adjacent is a former school and teacher’s residence. Around the church a small graveyard not overpopulated with graves. Contiguous to the graveyard is a post war housing scheme which forms an extension to Park village. Access to the church and graveyard is through a pair of iron gates between tall piers.
The church is kept in good repair as likewise the graveyard.
Historical information
The church was built in 1831, inscribed on west gable, “and cost 747 pounds 5 shillings which was raised by a grant of 400 pounds from the Board of First Fruits, aided by contributions from the Bishop of Derry, the Irish Society, the Skinners Company and several of the gentry”(OSM). Architect not known but possibly William Farrell.
References
Primary Sources:
1. OS Map 1st Edition Co Londonderry 29
2. 'Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland Vol.28. Parishes of County Londonderry IX', ed Angelique Day & Patrick McWilliams (QUB, 1995) p8.
3. S Lewis A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland Vol. I.
Secondary Sources:
1. J S Curl 'The Londonderry plantation 1609-1914' Philmore & Co, London 1986, p304
Criteria for listing: architectural interest
A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
Criteria for listing: historic interest
V. Authorship
W. Northern Ireland/International Interest
X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
Evaluation
Small neo-Gothic style rural church with some neo-Tudor detailing. Typical of Board of First Fruits work.
Nearby in the register
- Learmount School & Teacher’s House,Hallunder 1 mi
- Laurel HillHouseunder 1 mi
- Park Corn Mill and KilnFarm Buildingsunder 1 mi
- Park Flax mill,Millunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.