Barr Parish Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached double-height Church of Ireland church, built c.1840, located to the south side of Moneygar Road. Church consists of rectangular nave with canted chancel to east, added c.1860, to designs by Welland and Gillespie; single-storey gabled vestry to south, added c.1910; double-height entrance porch to west abutted by single-storey lean-to extension to south.

Roofs are pitched natural slate with blue/black clay ridge tiles; raised sandstone verges; gabled sandstone bellcote to west has stepped weathering and consists of gothic-headed chamfered aperture containing bronze bell; square chamfered chimney to vestry. Walls are coursed rubble with fieldstone quoins; porch and lean-to are roughcast; splayed plinth to chancel and vestry. Windows are gothic timber framed 12/16 sliding sashes with red brick voussoirs; all have sandstone sills.

Principal gable faces west and is abutted by porch; exposed section is partially roughcast. Porch contains single square-headed leaded lattice window at each floor to west elevation; north elevation contains square-headed vertically-sheeted timber entrance door; south elevation contains single plain glazed timber framed window at first floor; abutted at ground floor by lean-to containing single uPVC casement window.

North elevation is three-windows wide; that to left contains leaded lattice lights in sandstone surround with flush sill.

East gable consists of canted chancel; single window in sandstone surround with flush sill containing leaded stained glass to each cheek.

South elevation is three-windows wide; that to right contains leaded lattice lights in sandstone surround with flush sill. Abutted at right by vestry with basalt quoins; west elevation contains single vertically-sheeted door in stepped chamfered sandstone surround accessed by stone steps; east elevation contains square-headed dipartite windows containing leaded lattice lights.

Setting

Set within churchyard on elevated site; single-storey single-bay rendered outbuilding with slate roof to north-west. Site bounded to road at north and east by rendered walling and to south and west by hedging; accessed through rendered square gate pillars supporting wrought-iron gate.

Roof Natural Slate
Walling Coursed rubble
Windows timber framed
RWG Cast-iron

Historical information

The church is first shown on the second edition OS map of 1854 captioned ‘Barr Church’. A porch appears to be shown, however, the apse and vestry are not shown until the third edition of 1905. A modern extension has been added to the porch since the first survey in 1987.

Griffith’s Valuation of 1858 records a ‘church, office and land’, which is valued at £4 and leased from the Rev. John Grey Porter. The lessor is revised to Mrs. E. MacCartney in 1880, and the church becomes the occupier ‘in fee’ in 1907.

The online Dictionary of Irish Architects notes that an extension to the polygonal apse was designed by Welland & Gillespie in 1863. This extension may include the vestry. The apse itself appears to be an addition and may have been added at the same time.

“Barr was formed as a Perpetual Curacy c.1846 out of Kilskeery, Donacavey and Dromore parishes…the church was consecrated on 27th June 1843”. (Leslie, p. 121).

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/57/1-4 - Ordnance Survey Maps (1833-4, 1854, 1905, 1938-9)
2. PRONI VAL/2/A/6/57 - Griffith’s Valuation Map (1858)
3. PRONI VAL/2/B/6/36 - Griffith’s Valuation (1858)
4. PRONI VAL/12/B/41/8A-F - Valuation Revisions (1860-1913)

Secondary Sources

1. Leslie, James B. “Clergy of Clogher.” Belfast: Ulster Historical Foundation, 2006.
2. www.dia.ie – Online Dictionary of Irish Architects

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H+. Alterations enhancing the building
I. Quality and survival of Interior

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

Detached Church of Ireland, built c.1840, located to the south side of Moneygar Road. This simple church has benefitted from additions over the years, including chancel designed by renowned church architects Welland and Gillespie. The building retains much of its original fabric both internally and externally, including original sash and leaded windows and stonework. It is well-proportioned and represents a good and intact example of a modest rural church demonstrating historical development in its original setting.