Survey Data

Reg No

22901809


Rating

Regional


Categories of Special Interest

Architectural, Artistic, Historical, Social, Technical


Original Use

Church/chapel


In Use As

Church/chapel


Date

1830 - 1850


Coordinates

270238, 109007


Date Recorded

21/08/2003


Date Updated

--/--/--


Description

Detached four-bay double-height Catholic church, c.1840. Renovated, c.1865, with single-bay single-storey gabled projecting porch added to west, single-bay single-storey lean-to baptistery added to south-east, and single-bay single-storey over basement lean-to sacristy added to east. Reroofed, 1983, with interior renovated. Pitched roof behind parapet (gabled to porch; lean-to to baptistery and to sacristy) with replacement artificial slate, 1983, clay ridge tiles, cut-stone coping to gables, and profiled cast-iron rainwater goods on rendered consoles with decorative clasps to downpipes. Unpainted rendered, ruled and lined walls with moulded rendered courses. Sandstone ashlar walls to west (including to porch) with stepped clasping corner buttresses to porch, buttresses to ground floor having paired stringcourses over (framing cut-stone date stone/plaque), and full-height piers over extending through parapet on stringcourse as panelled pinnacles having gabled capping, cut-stone coping to parapet extending into gabled section to centre having cut-stone bellcote (with profiled aperture having cast-iron bell), flanking piers on stringcourse with gabled capping, and raised central pier having wrought iron cross finial. Unpainted rendered walls to baptistery with rendered stepped buttresses. Unpainted rendered, ruled and lined walls to sacristy with slate hanging to east. Lancet window openings to nave on moulded rendered sill course with rendered continuous hood moulding over. Pointed-arch window opening to centre west elevation with lancet flanking window openings on cut-sandstone sill course having hood mouldings over. Fixed-pane leaded stained glass panels to all window openings. Paired lancet window openings to porch with oculus window opening over to gable, cut-stone chamfered surrounds, and fixed-pane leaded stained glass panels. Shouldered square-headed door opening with cut-stone chamfered surround, and replacement tongue-and-groove timber panelled door, 1983. Lancet window openings to baptistery with chamfered reveals, and fixed-pane fittings. Pointed-arch door openings with replacement tongue-and-groove timber panelled doors, 1983. Full-height interior renovated, 1983, with glazed timber panelled double doors having sidelights on timber panels, decorative clay tile floor to aisle, carved timber pews having cast-iron ends, timber panelled gallery to first floor to west on clustered colonette piers (accessed by timber staircase), Tudor-headed construction supporting coffered ceiling having decorative panels, and decorative Gothic-style reredos to altar. Set back from road in own grounds with tarmacadam forecourt, and landscaped grounds to site having group of cut-stone grave markers, c.1840 – present.

Appraisal

An attractive, well-proportioned middle-size Catholic church, the fine detailing to the front (west) elevation of which is in contrast to the reserved decorative treatment to the remainder of the composition. Well maintained, the church presents an early aspect with much of the early and original fabric intact. The interior incorporates a range of features, including cast-iron ends to the pews designed by R. Graham of Waterford, and stained glass panels by Mayer of Munich and London, all of which enhance the artistic design quality of the site. The construction of the roof is also of some technical interest. Set back from the line of the road in uncluttered grounds, the church forms an important landmark in the centre of Crooke, and enhances the visual appeal of the landscape.