St James Parish Church (C of I)

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Gothic Revival Church of Ireland, built 1879, located to the east side of Longland Road. Church consists of rectangular nave with gabled chancel to north abutted at west by square tower; single-storey lean-to vestry to north-east; gabled transepts to east and west; single-storey gabled porch to south-west.

Roofs are pitched natural slate with blue/black clay ridge tiles; exposed rafter-ends to eaves; raised sandstone verges over cavetto moulded kneelers; decorative chimney-stack to north gable. Walls are roughly coursed rubble with sandstone quoins over splayed plinth. Windows are gothic arched cusped geometric tracery containing leaded stained glass in stepped sandstone surround; flush chamfered sills and rubble voussoirs; cusped gothic arched windows containing leaded lattice lights to tower.

Principal elevation faces west and consists of two-window-wide nave at centre; abutted at left by transept and at right by porch. Transept contains large tracery window surmounted by cusped gothic arched opening to apex; cast-iron grille to low level; tower at left. Porch contains gothic arched rebated chamfered sandstone opening surmounted by hood mould with decorative label-stops containing double-leaf vertically-sheeted timber entrance doors; blind quatrefoil oculus to apex; cusped gothic arched window to north and south elevations.

Two-staged tower contains entrance opening, detailed as porch, surmounted by single window; north elevation contains single window at ground floor surmounted by two windows; moulded stringcourse to belfry stage containing two gothic arched chamfered sandstone louvred openings within square-headed recessed panels to each elevation surmounted by quatrefoil fretted balustrade parapet with pinnacles; recessed octagonal sandstone spire surmounted by cast-iron finial.

North elevation is abutted at centre by gabled chancel containing large window surmounted by hood mould with decorative label-stops; cusped gothic arched opening to apex; abutted at right by tower.

East elevation consists of three-window-wide nave at left (window to left diminished and fitted with secondary glazing); abutted at right by transept, detailed as west; north elevation is abutted by vestry containing square-headed dipartite window containing leaded lattice lights.

South elevation contains group of three gothic arched windows (larger to centre) with secondary glazing; arrangement surmounted by hood mould with decorative label-stops; cusped gothic arched opening to apex.

Set within rural churchyard with selection of twentieth-century memorials and gravestones to west; gated plot to west wall of church containing marble memorial stone commemorates previous rector of the parish, dated 1897. Site bounded at all sides by rubble walling with rubble coping; access through swan-neck alcoved entrance; square sandstone piers with pyramidal coping support pair of wrought-iron gates.

Roof Natural slate
Walls Roughly coursed rubble with sandstone dressings
Windows Gothic arched cusped geometric tracery containing leaded stained glass in stepped sandstone surround
RWG Cast-iron box gutters and round downpipes

Historical information

The church is first shown on the third edition OS map of 1905, captioned ‘St James’ Church’. Also marked is a ‘Graveyard’. However, there were two former parish churches in the vicinity. ‘Ruins of old church’ and ‘Donagheady Old Church’ are shown in the neighbouring townland of Bunowen on the first and second editions of the OS map. The previous parish church is also shown in Bunowen townland on these maps but by the third edition this church is also ‘in ruins’.

Added to Annual Revision records in 1879 is a Church and grave yard, valued at £45.

The Diocesan History states, “In 1879 a new and handsome parish church was built at a cost of £3,000. It was consecrated this year by Bishop Alexander of Londonderry (afterwards Primate)…The architect was Mr John Kennedy of Londonderry and the contractors Messrs Colhoun Bros of Londonderry. The chancel is paved with encaustic tiles of special pattern and a new Bell weighing 658 lbs by John Murphy of Dublin was provided. In 1894 the Chancel was improved by the erection of a new Altar Rail, marble kneeling step for Communicants and marble steps to Chancel.” (p.194)

The Irish Builder of 15 April 1878 announced the work in progress and carried an illustration. “This church…is intended to accommodate 800 persons. The foundation stone was laid on 25th July last. The material of walling is rubble whinstone from a neighbouring quarry. Dungiven freestone is being used for dressings, spire &c” (p.115,119)

The Parish history records that the older churches dated from c.1600 to 1788 and 1788 to 1877 respectively. In 1876 it was decided that the former church was in bad repair and a new one should be built. In 1894 a reredos and chancel panelling in oak were installed together with a new east window, new communion rails and marble kneeling step and marble steps for the chancel. In 1910 stables were built, now demolished to make way for a car park. (p.35)

1929 was the ‘…year of the Jubilee of the consecration of St James and it was decided to renovate the church as a commemoration of this event, it was decided to employ Mr Lawson, Strabane as architect”. (p.37)

A font inside the church is dated 1680 and carries the inscription “William Hamilton of Moyah His being church warden in the year 1684 His Promotion.” The font would appear to originate from the early parish church in Bunowen. (p.28)

References:

Primary Sources

1.PRONI OS/6/6/3/1 First Edition OS Map (1832)
2.PRONI OS/6/6/3/2 Second Edition OS Map (1853)
3.PRONI OS/6/6/3/3 Third Edition OS Map (1905)
4.PRONI VAL/12/B/42/6A-G Valuation Revisions (1860-1923)

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.Dundas, Rev. E.T., Ed “The History of Donagheady Parish.” Tyrone Constitution (date not known).
3.The Irish Builder, 15 April, 1878

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

A Gothic Revival Church of Ireland, built 1879, located in a rural setting to the east side of Longland Road. The building displays a high level of ornamentation, for a rural church, and the design is well-conceived. The stonework detailing is of considerable merit, particularily the decorative balustrade to the slender tower and the window tracery and decorative label stops. The church, built to replace an earlier parish church, retains much of its original detailing externally and internally and the building is a significant architectural landmark on the edge of the village of Donemana.