Survey Data
Reg No
12321012
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Historical, Social
Original Use
Friary
In Use As
Friary
Date
1850 - 1855
Coordinates
253440, 137012
Date Recorded
15/06/2004
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Attached five-bay two-storey friary, opened 1852. Refenestrated. Pitched slate roof with clay ridge tiles, limestone ashlar chimney stacks, and cast-iron rainwater goods on rendered eaves. Painted rusticated rendered, ruled and lined wall to ground floor with stringcourse over, unpainted roughcast walls to remainder having quoins to corners, and rendered band to eaves. Square-headed window openings with painted sills (forming part of stringcourse to first floor), and replacement aluminium casement windows. Round-headed door opening with rendered surround having archivolt, and timber panelled door having fanlight. Set back from road in shared grounds.
Appraisal
Representing an integral component of a self-contained ecclesiastical complex (with 12321011/KK-31-21-11) established by the Carmelite order, thereby superseding earlier settlements having origins in a thirteenth-century enclave at Knocktopher Abbey (12321004/KK-31-21-04) a well-appointed middle-size friary makes a pleasing visual statement in the local landscape. However, while the original form and massing survive intact together with substantial quantities of the historic fabric the external expression of the composition has not benefited from the insertion of inappropriate replacement fittings to most of the openings.