St Patricks Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A free-standing, symmetrical double-height ashlar sandstone Church of Ireland church in a blend of Gothic and Romanesque styles, with an octagonal stone steeple rising from a square-based tower projecting from the north gable. Rectangular on plan, built in 1841-42 to replace a previous church, the ruins of which lie to the north-east. Enclosed by a burial ground and rubble walls the site occupies the southern termination of Church Street with Kilrea’s central Diamond a short distance to the north. Gabled chancel projects from the main south gable with an additional flat-roofed vestry, dating from the late 19th century, abutting to the south and south east re-entrant angle.

Pitched slate roof having grey angled ridge tiles; lower roof to chancel; ogee cast iron rainwater goods over profiled masonry brackets; rounded downpipes and some concealed gutters with decorative cast iron hoppers. Masonry eaves on similar brackets to gables. Walling is ashlar sandstone throughout with offset plinth; angle buttresses throughout. Windows are generally replacement leaded stained glass, comprising groups of three graded round-headed lights with chamfered mullions, splayed sills and a continuous label mould with foliated label stops (unless otherwise stated). All windows have aluminium storm glazing installed.

Principal elevation faces north and comprises three-stage tower, with set-back buttresses, which projects from north gable; parapetted square projections, flanking and rising to first stage of tower. Recessed, round-headed doorway to centre of tower having chevron motif to surround and billet mouldings to architrave, supported on Norman-esque columns with pedestals. Billet course to second stage having central round-headed largely lattice-paned window with similar columns supporting roll-moulded architrave and surmounted by label mould and carved heads to label stops. In-stepped cap supported by profiled masonry brackets, rising to octagonal upper-stage each having gables and figurative carved heads; round-headed, louvered openings to four principal faces having similar columns and chevron architraves; each surmounted by circular moulding with label and figurative stop moulds; that of main elevation contains black clock-face with gilded hands and Roman Numerals. Finished with octagonal ashlar stone spire. Replacement timber sheeted square-headed door and decorative contrasting hinges; diminutive window to each side with similar surrounds. Left and right cheeks contain similar doors with plain chamfered-surrounds and label mould with foliated label stop. Remaining north gable is blank.

East elevation comprises three sets of equally spaced windows, separated by offset buttresses.

South elevation has archivolt to circular, louvered vent; projecting gabled chancel below with large window to centre; carved heads to label stops. Single-storey flat-roof extension abuts to chancel and re-entrant angle on right-side. Left bay is of same stone construction as main church, right-bay is ruled and lined rendered and was added at a later date (during the late 19th century); both have continuous parapets and string course. Two windows to south elevation; the left has cast-iron tracery matching that on tower window) and carved heads to label stops; right is similar but simple lattice tracery and label stops are plain pyramidal. Right cheek has similar window to centre; timber sheeted door with vent holes intersects plinth course and is accessed below ground level via stone tiled steps with winder, which abut to the building and descend from south to north. Left cheek has similar doorway to square bays of north cheeks.

West elevation is as east.

Setting
Located to the south end of Kilrea within a lawned burial ground, the church is set back from the junction between Church Street, Lisnagrot and the Moneygran Roads. The building subsequently terminates the southern vista from Kilrea’s central Diamond, which lies to the north. A bitumen path encircles the perimeter of the building, leading to the main entrance gates onto Church Street. The undulating burial ground contains the overgrown, elevated ruins of the previous parish church to the north-east. The site is enclosed by a rubble-stone wall to the rear; curved wall to remainder is roughly hewn, coursed and squared with saddleback copings (some replacement to east). Pedestrian cast-iron gate to north east; central cast-iron gates supported by two large, rendered square piers topped by offset pyramidal caps and having an interlocking circle motif to upper faces. Decorative, alternating cast-iron balusters to stone entrance steps surmounted by replacement curved metal handrails.

Roof Slate
RWG Cast iron
Walling Ashlar sandstone
Windows Leaded and stained-glass/ cast iron tracery

Historical information

St Patrick’s Church in Kilrea was built in 1841-42 to the designs of architect George Smith and replaced the old parish church, the ruins of which are located within the graveyard, to the north-east of the current church.

The building is first shown, captioned ‘Church’ on the second edition OS map (1853), with the previous church also depicted and noted as being ‘in ruins’. First listed in Griffith’s Valuation (1856) the church and graveyard were valued at £34 19s 7d and occupied by a Rev. J.H. Millen. This valuation incorporated the chancel, vestry and tower houses, as well as three other additional structures. By 1864 the building was valued at £66 in the Annual Revisions. The third edition OS map shows that by 1905 the church had become known as ‘St Patrick’s Church’.

