Survey Data
Reg No
40402805
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Artistic, Historical, Social
Previous Name
Corglass Presbyterian Meeting House
Original Use
Church/chapel
In Use As
Church/chapel
Date
1790 - 1800
Coordinates
266959, 300942
Date Recorded
07/08/2012
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Freestanding seven-bay Presbyterian church, built 1795, with galleried interior focussed on long side, central gable-fronted entrance porch, gabled outcrop to rear with external stair to gallery. Pitched replacement slate roof, raised eaves course with widely-spaced corbels to front and rear, replacement rainwater goods. Smooth rendered walls with recessed plinth. Circular plaque near gable apex reading 'CONGREGATION FOUNDED AD 1714' in raised surround, raised platband to base of gable arching over two semi-circular plaques of polished stone reading 'the Reverend Mr Mongomery 1795' and 'RE-ROOFED A.D. 1902'. Central iron plaque reading 'Re-roofed A.D. 2001'. Round-headed windows and pointed arch openings to gables having raised render surrounds and painted sills with replacement uPVC windows. Round-headed replacement sheeted timber door with uPVC overlight. Internally compartmented sheeted timber ceiling, recent stained glass with burning-bush motif to fanlight of entrance, carved stone plaque to walls. Timber pulpit and table positioned against front elevation, panelled timber gallery supported on columns to long rear elevation, panelled timber box pews beneath having with brass numbers. Set back from the road in graveyard surrounded by cut stone grave markers and slabs, bounded at road by rubble stone wall having rendered coping with recent lamps at intervals. Square-plan gate piers, rotated at angle, having rendered cappings with projecting bands surmounted by recent lanterns, replacement gates. Presbyterian hall, built c.1870, to west.
Appraisal
A well-composed Presbyterian church that largely retains its simple historic form and character, despite the unfortunate loss of the historic fenestration. The interior is distinguished by rare box pews and a full-length gallery arranged on the long side, the architectural space reflecting the importance of the congregation in Presbyterian worship. The church is locally known as the 'Rebel Church' or 'Church of the Rebels' due to the Ulster Presbyterian participation in the United Irishmen and in the Rebellion of 1798. Built by the Rev Robert Montgomery, the building stands as a testament to the long-standing Presbyterian tradition in Cavan and is an important physical record of the social history of the area. The surrounding graveyard contains nineteenth and twentieth century cut-stone memorials of artistic merit and the church makes a strong contribution to the character of its rural surroundings, its gable closing the view on the approach road from the east.