Forkhill Parish Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A converted mid 18thC barn church with entrance porch to W. It is aligned W-E on the W side of Church Road. Constructed in granite with sandstone dressings.

Pitched natural slate roof with leaded stone verges. There is a modern skylight to N pitch. To E gable is a chimney with moulded concrete coping. To W gable is a finely dressed bellcote with stone coping supported on moulded kneelers and topped by a trefoil finial. The bell is contained in a Gothic-headed voussoired opening and is inscribed ‘No 2 / 392 / Naylor Vickers / C1 1837 / E. Riepes / Sheffield / Patent’. The bell has been restored to working order. Half round metal rainwater goods are supported on an advanced moulded stone eaves course. Walls are random rubble (unless otherwise stated) over an advanced chamfered base course. All windows are lattice-glazed lancets set within stepped and chamfered dressed sandstone reveals with decorative Gothic arches over (unless otherwise stated).

W gable is squared and snecked stone, and abutted to centre by a projecting entrance porch. The exposed sections are blank. Porch is detailed as church; its N face has a central pair of Gothic-headed wood-grained timber sheeted doors with wrought-iron strap hinges. W face has a lancet window to centre. S face is abutted by a narrower boiler-house with cat slide roof; its W cheek contains a small timber door and its S cheek is blank.

N and S elevations are identical. Each has three paired lancets; those to W-end of N elevation are plainly glazed with obscured glass. S elevation is abutted by a lean-to vestry (see later) to extreme E-end.

E gable is almost completely abutted by a slightly projecting sanctuary. The exposed section is blank (apex is squared and snecked granite). The sanctuary has a pitched natural slate roof with a stone verge (with lead flashings) supported on moulded stone kneelers with a trefoil finial. It has three central lancets (that to centre is taller).

Vestry is of squared and snecked granite with a monopitched natural slate roof with granite kneelers. W face has a shouldered timber door with strap hinges set within a stepped granite reveal with granite lintel. It is accessed by two granite steps. S face has a central rectangular window set in a sandstone reveal with sandstone lintel. E face has a pair of squat lancets, as before.

Setting

The church is set within a churchyard containing a number of 18thC and 19thC memorials, all facing E. It is enclosed on all four sides by a rubble-stone wall with field stone copings. It is accessed from the road at NE corner by a vehicular entrance to left and pedestrian entrance to right. Both have a pair of square-in-section gate piers supporting wrought-iron gates. The vehicular entrance has a pair of dressed granite carriage bollards and the pedestrian entrance has three bowed granite steps.

Historical information

According to the 1837 Ordnance Survey Memoir, this church, "a neat a plain building", was erected in 1767, financed by the late Richard Jackson (who also endowed the nearby school, HB16/15/015). At that time it had 26 pews, each capable of seating six people. "There is also a small gallery in which there are a few forms. Dimensions 72ft x 22ft. It closed for worship in 1989.

The first survey card refers to a number of memorials which were contained within the church. They include; Rev William Smith d1841, Henry Alexander of Forkhill House (son of National Alexander, Bishop of Meath) and Anne Jackson d1876 (daughter of R.H. Richard Jackson). The font was dedicated to the memory of Emily Quinn and placed in 26th June 1876. The N wall contained a stained glass window dedicated to the memory of Alexander Murdock of Drogheda d1899 now donated to a newly built church within the area.

Primary sources:
1. Ordnance Survey Memoir, Forkhill Parish (1837).
2. First Survey card, dated April 1970.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

An attractive mid-18thC barn church in granite with sandstone dressings set in churchyard, now restored and converted to a house. It has retained and reused many of the original features in the new design. The original plan is still legible and its external character has not been compromised. With the retention of the original gate piers and gates in-situ, and the grave yard, the church maintains its significance in the village context.