St John's C of I Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Mid 18thC church with later additions (including tower) on S side of Church Square. Aligned W-E, facing end of square, with enclosed area to front and churchyard to rear.

The main body (nave) of the church is rectangular in plan. It has a pitched natural slate roof with granite skews and granite pinnacles to corners and apex. Green metal dome topped ventilator to centre of ridge. Exposed rafter tails, and modern metal ogee rainwater goods. All walls are lined rendered and painted with a chamfered base course.

The tower abuts centre of front (N) elevation with entrance to ground floor (N). It consists of 3 instepped stages, with an exposed granite platband between each stage. The first stage is tall, the second short and the third slightly taller. Third stage is the belfry.

The front (N) cheek contains two-centred headed main entrance, granite dressed, with panelled jambs and moulded head. Eared drip mould over. Four granite steps rise to a pair of modern sheeted timber doors with a modern leaded fanlight over. Inset on wall over the drip mould is a recessed rectangular panel, again with an eared drip mould over. Second stage is blank but for a small circular hole (possibly for clock mechanism). Third stage has a large louvred two-centred (Gothic) headed opening with granite cill and granite dressed heads. Louvres are slate slabs.

The left (E) cheek of the tower is blank at first and second stages. Third stage has a large louvred two-centred (Gothic) headed opening with granite cill and granite dressed heads. Louvres are slate slabs.

The right (W) cheek of the tower is blank at first and second stage. Third stage has a large louvred two-centred (Gothic) headed opening with granite cill and granite dressed heads. Louvres are slate slabs.

The rear (S) cheek of tower is abutted by the link to church at first stage, and is blank at second stage. Third stage has a large louvred two-centred (Gothic) headed opening with granite cill and granite dressed heads. Louvres are slate slabs.

Above is the tower roof with four unpainted granite corner pinnacles between which are stepped and coped granite parapets and granite platband below. Timber flag pole to centre of roof.

A small link block joins tower to main body of church. It has a small pitched natural slate roof (its ridge sits below the eaves of the main church. Walls are as tower and blank.

All windows to church are Gothic headed lancets in a variety of groupings; those to rear and side elevations have security grilles over. The front (N) wall of the church is abutted to centre by the link block to tower. There are single window openings to the left and right, each with three narrow lancets with granite reveals, mullions, eared drip mould and cill. Plain inset spandrels.

Left (E) gable of nave is abutted by lower gabled Sanctuary but is otherwise blank. Sanctuary has a pitched natural slate roof with terracotta ridges and skew tiles; exposed rafter tails. Half-round metal gutter and downpipe to front (N) elevation. Its gable (E facing) has three tall lancets (central one slightly taller), framed by a finely dressed stepped sandstone architrave, chamfered reveal and flush sloping cill (all painted). Left (S) and right (N) cheeks of the sanctuary are narrow and blank.

Rear (S) elevation of nave is abutted to right by the Transept. The remaining walls are line rendered with a chamfered base course. There are two rectangular window openings (each with three lancets, as those to façade but in timber) to this elevation, both with painted granite cills. The left (W) corner is abutted by a small modern flat roofed boiler house accessed by three steps down to the door. Its slender rendered chimney rises up gable of main building.

Transept has a pitched natural slate roof with skews to gable. There is a window on its S gable which has been sheeted over in galvanised metal. There is a single narrow lancet opening with sloping cill on its left (W) and right (E) cheeks.

The right gable of the main church is abutted by a lower return (Vestry); the remaining wall is blank. The Vestry has a pitched natural slate roof with granite pinnacles and skews to gable, as main block. Its gable has a 2/2 sash window to first floor. Its right (S) cheek has an identical window also to first floor. Its left (N) cheek (and part of gable) is abutted by a later extension, the pitched natural slate roof of which cat slides from the front pitch of the vestry roof.

The rear (S) wall of this extension has steel casement window (toilet). Its right W cheek is blank. Its front (N) wall has two flat headed window openings, each with a pair of narrow timber framed lancets with stained glazing, stucco eared drip mould and painted cills. Its left (E) cheek) has a t+g stained timber door, three steps up, with a modern timber handrail.

The churchyard to front is small and enclosed by a rendered dwarf wall with overhanging copings to front, supporting spear headed wrought iron railings to left of modern wrought metal gates. To right of the gates are modern railings. The churchyard to rear is small and enclosed to rear by a rubble stone wall. There are two grave plots: one to the Fegan family (a raised plot with an early 19thC slate slab) and the other, a 20thC memorial to Rev. Harte.

Historical information

Construction of this church is said to have begun in 1730. It superseded an earlier one in Drumgath townland (no trace remains).. The rock on which this building is built (can be seen to lane at rear) is called Ownie’s Rock. Beyond it is the churchyard (HB16/08/002).

This building was consecrated on 13 September 1733. It is shown as a basic rectangle on the 1776 town plan (this could, however, be schematic). It was extended in 1818 – the tower, transept and vestry were presumably added at this time as all are shown on the 1834 large-scale town plan. The building is noted in the 1834 Ordnance Survey Memoir as “a simple building without a steeple but a belfry attached to the north side. It is able to accommodate about 300 persons”. Lewis, writing in 1837, also notes: “a small decent church, built and furnished with suitable ornaments by John and Robert Hawkins Magill Esqrs”.

The church was refurbished in 1892 by W.J. Watson of Newry, presumably when most of the present fittings and sanctuary were installed; the latter is shown on he 1903 town map, but not the 1860 edition. An early 20thC postcard illustrating this building shows it with two conical topped roof vents and a smaller vestry with small vernacular house abutting its W gable. Rev. Harte (buried in churchyard to rear) died in the first local motor car accident on 14th October 1914.

The parish records were destroyed during the PRO fire in Dublin during the 1916 Rising.

References - Primary Sources:

1. Meade Estate: A Map of the Town of Rathfriland (1776) Now in Norfolk and Norwich Record Office.
2. PRONI. 1834 Valuation map (1:1760), VAL 1D/3/3.
3. Ordnance Survey Memoir, Drumballeyroney Parish (1834).
4. Lewis “Topographical Dictionary of Ireland” (1837).
5. OS 1:500 scale town map, Rathfriland (1860), (PRONI OS 8/24/1/4)
6. OS town map, Rathfriland (1903), (PRONI OS 8/24/2)
7. Postcard of Church in Architectural Archive, 5-33 Hill Street, Belfast.

Secondary Sources:
1. J.A.McCracken “Rathfriland in Bygone Days” in Public Library, John Street Rathfriland Co Down.
2. P.J. Rankin “The buildings of Hilltown and Rathfriland” UAHS (1978-9).
3. E. M. Clarke “Round and About Rathfriland” (Outlook Press, Rathfriland 1981).

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
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

This church, a progressive evolution from a basic mid-18thC structure, is well detailed and, with other prominent buildings, forms the attractive enclosure and focus for Church Square. Its interior, almost completely late 19thC in character, is attractive in its own right and makes a positive contribution to the building as a whole.