St Macarten's R. C. Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Early 19thC barn church ecclesiastically aligned with sanctuary to E gable and entrance porch to W gable. Sited on an elevated site within a churchyard containing a number of 19thC memorials, a stone shrine and Bell tower.

Pitched natural slate roof with lead flashing to skews. W gable has a stone Celtic cross finial. Advanced eaves course supports moulded metal rainwater goods. Walls are cement dashed and painted over a smooth rendered and painted basecourse and stepped quoins.

Principal elevation faces S. It has four equally spaced windows; all are set within a lancet-headed opening with stepped reveals and painted stone cills. All contain Y-tracery panes with external protective glazing.

The W gable is abutted to centre by entrance porch detailed as main block. To each exposed face is a squat lancet window set above eaves level of entrance porch. The W end gable of the porch has a single tall narrow lancet window with splayed cement rendered and painted reveals; no cill. The left cheek is blank and the right cheek contains a pair of modern timber sheeted doors – all doors are as this unless otherwise stated.

The N elevation is blank and abutted to left-end and centre by a sacristy, boiler house and toilet block respectively. All have cement dashed and painted walls.

Sacristy is set flush with the E gable of the main block. It has a pitched natural slate roof. Its W face is abutted to extreme right-end by a tall chimney, rising above eaves level of Church. It has two full height lancet windows (detailed as before). Its N face is blank and its E face has a door to left and a lancet window to right.

The boiler house set to immediate right of sacristy has a lean-to natural slate roof. Its left cheek is blank. Its N face has a modern glazed timber door with lower louvred panel. Right cheek has a pair of modern sheeted cupboard doors.

The toilet block has a lean-to natural slate roof. The N face has two doors to right-end and a small modern timber window with concrete cill to left.

The E gable of the church is blank and abutted to centre by a lower projecting sanctuary detailed as church without quoins. Each exposed face has a lancet window with thin concrete cill.

The Bell tower to NW of the church is constructed in concrete. It is plainly detailed and rests on four steep steps. Bell is operated by a pulley-wheel. Makers mark and date are not legible.

Shrine to E of church is constructed in random rubble stone and is enclosed by modern cast-iron railings.

Setting
Church is set within churchyard containing a number of 19thC memorials, a shrine, concrete bell tower and Parochial House to the NE. It is enclosed to road by modern stone wall with concrete copings and modern cast-iron gates. To S is a large car park.

Historical information

Erected in 1824. Cited on 1834 OS 6” map.

Primary sources:
1. OS Memoir, Clones Parish, Co Fermanagh (1834).
2. OS map, 1st edition, 1834, Co Fermanagh 35.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

A 19thC barn church set within churchyard on elevated site, retaining much of its original character and internal features.