R C Chapel

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A rectangular gabled and slated, roughcast and smooth rendered church, five windows wide to the main elevation which has a gabled centrepiece. Originally dating from 1824 it was substantially renovated in 1983.

It stands within the built-up area of the town but set well back from the public road within its own extensive grounds.

The main entrance faces south, located in an end wall, but the main elevation, which faces the main road, faces west.

The west elevation is of roughcast with a smooth rendered plinth, central recess, surrounds to windows, and quoins to extremities. The roof is of Bangor blue slates in regular courses. Rainwater goods are of uPVC. Windows are rectangular, of uPVC, with six fixed lights containing lozenge patterning, and two top-hung vents containing quatrefoil patterning. The central recess contains a modern circular datestone of 2003, and is surmounted by a finial.

The north gable is of roughcast with quoins as before. It is surmounted by an ironwork cross finial, and contains one window, triangular headed, with stained glass, set in a continuous projecting surround.

The east or rear elevation is a long blank wall of similar materials to the rest except for two small projections of lean-to type. In one there is a rectangular doorway.

The south gable is of similar character to the north except that it has a rectangular doorway, containing a pair of doors in a simple surround. This is the main entrance.

SETTING:
The grounds contain a rough grassy burial ground crossed by concrete flagged and loose gravel paths. Headstones to graves are largely of the 19th and 20th centuries. A school building which formerly stood at the roadside is now demolished. The boundary to the north is formed by a rubble stone wall containing a small modern steel gate while that on the west side is formed by a roughcast wall containing a pair of original 19th century plain iron gates.

Historical information

Built in 1824 but substantially renovated in 1983 when a number of its original features, including the main roof, were lost.

References - Primary Sources
1. OS Map 1833, Co Tyrone 29.
2. Datestone of 2003 on building.

Secondary Sources
1. UAHS, Dungannon and Cookstown (Belfast, 1971), p 34.
2. A.J. Rowan, The Buildings of Ireland: North-West Ulster (Harmondsworth, 1979), p 218.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

This small narrow church was originally built in 1824 and is sited within an extensive graveyard. In 2003 it was substantially altered and little now remains of the simple late Georgian detailing and materials . Only the original footprint remains; otherwise the church has lost its architectural interest.