Survey Data

Reg No

31814041


Rating

Regional


Categories of Special Interest

Architectural, Artistic, Social, Technical


Original Use

Church/chapel


In Use As

Church/chapel


Date

1890 - 1900


Coordinates

167881, 279675


Date Recorded

27/08/2003


Date Updated

--/--/--


Description

Detached cruciform gable-fronted Roman Catholic church, built in 1896. Comprising nave, transepts, side aisles with two-storey sacristy to east and four-stage tower to north end of west front. Pitched slate roofs with stone coping, cast-iron rainwater goods and cut stone cross finials to gables. Cast-iron weather vane to pyramidal slate roof of tower. Flat roof to sacristy. Rock-faced limestone walls with buttresses and tooled limestone string course to tower and west elevation of nave. Blind window arcade and battered plinth to tower. Pointed-arched and shouldered-arched stained glass windows with tooled block-and-start surrounds, paired to clerestorey. Traceried triple-light window to west elevation and five-light to chancel. Gabled porch to west entrance with carved ordered doorcase containing timber battened double door. Shouldered-arched doors to side elevations. Cut limestone stoups to south-west elevation of tower. High altar comprised of Caen stone and marble to interior, dates from 1899. Timber open scissors truss roof with cast-iron ties bars. Site bounded by wrought-iron railings to east and north. Random coursed wall with wrought-iron railings and rock-faced gate piers with cast-iron gates to west.

Appraisal

St Patrick's Church, with its road side location and tall tower, creates a distinct impression on the town. Designed by George Goldie, this church is of high architectural quality. The variation in the treatment of the stonework creates an interesting textural effect. The interior of the church is warm, bright and colourful, being in direct contrast to the limestone exterior. It is attractively decorated with impressive ceiling trusses, artistically designed stained glass windows and an elaborate high altar created at a later date by an unknown designer.