C of I Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A cruciform stone faced, gabled and slated church with 2 stage tower at nave end and set back from the side of the Main Street adjacent to the fair green and former school.

The entrance door to the church is on the side of the tower, a pointed doorway with hood moulding terminating in horizontal stops and relieving arch above. Above it and just below the moulded stringcourse separating the 2 stages is a square framed panel with blank quatrefoil. This motif is repeated on the other sides of the tower. The S W side, facing the road has a tall pointed window divided into 2 lights by wood Y mullion with label moulding over. The S E side hasn’t a window. A low plinth formed by a chamfered stringcourse is formed at tower base and circumscribes the entire church. Well formed chamfered sandstone ashlar quoins decorated the leading corners, but does not carry up to the 2nd stage. The 4 quoins of the 2nd stage are formed by flat clasping continuous bands or plain pilasters returned across the top defining a solid parapet. Each face of the 2nd stage or belfry has a tall louvred lancet with “Y” mullion on each face. In the middle of the parapet walls there is a square lozenge pierced with an open cinquefoil. Each corner of the tower has a plain conical pinnacle atop a squat base. The tower is built of coursed rough ashlar sandstone of biscuit colour but a pinkish red sandstone is used on the tall panels of the belfry framed by the clasping pilasters. Above the belfry window on the S E side is a slate plaque inscribed:

Anno Christií 1816/Hoc Templum Benefiticutia Populi et/
Patronia Parochia hugus cura Studusque/Michaelís Ross/
In honorem Dei et Domini Nostri/Aedificatum/
Roberto Ogilby Patronio/Alexander Ross Vicario

The nave side walls each has a single pointed window with wood Y mullion with hood moulding. The sandstone quoins in the towers
are repeated on the external corners. The part exposed gable on either side of the tower has a plain slightly overhanging square bargestone which returns across the top of the uppermost quoin.

The side walls and gables of the transepts are similarly treated, with similar pointed windows on the S W, none on the N E and on N W gable a 3 light pointed and traceried window, while the S E has a 2 light pointed and traceried window.

The chancel arm of the cruciform has a wide 3 light pointed window without label moulding and middle pointed tracery while the S W side wall has a 2 light pointed window with quasi-perpendicular tracery and is tucked in between the vesting room and the S W transept.

The small gabled vestry abuts the S W wall of the chancel and in line with its gable wall. It has a square headed 4 pane sliding sash window N E side and a door on the opposite wall.

Similar stonework from Altmover quarry is used on all walls but is coarser on the chancel and that of the vestry a random rubble. Top of walls have a continuous stone corbel course supporting gutters. Gutters and downpipes appear to be cast aluminium. The roofs are neatly slated in Bangor Blues.

The church building with its graveyard fronts onto the Glenshane Road and the Fair Green at the top end of Main Street. To the S W of the church is the former school supported by church and Ogilby family and connected with the Kildare Place Society. Part of the Fairgreen is now an enclosed carpark for the church congregation. It forms a good vista though somewhat bleak for the absence of trees. The graveyard is on 2 sides with stone boundary wall and there is a small stone built groundsman’s shed at the N W corner.

At the front of the church is a narrow railed plot stretching from the side wall of the S W transept to the front wall at Glenshane Road and contains a large dominant spiky gothic memorial of the Ogilby family in stone. In front of it and nearer the road hexagonal white marble gable memorial commemorating the names of Robert Ogilby, R L Ogilby, James Ogilby, Leslie Ogilby and Alexander Ogilby who d. 1846 age 95 years.

Historical information

The present building was preceded by a church built in 1718 to replace the Plantation edifice at the priory. The roof timbers of the Priory church were incorporated into it. Edward Cary, who married the daughter of Lady Doddington, presented a bronze bell in 1712. In 1768 the church was in good repair. However it was replaced in 1816 on the same location at a cost of £1200 borrowed from the Board of First Fruits and repaid in 17 yearly instalments. The parishioners used Banagher Church during the rebuild. In 1858 James Ogilby contributed £200 to replace high back pews with pitch pine seating. The church being built of Altmover sandstone was porous and required replastering and distempering regularly. In 1939 the gable wall of the S W transept was stripped of plaster and the stonework/brickwork pointed. This was successful, allowing the stonework to breathe and the whole church was so treated in 1944.

In 1891 work was carried out in the chancel, widening it and giving the church its Greek cross plan form. The pipe organ of 1878 installed by Ogilby family was retained and in 1898 the same family presented a carved stone font. The carved wood pulpit was installed in 1946 by Robert Cromie of Tamniarin.

The building was originally heated by stoves in the transept gables and these were replaced in 1936 by a low pressure hot water radiator system subsequently replaced in 1967 by the present electrical heating installation.

In 1962-63 woodworm and dry rot were discovered in the roof timber. The church was closed and re-roofed. The adjacent school, now known as Ogilby Hall served as church in interim. The timber panelling in the chancel and the tiling in the passageways was done in 1963 as well as the white marble steps leading to the chancel in memory of Rev. James Kelly.

The 1st Survey states “Altered 1890, a cruciform church of almost equal nave and transepts and chancel. A new plaster ceiling has been added recently, the chancel retains original trusses. The chancel is lighted by a 3 light cusped headed window glazed with stained glass, a similar window in one transept is 2 light, a plain traceried 3 light window occupies the gable wall of the other transept. Remainder of windows are 2 light, metal or leaded – light lozenge framed. Brick and stonework are exposed in the interior, repointed with a raised joint. The entrance is contained in a pinnacled bell tower. The church is constructed of hammer dressed sandstone regular coursed, with railings, contain monuments to Robert Ogilby of Pellipar and William Rainey of Jesus College, Cambridge. Built in 1810 to replace a building of 1718. Altered about 1840”. listed 1974.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H+. Alterations enhancing the building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

A good example of a Greek cross plan in neo gothic style with fine 2 stage tower soundly built in coursed roughly squared sandstone, kept in good repair. It has a good interior, enhanced by the exposed stonework, good fittings with some fine stained glass, good brass lectern, enjoys a prominent location at the upper end of Main Street and provides a focal point. The setting includes boundary wall, gates, Ogilby monument, store and graveyard.