St Francis' Chuch of Ireland Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A church in Gothic Revival style comprising a nave and chancel with transepts and western porch. Main entrance, in side of porch, faces south.

South elevation: 3-bay nave with roof of Bangor blue slates in regular courses, between dressed sandstone copings; cut sandstone bellcote on western gable, with bell hanging in Gothic arched opening. Walls of snecked limestone rubble, with batter towards base; sandstone dressings to windows, quoins to extremities. Moulded metal gutter on shaped sandstone corbels; metal downpipe, discharging into perforated sandstone gully cover. Windows are coupled Gothic arched lancets containing small iron lozenge-shaped panes with margins, set below limestone Gothic relieving arches. Projecting forward at the right-hand end is a gabled transept containing a large 3-light traceried window in the south gable with storm-proof glazing over stained glass. Moulded sandstone coping with decorative finial of fleur-de-lys shape in sandstone at the apex. Side walls of transept each contain a narrow Gothic arched lancet with lozenge-shaped glazing.

Extending to the left is a lower porch projecting centrally from the west gable: contains a Gothic arched doorway with chamfered surrounds in sandstone; moulded drip; original double doors of timber with original decorative ironwork hinges, latch and escutcheon; iron nail heads to boards of door. Doorway approached by ramped stone flags.

Extending to the right-hand end is the chancel, projecting centrally from the east gable of nave; south wall of chancel almost entirely obscured by a projecting lean-to vestry: south wall of vestry contains a doorway with chamfered sandstone shouldered arch, containing an original timber door with decorative hinges, handle, and escutcheon; nail heads to boards.

West elevation: blind gable of nave with central projecting porch. West gable of porch contains a tall narrow Gothic arched lancet glazed as previous lancets; north wall of porch contains a smaller lancet of similar detail. At base of nave gable, to left of porch is a perforated cast iron ventilation panel set in a chamfered sandstone surround.

North elevation of nave and transept similar to south, but transept has a narrow lancet in each side wall. North wall of chancel contains a coupled window of similar form to those of nave, but with storm-proof glazing over stained glass.

East elevation comprises the blind east gable of the nave with a centrally projecting chancel. Chancel gable contains a large Gothic arched 4-light traceried window containing stained glass covered with storm-proof glazing. Extending to the left is the lean-to vestry, containing a small pair of coupled windows, glazed and detailed as to nave. Below window is a basement area containing a rectangular timber tongued and grooved sheeted door set in red brick jambs, and concrete lintel, reached by a flight of stone steps; basement stairwell bounded by plain modern steel railings on a low smooth rendered plinth wall.

SETTING: The building stands with its main length parallel to the main road, set back slight from it on slightly elevated ground within its own churchyard. Front boundary formed by a rubble basalt retaining wall backed by a hedge. At the right-hand end is a vehicular gateway comprising a pair of dressed sandstone square piers with chamfered corners and chamfered pyramidal caps containing a pair of original iron gates which appear to have been extended. To the right of that is a small modern iron pedestrian gate with a rubble stone wall beyond that. Tarmac driveway extending to a large tarmac area to west of church. Church yard contains a grassed area between main road and church, with some trees; graveyard to rear. Side boundaries formed by modern wooden fences. Adjacent to church, standing to its west, is a roughcast church hall.

Historical information

Built in 1856 for a parish formed in 1854 out of the neighbouring parishes of Loughgall, Killyman and Clonfeacle, on ground owned by Mrs Cope of Drumilly. Designed by 1855; opened on 7 June 1856; builder, Richard Cherry of Loughgall; consecrated 17 July 1861. Bell made by Thomas Hodges, founder, of Abbey Street, Dublin, in 1856; organ made by Telford & Telford of Dublin, and brought from a parish in the Diocese of Dublin or Glendalough around 1888-1890; east window erected 1898; stone pulpit erected 1906.

References – Primary Sources
1. OS Map 1859, Co Armagh 4
2. Armagh Guardian, 1 June 1855.
3. Armagh Guardian, 19 July 1861, p 4.

Secondary Sources
1. J.B. Leslie, Armagh Clergy and Parishes (Dundalk, 1911), pp 89-90.
2. Rev J. Egerton, 'St Francis Church, Annaghmore 1856-1956, Centenary Services' souvenir booklet (Belfast, 1956).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
E. Spatial Organisation
F. Structural System
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

This is a mid-19th century church in Gothic Revival style which retains its original features to both the exterior and interior, and forms something of a local landmark in a very rural area.