St Colmans Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A free-standing Gothic-Revival stone Roman Catholic Church with square entrance-tower; dated 1871 and located to the east side of Gallows Street in Dromore town centre. Offset on an east-west axis comprising double-height nave with clerestory and side aisles, four-stage square entrance tower, baptistery and sacristy to northwest.

Pitched natural slate roof with banded fishscale tiles, decorative ridge crestings, raised stone skews and kneelers with masonry and cast-iron cross finials. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods on bracketed eaves course. Walling is squared greystone, built of rough coursed rock with chamfered plinth and sandstone string courses; sandstone dressings and buttresses having sandstone offsets and caps. Windows are mainly replacement leaded-and-stained glass lancets in sandstone surrounds with chamfered sills.

Entrance tower to south with double-leaf timber-sheeted entrance door to southeast elevation, having cast-iron strap-hinges and door furniture in sandstone Gothic surround flanked by Armagh granite collonettes and surmounted by hood mould with carved stops. Trefoil to second stage and narrow lancet to third stage; paired louvred openings to belfry to all four sides with carved band to impost level; surmounted by a stone broach spire with metal cross finial and lucarnes. Tower is abutted to southeast elevation by a three-stage stair-well turret.

The southwest elevation is gabled, having three narrow square-headed windows to ground floor, all with sandstone surrounds and gothic window heads. Two lancet windows to gallery level with label moulds and head stops flanking a sandstone Gothic statuary niche; surmounted by an eight-cusped circular window .

The northwest elevation is eight windows wide to nave, with alternate cinquefoil and quatrefoils to clerestory; abutted at right by the gabled baptistry which projects slightly; double-leaf timber-sheeted door having cast-iron door furniture in Gothic sandstone surround with semi-engaged polished Armagh granite collonettes; surmounted by a sandstone string course inscribed “A. 1871. D” and a carved medallion; southwest elevation has paired Gothic lancets with dividing semi-engaged collonettes. To far left is the sacristy with tall polygonal sandstone chimneystack to gable; mullioned window to southwest elevation; Gothic-headed 1/1 timber-framed sash window and timber-sheeted door with Gothic-headed transom light in sandstone surround to northeast elevation.

The northeast elevation has apsidal end to centre five windows wide; flanked to either side by lean-to side-chapels, each with a cinquefoil window.

The southeast elevation has six windows to nave; to far right is a geometric mullioned window. To far left is a transept housing the confessional, having an eight-cusped circular window to southeast elevation.

Setting

Set on an elevated site surrounded by late twentieth-century housing. Cemetery to south and east with headstones dating from at least 1845; lawned to west with tarmacadamed vehicular access from Gallows Street. To south is a two-storey detached rectory and to southeast a twentieth-century single-storey community hall. Bounded to Gallows Street by rubble stone wall with coping topped by original cast-iron railings with decorative cross-finials. Three original square gate piers having pointed Gothic caps, surmounted by decorative cast-iron cross-finials and supporting original cast-iron gates. Finial cross from original building preserved in north yard.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: stone
Windows: leaded-and-stained glass
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

St. Colman’s Roman Catholic Church, a Gothic-style building situated to the north of Dromore’s town centre, was constructed between 1871 and 1873; the church was proposed in 1870 and replaced a previous chapel that had existed on the site since the late-18th century (Irish Builder (1870), p. 219; (1873), p. 265). The first edition of the Ordnance Survey map (1833) records that the original chapel was a cruciform building that was constructed on the same site as the current church; the Townland Valuations valued the 18th century chapel at £10 2s. In 1834 the Ordnance Survey Memoirs described the original chapel as a ‘stone building, roughcast and whitewashed’ and noted that the building had been extensively renovated in 1829 and could accommodate a congregation if 600 (Ordnance Survey Memoirs, p. 74).

By c. 1860 there had been little alteration to the site which continued to be depicted as a cruciform structure on the second edition Ordnance Survey map (1859). The contemporary Griffith’s Valuation of the site noted that the chapel’s value had increased to £18 since the 1830s; it is not clear what additions or renovations were carried out resulting in this revaluation; the valuer also noted that a national schoolhouse, valued at £9, had been constructed to the south-east side of the site. St. Colman’s Church was constructed between 1871 and 1873; however there was no subsequent alteration in the value of the new church which remained at £18. The third and fourth editions of the Ordnance Survey maps (1903; 1919-20) note that the new church was a rectangular-shaped building and was located only a number of yards from its predecessor. There was no change to the value of St. Colman’s by the end of the Annual Revisions in 1930.

Under the Penal Laws and prior to the construction of the first chapel in the late-18th century, Catholics in Dromore celebrated Mass at outdoor ‘Mass Stations’ including at an ancient Rath on the land of Bishop Thomas Percy (Bishop of Dromore 1782-1811 – see Percy Monument HB17/15/029). Upon taking the position of Bishop, Percy permitted the use of his land for Catholic services and in 1782 granted a portion of his estate on Maypole Hill for the construction of a place of worship for the Catholics of the area. The first ‘Mass House’ was constructed on the hill in 1782 under the supervision of Fr. Edward Greenan and, although a small and inadequate structure, continued to be utilised as a place of worship for around 90 years. The building underwent a renovation in 1829, however by the 1860s it was recognised that the 18th century chapel could not accommodate a growing congregation and plans were made to erect a new church. Crosbie states that the new church was erected through the perseverance of Fr. William McCartan who, upon being appointed parish priest ‘found the chapel a mere hovel and the parochial schools in ruins’ (Crosbie, p. 24; McMahon).

