Survey Data
Reg No
30411708
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Artistic, Social
Previous Name
Saint Lawrence's Catholic Chapel
Original Use
Church/chapel
In Use As
Outbuilding
Date
1820 - 1840
Coordinates
175711, 209908
Date Recorded
18/08/2009
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Freestanding gable-fronted cruciform-plan Roman Catholic church, built c.1830, facing west, with long single-bay nave and transepts, and single-bay chancel, with sacristy to west side of north transept, and with recent lower bay added to north transept. Now in use as farm building. Pitched slate roofs with cast-iron rainwater goods, and with carved limestone crosses to gables. Stepped bellcote to gable-front, having round-headed bell opening with plinths, imposts and cornice. Roughcast rendered walls. Pointed arch double-light window openings to upper part of gable-front and of transept gables, with sloping limestone sills, cut limestone surrounds, timber Y-tracery and margined stained glass timber sliding sash windows. Chancel east gable has pair of lancet windows with remains of glazing, with oculus between at high level containing square timber window. Double windows to upper front walls of transepts, having Tudor-arch lights set in chamfered limestone surround, with timber windows. Bipartite windows to lower parts of same walls, flush with upper windows and having chamfered limestone surrounds and remains of timber windows. Triangular-headed doorway to gable-front, having tooled limestone surround, now partly blocked up. Several new square-headed openings to facilitate current use of building. Interior partially intact, with rendered walls having remains of decorative painted stencil work, square-plan pilasters to junction of nave, chancel and transepts, with moulded dentillated cornices and plasterwork Stations of the Cross, each having moulded surround, cast image within moulded medallion, and with cartouche below. Windows to chancel have hood-mouldings with decorative stops and roll mouldings to openings and oculus has moulded render surround. Timber common rafter roof.
Appraisal
The former Saint Lawrence's church is one of the more unusual churches in County Galway, and is well endowed with good details and decorative features. The elaborate bellcote to the gable-front is a dramatic element, with its heavly sculpted cross finial. While the pointed windows are typical of religious buildings from the medieval period to the mid-twentieth century, the inclusion of square-headed windows is quite rare, as are the double windows at clerestorey level. There is good limestone detailing to the window and door surrounds. Internally, despite the deconsecration of the church and its current use as a farm building, there are significant features, in particular the very fine plasterwork Stations of the Cross. This building forms a significant part of the social and religious history of the district, and due to its interesting form and high quality of detailing, is important to the wider county of Galway.