St Patrick's C of I Church,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached double-height Board of First Fruits Church of Ireland Church, built c. 1785, located to the west side of Glenroan Burn, Plumbridge. Rectangular-on-plan nave aligned east-west with two-stage tower at west; chancel at east with connecting single-storey lean-to vestry at north.

Roofs are pitched natural slate, blue/black clay ridge tiles; flat stone verges; half-round cast-iron rainwater goods supported on projecting eaves course. Walls are ruled-and-lined-rendered over projecting smooth rendered plinth; west elevation is roughcast rendered. Pointed-arched-headed geometric tracery windows with chamfered mullions, lattice glazing with margin lights and top-hung openings, contained within chamfered droved finish surrounds and flush splayed cills.

Principal elevation faces west and is abutted at centre by two-stage tower; exposed sections are blank. Tower is roughcast rendered with continuous eaves course detail. First stage contains principal entrance at south; replacement timber window at west; north abutted by lean-to boiler house. Second stage contains pointed-arched-headed timber louvred belfry opening at north, south and west sides; east blank; tower terminates with crenellated parapet. Entrance is via replacement double-leaf vertically sheeted timber doors contained within flush stepped stone surround; accessed by single masonry step.

North elevation is three windows wide.

East gable is abutted at centre by double-height chancel built c. 1860, to designs of Joseph Welland; exposed sections are blank. Chancel has pitched natural slate roof, steeper pitch than nave; blue/black clay ridge tiles; flat stone verges supported on cavetto moulded kneelers; cast-iron rainwater goods supported on projecting cavetto corbels. Walls are exposed random rubble with droved finish stepped quoins. North elevation is abutted by single-storey lean-to extension containing vestry; detailed as chancel. Chancel east elevation contains geometrical bar-tracery window; single window at south. Vestry entrance at south, vertically timber sheeted door contained within chamfered droved finish stone surround; accessed by two stone steps. West elevation is blank; paired lattice glazed windows at east within droved finish stone surround.

South elevation is three windows wide.

Set in a remote rural location; to the west of Glenroan Burn with church graveyard to west containing eighteenth- and nineteenth century grave markers and random rubble vault at east. The site is bound on three sides by random rubble walling with soldier coping. Site accessed by pedestrian access only at south coursed rubble piers with pyramidal coping and cast-iron gate; church hall at south built c. 2000.

Roof Natural slate
Walling Ruled-and-lined-rendered over projecting smooth rendered plinth
Windows Pointed-arched-headed geometric tracery windows with chamfered mullions, lattice glazing with margin lights and
top-hung openings
RWG U-profile ogee profile

Historical information

Built c.1785, on the site of an earlier church; the church appears largely intact in plan form and style with the original tower at west also built c.1785; the chancel was added c.1860 to designs of Joseph Welland. The interior has suffered slightly due to cosmetic changes when refurbishments where carried out c.2000.

The church is shown on the first edition OS map of 1832, captioned ‘Church’. It is captioned ‘St Patrick’s Church’ on the third OS map of 1905-6, and a chancel has been added to the east elevation. A graveyard is also shown on the map at this stage.

The Townland Valuation records the ‘Parish Church and Steeple’, which is valued at £7.18s. Griffith’s Valuation of 1858 records the ‘church and graveyard’ under exemptions, it is valued originally at £8.10s, and later revised to £8.15s.

Valuation Revisions do not record any changes.

The Diocesan History states that,“Badoney Upper Church, near Plumbridge…was built in 1784…Badoney Upper and Lower were separated in 1774 and re-united in 1924. The parish was united with Ardstraw and Baronscourt in 1986.” (p.40)

Rowan states that a short chancel was added by Joseph Welland in 1859. (Rowan p.454)

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/12/1 -First Edition OS Map (1832)
2. PRONI OS/6/6/12/2 -Second Edition OS Map (1853)
3. PRONI OS/6/6/12/3 -Third Edition OS Map (1905-6)
4. PRONI VAL/1/B/644A -Townland Valuation (1820-1840)
5. PRONI VAL/2/B/6/46A -Griffith’s Valuation (1858)
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/39/5A-F -Valuation Revisions (1864-1924)

Secondary Sources

1. Fawcett, F. W., D. W. T. Crooks and James B. Leslie. “Clergy of Derry and Raphoe.” Belfast and Londonderry: Ulster Historical Foundation, 1999.
2. Rowan, Alistair. “North West Ulster: Londonderry, Donegal, Fermanagh, and Tyrone.” Buildings of Ireland Series. Dublin: Penguin Books, 1979.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

Detached double-height Board of First Fruits Church of Ireland, built c. 1785, located to the west side of Glenroan Burn, Plumbridge and surrounded on three sides with a complementary stone boundary wall. The church is one of oldest churches in the area on an enclosed site with early graveyard at west; the church is well proportioned with good detailing including original geometric bar-tracery windows and traditional construction. The church has an unspoiled rural setting and is an impressive feature in the landscape.