Survey Data

Reg No

16308016


Rating

Regional


Categories of Special Interest

Architectural, Artistic, Social, Technical


Previous Name

Saint Nicholas's Catholic Church


Original Use

Church/chapel


In Use As

Church/chapel


Date

1810 - 1820


Coordinates

287376, 201378


Date Recorded

28/07/2004


Date Updated

--/--/--


Description

Detached five-bay single-storey church built 1815, extended in 1898 and refurbished in 1998. The building is finished in render with stone dressings and drip mouldings. The church is cruciform with numerous additions including porch, side chapels, sacristies etc. The timber sheeted door has decorative strap hinges and is set within a pointed-arched opening with drip moulding over; it sits within a projecting gabled porch which in turn is placed on slightly projecting bay which rises to form an open bellcote. Window openings are generally pointed-arched and have simple ‘Y’ tracery. The pitched roof is finished in natural slate with cast-iron rainwater goods. Internally the church is well preserved although, as a result of the Vatican II reordering, it has lost its original altar and pulpit. The church is slightly set back behind cast-iron railings set on a low rubble wall. The matching gates have decorative square gate pillars.

Appraisal

This church occupies a prominent site overlooking Fair Green and is a considerable asset to the streetscape of Dunlavin. A plaque (1998) records that "ON MAY 24TH 1798/OVER 40 PEOPLE WERE EXECUTED ON/THE GREEN IN FRONT OF THIS CHURCH/THEY WERE BURIED IN/THE TOURNANT GRAVEYARD/IN 1898 THIS CHURCH WAS EXTENDED/BY THE PARISHIONERS IN MEMORY OF THE/EVENTS OF 1798".