The original church at Kilrea, an ‘ancient building’, was noted as pre-dating 1622 (Kernohan). Ruinous by 1654 and rebuilt during the late 17th century, the church was utilised as a chapel of ease to the parish of Tamlaght O’Crilly, later becoming the parish church of Kilrea. Capable of accommodating 120 people in 1836 the church was rectangular in form with 12ft high stone walls, three windows either side of the nave and an old belfry to the west, which contained a bell, donated by the parish Rector, Rev. Clutterbuck in 1666. Despite extensive repair following a fire in 1800, the roof was reported in the OS Memoirs (1830-39) to be in a poor state of repair.

During the colonisation of Ulster in Plantation times the Worshipful Company of Mercers’, a principal Livery Company of the City of London, directly controlled a proportion of land within County Londonderry. The estate of 33.5 sq miles was located around the district of Kilrea and Movanagher. By the mid 17th century the Mercers’ estate was let to nominated individual/s, many of whom were absentee landlords, and subsequently the estate fell into severe decline. With the death of the final tenant, Alexander Stewart, in 1831, the Mercers’ took repossession of and direct control over the estate. Kilrea was now the capital of the proportion and in the ensuing decades the Company instigated an ambitious scheme of improvements intended to raise productivity, general welfare and the overall appearance of the estate with particular focus placed on Kilrea town. An architect to the Mercer’s Company was appointed (George Smith and William Barnes) and a cohesive design plan for the development of Kilrea was generated with public buildings being largely funded by the Company (Curl).

It was noted in 1836 (OS Memoirs) that the Mercers’ Company offered £1,000 toward the construction of a new church. However, the erection was postponed due to the lack of funds of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners (OS Memoirs).

Design of the new church is credited to George Smith, architect to the Mercers’ Company. However, Curl (1986) notes that the records kept by the Mercers’ Company demonstrate that Smith’s partner and pupil, William Barnes, was largely responsible for the design and erection of St Patrick’s Church. Constructed between 1841-42 at an approximate cost of £6,000 (Kernohan), the contract was undertaken by James Little and Sons of London who received £3,739. During construction, it was decided that the town clock was to be inserted into the church tower; the contract was carried out by J.T. Paine in 1842 (Curl). In 1862, William Barnes was also responsible for carrying out work to the organ loft (DIA). Although a quarry located a short distance at the village of Movanagher was utilised for the majority of stone construction in the town, the stone for public buildings was sourced from Altmover, near to Dungiven (OS Memoirs).

References

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/5/27/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey map (1830)
2. PRONI OS/6/5/27/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey map (1853)
3. PRONI OS/6/5/27/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey map (1905)
4. PRONI OS/6/5/27/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey map (1925-33)
5. PRONI OS/10/5/27/5/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey County map (1905)
6. PRONI VAL/2/B/5/6A – Griffith’s Valuation (1856)
7. PRONI VAL/2/D/5/5 – Griffith’s Valuation Map (1859)
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/3A – Annual Revisions (1864)
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/3B – Annual Revisions (1865-78)
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/2C – Annual Revisions (1879-85)
11. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/2D – Annual Revisions (1886-94)
12. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/2E – Annual Revisions (1895-1910)
13. PRONI VAL/12/B/29/2F – Annual Revisions (1911-29)
14. PRONI VAL/3/B/6/2 – First General Revaluations (1935)
15. PRONI VAL/4/B/5/5 – Second General Revaluations (1956-72)

16. Ulster Town Directories (1901-43)

Secondary Sources

1. Lewis, Samuel ‘A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland’ S. Lewis & Co, London (1837)
2. ‘Ordnance Survey Memoirs; The Parishes of Co. Londonderry, VIII [Vol. 27] - Desertoghill, Errigal, Killelagh and Kilrea, 1830-39’ Institute of Irish Studies, Queen’s University, Belfast (1994)
3. Curl, James. S. ‘The Londonderry Plantation 1609-1914’ Phillimore & Co, Chichester (1986) 4. Kernohan, J.W. ‘The Parishes of Kilrea and Tamlaght O'Crilly A sketch of their history, with an account of the Boveedy Congregation’ Coleraine, (1912) 5. Dictionary of Irish Architects (http://dia.ie/)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

A free-standing symmetrical Church of Ireland, built in 1841-42 as a replacement for the previous parish church. Built to designs of George Smith and prominently sited to the South end of Kilrea, within a lawned burial ground. The church is characterised by large three-light windows to the nave and by the three-stage tower at the north gable, that is surmounted by an octagonal stone spire. Essentially of Gothic and Romanesque character, displaying the early application of Romanesque motifs and detailing. Despite some exterior and internal elements been renovated in recent years, architectural fabric is largely intact and the church has a well-preserved interior. The original boundary walling and gates contributes positively to the setting. The church makes a significant contribution to the historic character of the area, signifying the ambitious development plans that were envisioned for Kilrea during the mid 19th century by the Mercers’ Company.

General comments

Additional listing criteria apply-R-Age, S- Authenticity, U- Historic Associations.