St Eugenius Church (C of I)

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A stone built church with square western tower containing porch with gabled pitched slated roof and lean to vestry on north side. The east end has a single 3 light tall gothic style window recessed slightly into wall with tooled sandstone trim and mullions. The moulded hood label is within the recess and terminates in handsome foliage stops. The window has a double cill. Above a small pointed louvred vent to roofspace, no longer required. There is a shallow low stone plinth. The gable trimmed with stone barge stopped at lower end by a corbelled kneeler. The stonework is of roughly squared sandstone with strap pointing.

The south facade consists of 3 pointed single light windows with moulded hood label returned on the horizontal to form stop. The walling between windows and quoins is of equal width. There is no plinth and the top of wall has ½ round metal gutter supported on wrought iron brackets. Gutters stop against the moulded corbel of the kneeler.

The north facade is similar but with a simple pointed window of later vintage and not quite opposite the last window of the S side. The vestry projects from this wall with lean to roof fitting neatly below the nave gutter. Its N wall punctuated with 2 unequal sized narrow windows, one pointed, other square headed and shouldered. There is a square headed doorway on the east gable with a short flight of steps to it. A chimney stack emerges from the nave roof above the vestry built in engineering brick. Stonework of vestry has different character.

The west facade is dominated by the 3 stage stone built tower, each stage defined by a plain string course. The 3rd stage, higher than those lower, has a pronounced batter similar to those of Aghanloo (HB02/11/010), Eglinton and Fahan, Co Donegal. Above a 4 pinnacled oversailing parapet with stepped crenellations each side similarly treated. The shallow oversailing rests on moulded corbels. The pointed entrance door is on the south side and at the west end a tall pointed lancet with flattish hood. On the north a pointed blank but with hood. The 2nd stage has a square flat headed 2 light window on each side of the S, W and N sides. The battered 3rd stage has a single tall louvred and pointed 2 light opening with hood moulding on all 4 sides and forms the belfry of the tower. The roof, slated in natural slates, has metal cresting on ridge and is broken in several places and with ventilator centrally placed.

The church is sited on an unprepossessing site on rising ground to the south of the Drumrane Road and adjacent to the expanded hamlet of Burnfoot in the townland of Bovevagh. Located at the end of a short avenue the site is practically devoid of trees with 2 wide paths leading up to either side of the church. The graveyard extends around the church. It contains a cast iron head stone.

Historical information

This Church replaced an old church (HB02/04/001) on the medieval site when in 1820 it was decided that a new edifice be erected. Building began in 1820 with a loan from the Board of First Fruits and cost £900. It was completed in 1823 and the O.S.M. describes it “At the western end is a square tower decreasing towards the top and surmounted by 4 minarets, 1 at each angle. The pews are good and there is accommodation for 240 persons. The church is lighted by 4 Gothic windows, 3 on one side and 1 in the eastern gable. Being constructed of freestone and well finished, it is in itself a handsome object, but being placed in a hollow, and the tower not being high enough for the body of the building, it is not well seen and there is nothing picturesque about it”.

The building was designed by John Bowden d. 1824 who was sole architect to the Board of First Fruits and is typical of his designs for rural churches. Improvements were carried out c 1900 when the plaster ceiling was removed and the trusses titivated or replaced. If the latter it would have necessitated reslating etc. The N window may have been inserted at this time. Further improvements were carried out to the church in the early 1970s, which included improvements to the services, new windows, new entrance door. In 1970 the windows were described as diamond panel and Y-traceried. Improvements to the grounds were carried out about this time namely additional driveway approach to the north. The site had also been extended.

SMR No LDY 24/11

References

Primary Sources
1. Notes of 1st H B C Survey 1-9-1970 HB02-04-003
2. O.S. Map 1st Edition 1832 Co Londonderry sheet no 24.
3.
Secondary Sources
1. O.S. Memoirs of Ireland; Parishes of Londonderry VII 1834-5 Vol. 25 p3
2. Leslie; Clergy of Derry and Raphoe p125, 126
3. A Rowan; North West Ireland p.149
4. M Craig; Dublin 1660-1860 footnote 6 p.306
5. M Craig; The Architecture of Ireland p.216

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
V. Authorship
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

A good example of the Board of First Fruits’ Gothic style hall and tower designed by John Bowdens the Board’s architect. It retains its original form and most of its detail and is enhanced by its use of local stone from the former Ballyharigan quarry. The Victorian addition of vestry and tessellated floor tiles, exposure of roof trusses and alterations in the chancel do not detract from the buildings forceful character. An additional avenue has been added and the graveyard extended to the west.