Kilskeery Church (C.of I.)

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached double-height Board of First Fruits Church of Ireland church dated 1790; located to the north side of Kilskeery Road, Trillick. Rectangular-on-plan with chancel to east; four-stage bell tower with crenellated parapet and fine ashlar spire to west; single-storey lean-to vestry to north.

Roofs are pitched natural slate with metal sheeted ridge; flat stone verges supported on torus moulded kneelers; plain acroter (plinth) at east gable apex. Corbelled eaves supporting half-round cast-iron rainwater goods. Walls are roughly coursed rubble over projecting stone plinth. Windows are paired gothic containing leaded (latticed) stained glass with margin lights divided by single chamfered mullion within stepped chamfered stone surrounds, unless otherwise stated.

Principal elevation faces west and is abutted to centre by four-stage tower with spire; exposed section to right is blank; exposed section to left is abutted by lean-to boiler house.

North elevation is abutted to left by single-storey lean-to vestry; exposed section contains four paired gothic windows.

East gable contains central geometric bar-tracery chancel window with leaded stained-glass and margin lights; chamfered mullions and stepped chamfered surround with voussoirs over; projecting string course.

South elevation contains five paired gothic windows.

Four-stage-tower; first-stage south elevation contains principal entrance comprising a gothic opening with square-headed timber-sheeted doors and fixed timber sheeted panel to top section; contained within sandstone cavetto moulding; mason’s mark to left of door, west elevation contains gothic window containing leaded (latticed) stained glass with margin lights in plain masonry surround with stone voussoirs, and projecting masonry cill. North elevation; first stage is abutted by lean-to boiler house. Second stage south elevation contains central painted masonry plaque with the inscription ‘DEDICATED TO GOD/ A.D. MDCCXC’; metal wall tie to left. West elevation contains round-arch vertically divided fanlight window with stone voussoirs and projecting masonry cill. North elevation contains metal wall tie at right. Third belfry-stage contains central gothic timber louvred belfry opening to each face. Fourth stage is with crenellated parapet; pinnacles to corners.

Vestry is detailed as main block with replacement uPVC rainwater goods; north elevation contains central square-headed dipartite window containing leaded (latticed) stained glass with margin lights; single chamfered mullion and stepped chamfered sandstone surrounds. West elevation is blank; east elevation contains replacement timber-sheeted door with stepped chamfered sandstone surround.

Boiler house is detailed as nave; west elevation is blank; north elevation contains central gothic timber casement window with plain chamfered surround.

Setting

Set on elevated site within churchyard to the north of Kilskeery. Bounded to road at south by smooth rendered walling; accessed through square smooth rendered piers with precast concrete square stepped caps with ball finial supporting replacement metal gates.

Roof Natural sla
Walling Roughly coursed rubble
Windows stained glass
RWG Cast-iro

Historical information

Despite the datestone of 1790, OS Memoirs claim that the church was erected in 1772. The Church’s dimensions are given in the Townland Valuation Records as 84 ft long by 30 ft 6 in broad by 15 ft high. The steeple is 15 ft long by 17 ft 6 in broad by 60 ft high. The church is valued at £18 2s 8d and the steeple at £5 18s 1d. Griffith’s values the church at £30 10s 0d and this continues to be its value throughout the revisions.

OS Memoirs carries the following description; “The church situated in Kilskeery Glebe is a neat plastered building with a square tower and freestone spire. The body of the church is 90 ft long and 30 ft broad. It is neatly fitted up inside with pews and a gallery and will accommodate 500 persons; the average attendance on each Sabbath is from 400 to 700 persons. It was erected in 1772. The expense was defrayed by the incumbent of that period, the Reverend Archdeacon Hastings, but the amount is not known.” (p.114)

Rowan comments; “A big rough church on a hill…Hall and tower type, with an elongated four-stage rubble tower with Irish battlements…The original spire was taken down and re-erected in 1830. Five-bay nave. Improved in 1890 by Thomas Elliott of Enniskillen, who added a new ceiling, pews, floor, vestry and E window.” (p.502)

The Church can be dated to the late eighteenth century, with the vestry and E window being added in the late nineteenth century.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/56/2-3 – Ordnance Survey Maps (1854, 1906)
2. PRONI VAL/1/B/631/A-B – Townland Valuation Records (1828-40)
3. PRONI VAL/2/A/6/56 – Griffith’s Valuation Map
4. PRONI VAL/2/B/6/33B – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/40/2/A-F – Valuation Revisions (1860-1929)
6. Day, A and McWilliams, P eds. ‘OS Memoirs of Ireland, Parishes of County Tyrone I, 1821, 1823, 1833-36, Vol 5’ Institute of Irish Studies, 1990

Secondary Sources

1. Rowan, A ‘The Buildings of Ireland: North West Ulster’, Penguin Books, 1979

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

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

Evaluation

Detached double-height Board of First Fruits Church of Ireland church, dated 1790. The church is single-cell form and is simply detailed with interest provided through the tower with crenellated parapet and recessed ashlar spire; gothic stained glass windows with stepped chamfered stone surrounds with voussoirs. A well preserved interior contributes to the overall character of the church. The building is well set in its churchyard and is a good example of a relatively early church