St. Eugenius Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Church of Ireland, three-bay, Gothic style church built c.1860 to designs by Joseph Welland and located approximately 1km south of Claudy village. Entrance elevation faces south-east with entrance doors in pitched gabled porch. Polygonal apse to east elevation. Three-bay north elevation with cat-slide natural slate roof. Bell-tower with steeply pitched copper spire (spire added in 1960) topped with cross finial and battered walls to base set at SW corner. Pitched slate roof with terracotta crested ridge to nave and porch. Hipped natural slate roof and rolled ridge to apse. Square capped finials to gables. Cast-iron rainwater goods, ogee gutters set on exposed projecting sandstone corbels. Walls of coursed rubble local schist with tooled sandstone quoins, skews and dressings. Two stage coursed rubble schist plinth to apse and single stage plinth with sandstone dressing to nave and arcade. Diagonal stepped buttresses to west gable and south porch elevations. Lime pointing to walls throughout. Tall paired lancet arched windows to south elevation with stained glass. Paired pointed arched windows to north arcade elevation, also with stained glass.

South Elevation:
Pitched slate roof with cast-iron ogee gutters on projecting sandstone corbels. Two-stage bell-tower to SW corner with diagonal stepped buttress to west end. Decorative sandstone string course, dressed sandstone quoins and one lancet arched window to each stage. Lower window having diamond paned glass, upper window, timber louvres. Copper clad spire projects over walls and rises steeply to a copper cross finial. Entrance porch linked to tower by lean-to with coursed rubble schist walls. Small pointed arched windows with diamond paned glass to wall of lean-to and in east wall of porch. Gable entrance wall with gothic arched opening and paired timber vertical boarded doors with decorative hinges and louvred timber panels to base of each leaf. Sandstone hood moulding over door opening with light fitting at apex of moulding. Tall paired lancet arched windows to each remaining bay with stained glass. Two steps to porch with modern ramped access, with painted metal handrail, from east to new landing.

West Elevation:
Gable wall with buttresses to ends, sandstone skews and curved kneelers with square capped finials to apex. Three tall lancet arched windows with diamond paned glass surmounted by an ocular window at upper level with cinquefoil geometrical tracery. Bell-tower set back at SW corner with detail as before.

North Elevation:
Single storey side aisle adjoining nave with natural slate cat-slide roof set back from west gable. Buttresses to each end of facade. Three paired gothic arched windows with sandstone dressings and stained glass with storm glazing. Single storey return to east end of elevation. Sandstone doorway with corbelled architrave and vertical boarded timber door, painted with decorated strap hinges, studs and with louvred timber panel set at low level. Return abutted by modern lean-to with coursed stone walls and stainless steel flue.

East elevation:
Gable wall to return with sandstone skews, curved kneelers and trefoil finial. Paired lancet arched windows with diamond paned glass. Lower level of gable obscured by lean-to. Three rectangular paired windows at ground floor level. Stone built, single-storey link to polygonal apse with single lancet arched window with diamond paned glass. Two stage coursed rubble schist plinth to apse. Lancet arched window to three sides with sandstone dressings and stained glass. External steps with metal handrail access the boiler room at lower level.

Pitched natural slate roof with decorated terracotta crested ridge to main building, porch and rear return. Rolled lead ridge to apse. Cat-slide natural slate roof to north elevation. Cast-iron rainwater goods, ogee gutters set on exposed projecting sandstone corbels. uPVC downpipe to apse. Copper cladding to spire. Stainless steel flue projecting from roof of lean-to attached to east elevation.

Setting:
The church is located on a slight rise approximately 1km south of Claudy village at the junction of the Lower Ballyartan Road and Cumber Road. The site is bounded by planting to the north, east and south. The northern boundary also has timber fencing, and the southern boundary has a low stone wall with fencing above. The entrance to the site on the west boundary comprises of stone walling with stone coping, piers with caps and paired wrought-iron gates.

Materials:
Roof: Natural slate
Walls: Schist and sandstone
RWGs: Cast-iron / uPVC
Windows: Diamond-paned / stained glass.

Historical information

This church was built in 1858-60 to replace the previous parish church, the ruins of which still stand in an ancient graveyard some 400m north of the present site (LDY 2913). The new church was constructed on a fresh site that had been granted in perpetuity by William L. Browne of Cumber House. It was designed by Joseph Welland (1798-1860) whose plans for the structure are in the Representative Church Body Library in Dublin (Dictionary of Irish Architects). The new church was consecrated on Thursday, 19 July 1860 by the Bishop of Derry and Raphoe. In the report of its consecration it was stated that:

"The new church is an exceedingly handsome structure, possessing main and side aisles, porch, spire and belfry. It was built after the early English style of architecture, and in accordance with the plans of the late Joseph Welland Esq., architect to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, at a cost of nearly £3,000. The roof is open-work and finely stained. The edifice is well lighted and ventilated, and contains sittings for 400 persons." (Belfast Newsletter)

The contractor was Messrs McElwee. The congregation had subscribed £700 towards its construction. The new church was given the rateable valuation of £44 10s. In the Valuation Revision Books (though, as a public building, it was exempt from rates). The copper spire was added in 1960 (Rowan, p. 190). The window in the west wall of the north aisle was originally in St Nicholas’ Church, Castlerickard, in the Diocese of Meath. The HB files do not record any alterations of significance in the recent past.

References - Primary Sources
1. PRONI Valuation Revision Books, 1860-1929 – VAL/12/B/32/5A-F
2. PRONI Ordnance Survey 6-inch map, 1904-32 – OS/6/5/22/3
3. NIEA First Survey record – HB01/02/027
4. NIEA HB Records – HB01/02/027

References - Secondary Sources
1. Belfast Newsletter, 23 July 1860
2. Dublin Builder, 1 Aug. 1860
3. J.B. Leslie, Derry Clergy and Parishes (Enniskillen, 1937)
4. Alistair J. Rowan, The Buildings of Ireland: North West Ulster (Harmondsworth, 1979)
5. David W. T. Crooks, Living Stones. A Historical Survey of the Churches of the Dioceses of Derry and Raphoe (2001)

Online sources
Dictionary or Irish Architects: www.dia.ie

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
R. Age
S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance

Evaluation

A Gothic style Church of Ireland church built 1858-60 to designs by Joseph Welland and located approximately 1km south of Claudy village at the junction of the Lower Ballyartan Road and Cumber Road. Irregular plan form comprising nave, single side-aisle, apsidal chancel and tower. Constructed of coursed rubble local schist it is enlivened by sandstone detailing appropriate to the style. The steeply pitched copper-clad spire was added to the battered-walled bell-tower in 1960. The development of the church is of note and it maintains its historic character. The church and spire combine to form a strong composition of significant local importance enhanced by its rural setting and its robust stone boundary wall and gates. The church has social importance for the local community and is a good example of the type. It is of some interest as one of the last works of a notable architect.