The foundation stone of St. Colman’s Church was laid on 27th October 1871. The architect responsible for the Gothic plan was Timothy Hevey (1846-1878), a Belfast-based architect who also designed St. Colman’s Roman Catholic Church in Annaclone (HB17/08/009) and the Church of St. Mary Immaculate in the townland of Leitrim (HB17/10/004); the builder contracted to carry out the design was H & J Martin of Belfast whilst construction of the Spire was contracted to ‘McCullough [of] Armagh’ (Dictionary of Irish Architects). St. Colman’s Church was completed in mid-1873 at a total cost of approximately £17,000; it was dedicated on 28th September 1873 (McMahon).

In 1924 St. Colman’s Church underwent a series of restoration when John Valentine Brennan (c. 1878-1960), a Belfast and Dublin-based architect, carried out a renovation of the building’s tower and spire (Irish builder, p. 65); the current set of Stations of the Cross were also added in 1924. McMahon states that since the 1870s there has been no alteration or extension of the church and ‘any work undertaken appears to have respected the original character and design of the building’ (McMahon).

In 1974 Brett suggested that the church had been constructed by Alexander MacAlister (c. 1821-1897), a contemporary of Hevey and one of the leading Catholic Architects of Victorian period, however both McMahon and the Irish Builder, as well as a dissertation by Sean O’Reilly, confirm Hevey as the designer of the church (O’Reilly, pp 196-8); Brett went on to describe St. Colman’s Church as ‘an orthodox blackstone church ... with rather bulging apse, and turret stair to the spire; the spire itself, broached and banded, is of lighter stone on a blackstone base’ (Brett, p. 29).

St. Colman’s was listed in 1977 and since its listing has undergone subsequent renovations. In 1992-93 the current modern altar, lectern and president’s chair were installed new seating was also added during this period. Additional work followed the completion of this renovation as the church fell victim to an arson attack in 1993 and again in 1994. During the second incident much damage was caused when the building caught fire. The church was reopened in 1994 after repair work was completed (McMahon).

References

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/3/21/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey map 1833
2. PRONI OS/6/3/21/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey map 1859
3. PRONI OS/6/3/21/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey map 1903
4. PRONI OS/6/3/21/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey map 1919-20
5. PRONI VAL/1/D/3/13 – Townland Valuation map c. 1834
6. PRONI VAL/1/B/342 – Townland Valuations c. 1830
7. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/38A – Griffith’s Valuation 1861
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/10A – Annual Revisions 1864-1878
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/10B – Annual Revisions 1879-1891
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/10C – Annual Revisions 1892-1898
11. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/11A – Annual Revisions 1899-1910
12. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/11B – Annual Revisions 1911-1919
13. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/11C – Annual Revisions 1920-1930
14. Ordnance Survey Memoirs, Co. Down III, Vol. 12 (1834)
15. Irish Builder (Vol. 12, 15 Sept 1870; Vol. 15, 1 Oct 1873; Vol. 67, 24 Jan 1925)
16. First Survey Record – HB 17/15/004 (1969)

Secondary Sources

1. Brett, C. E. B., ‘Historic buildings, groups of buildings, areas of architectural importance in the towns and villages of Mid Down: Hillsborough, Dromore, Dromara, Ballynahinch, the Spa, Drumaness and Saintfield’ Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1974.
2. Cosbie, J. E. M., ‘A tour of Mid and South Down: 1910-35’ Belfast: Friar’s Bush, 1992.
3. McMahon, A., ‘Dromore. The Diocese of Dromore: Past & Present’ Dromore: Dromore Diocesan Historical Society, 2004.
4. O’Reilly, S., ‘Timothy Hevey (1846-1878): An episode in Irish High Victorian architecture’ National University of Ireland, 1994.

Online Resources

1. Dictionary of Irish Architects - http://www.dia.ie

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
V. Authorship
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A free-standing Gothic-Revival stone Roman Catholic Church with square entrance-tower; dated 1871, and attributed to Timothy Hevey. Architectural detailing is generally well-preserved and much of its original historic character survives. Some restoration to a largely Gothic interior. The original setting survives, including the gatescreen, railings and parochial house to south. This is a good example of a Victorian-Gothic church, attributed to a noteworthy architect with much character and fabric surviving.

General comments

New listing criteria R & S to be added when available - NO'R 01.10.13

Stone database NI describes the Stone as:
Stone Type Category: Greywacke
Primary Stone Type: Greywacke
Secondary Stone Type: Dungannon Sandstone
Other Stone Type: Giffnock Sandstone
Replacement Stone Type: English Carboniferous Sandstone
Stonework Construction: Un-coursed rock-faced rubble