Survey Data

Reg No

22900308


Rating

Regional


Categories of Special Interest

Architectural, Artistic, Social, Technical


Original Use

Church/chapel


In Use As

Church/chapel


Date

1860 - 1880


Coordinates

234965, 120907


Date Recorded

05/01/2004


Date Updated

--/--/--


Description

Detached five-bay single-storey rubble stone Gothic Revival Catholic church, c.1870, on a cruciform plan comprising three-bay single-storey nave with single-bay single-storey gabled projecting lower porch to south-west, single-bay single-storey transepts to north and to south, and single-bay single-storey cancel to east having single-bay single-storey infill sacristy to north-east. Pitched slate roofs on a cruciform plan (gabled to porch; hipped to sacristy) with clay ridge tiles, cut-stone coping to gables having rendered bellcote to apex to west (with trefoil-headed aperture, and cut-stone coping to gable), wrought iron cross finial to apexes to porch and to chancel, and cast-iron rainwater goods on cut-stone eaves. Random rubble stone walls with buttresses to nave and to porch having cut-stone coping, and hexafoil recess to gable to west (possibly originally open) in cut-stone frame. Trefoil-headed window openings (paired to nave; in tripartite arrangement to chancel) with cut-stone block-and-start surrounds incorporating chamfered flush sills, and fixed-pane leaded stained glass panels. Square-headed window openings to sacristy in bipartite arrangement with cut-stone block-and-start surrounds incorporating chamfered flush sills, cut-stone mullion, and fixed-pane leaded stained glass windows. Full-height interior open into roof with decorative clay tile to aisle, carved timber pews, open timber roof construction to nave having timber panelled ceiling, and pointed-arch arcade to transepts on cut-granite columns. Set back from road in own grounds. (ii) Gateway, c.1870, to east comprising pair of unpainted roughcast piers with rendered capping, and wrought iron double gates.

Appraisal

An appealing, modest-scale church, attributable to Samuel Ussher Roberts (1813 - 1892), which retains its original form and fabric, both to the exterior and to the interior. The construction in locally-sourced rubble stone produces an attractive textured visual effect, while cut-stone dressings attest to high quality stone masonry. A simple interior incorporates features of artistic design quality, together with important timber joinery including an exposed roof construction of some technical engineering interest. The church forms a focal point in the landscape, and contributes to the visual appeal of the locality.