Reg No
21807027
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Artistic, Social
Original Use
Church/chapel
In Use As
Church/chapel
Date
1800 - 1820
Coordinates
165793, 161953
Date Recorded
11/12/2007
Date Updated
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Freestanding gable-fronted Board of First Fruits style Church of Ireland church, built in 1809, enlarged in 1826, and in 1844. Comprising crenellated apex to gable front, octagonal limestone spire with cast-iron finial to front (west) elevation, five-bay nave having gablets, and three-bay single-storey L-plan vestry to north elevation. Pitched slate roof with limestone copings, cast-iron rainwater goods and limestone pinnacles to corners. Roughcast rendered walls having render plinth course, and tooled limestone quoins to vestry. Limestone walls with copings to gablets. Lancet stained glass windows having tooled limestone surrounds and pointed arch openings with limestone Y-tracery stained glass windows and tooled limestone surrounds to nave. Lancet stained glass windows to gablets. Cinquefoil opening to rear (east) elevation having carved limestone surround, limestone mullions and stained glass windows. Pointed arch openings to vestry, north elevation, with limestone Y-tracery quarry glazed windows, tooled limestone sill and block-and-start surround. Lancet quarry glazed window to vestry, west elevation having tooled limestone sill, hoodmoulding and block-and-start surround. Lancet stained glass windows to vestry, west elevation with tooled limestone surrounds. Pointed arch openings to tower having louvers. Round-headed opening to front elevation having carved limestone hoodmoulding, chamfered surround, timber battened door and pair of cast-iron bootscrapers. Pointed arch opening to vestry, north elevation, with tooled, chamfered limestone block-and-start surround and timber battened door. Pointed arch opening to vestry, south elevation having tooled, chamfered limestone block-and-start surround, carved hoodmoulding and timber battened door with cast-iron bootscraper. Timber scissors truss roof to interior having limestone corbels. Marble memorial plaques to walls. Carved timber octagonal Doric style columns supporting timber battened gallery to entrance. Timber battened gallery to north elevation. Marble pulpit to east. Pair of square-profile dressed limestone piers to west with limestone caps, double-leaf metal gates and rubble limestone boundary walls. Graveyard to site.
The form and massing of this well composed church is in keeping with the standard plan promoted by the Board of First Fruits. Iit is distinguished, however, by well crafted features such as the ornate limestone tower and unusual gablets. The church was enlarged to the north in 1826 and 1844 by James Pain. Pain also designed a monument to Anne, Countess of Clare in 1844. Pain also designed for this church a burial vault for General Sir Richard Bourke (d. 1855) of Thornfield House, Lisnagry. Welland and Gillespie were involved in works to the chancel in 1863. Very well maintained, the church presents a aspect with important salient features and materials intact, both to the exterior and to the interior. Of particular artistic design interest, are the delicate stained glass windows and the cut stone details to the exterior, which are indicative of high quality craftsmanship. The church is a local landmark within Castleconnell, identified by the loft octagonal tower, and integrates well with the quality of the built heritage of the locality.