Survey Data

Reg No

40909303


Rating

Regional


Categories of Special Interest

Architectural, Historical, Social


Previous Name

Killymard Catholic Parish Church


Original Use

Church/chapel


In Use As

Church/chapel


Date

1850 - 1860


Coordinates

193378, 380440


Date Recorded

03/10/2007


Date Updated

--/--/--


Description

Freestanding Catholic church on T-shaped plan, built or rebuilt c. 1858, having five-bay nave to the west, transept to the north, and with two-stage tower to the east (on square-plan) having cut stone corner pinnacles and with slated spire over (added c. 1890). Single-bay gable-fronted entrance porch to the centre of the south elevation of the nave. Now no longer in use (replaced by modern church to the south built in 1984). Possibly containing fabric of earlier church to site (on Ordnance Survey first edition six-inch map of 1837). Natural slate roofs with moulded stone corbels at eaves levels, and having cast-iron rainwater goods. Cut stone Celtic cross finial to the west gable end of nave; raised verge to the east end of nave. Natural slate covering to spire having courses of fish-scale slates and with lucarnes, wrought-iron cross finial over. Roughcast rendered walls to main body of building having smooth rendered plinth course and smooth rendered eaves course. Ashlar construction to tower over chamfered ashlar plinth. Pointed-arched window openings to south elevation of nave having moulded rendered surrounds, hoodmouldings over, stone sills, and with timber multi-paned timber sliding sash windows with intersecting glazing to head. Square-headed window opening to the east face of tower at ground floor/first stage level having timber sliding sash window with margin glazing bars; pointed-arched window openings to second stage of tower having timber sliding sash windows; pointed-arched lucarnes to slated spire having timber bargeboards and timber louvers. Square-headed window openings the west elevation of nave, to transept, and to the east face of tower at ground floor level having either timber sliding sash windows or replacement windows; some opening s now boarded. Pointed-arched window opening to the south face of porch having moulded rendered surround, hoodmoulding over, stone sill and with four-over-two pane timber sliding sash windows. Square-headed doorway to the east face of porch having render surround and timber door. Square-headed doorway to the south face of tower having timber doors. Set back from road in own grounds to the north of Donegal Town centre. Located adjacent to rural road junction. Site surrounded by rendered boundary wall. Pedestrian gateway to the south-west comprising a pair of chamfered ashlar gate piers/posts (on square-plan) having wrought-iron gate; vehicular gateway to the south-east having rendered gate piers (on square-plan) with mild steel or wrought-iron gates. Graveyard to site having three memorials; main parish graveyard to the west. Marian grotto to the east of tower having rubble stone construction. Post box (see 40909321) set into boundary wall to the west.

Appraisal

Despite being no longer in use, this interesting and well-detailed mid nineteenth-century Catholic church retains much of its early character and form. The pointed-arched window openings lend it the bare minimum of a Gothic Revival architectural style that is typical of many small Catholic churches of its type and date built throughout the Irish countryside. The survival of early timber sliding sash windows with intersecting glazing bars to the heads adds to the integrity and visual expression of this building. This church is notable for the rather squat but well-detailed ashlar belltower to the east, which has an unusual slated spire with lucarnes and cut stone pinnacles to the corners that are clearly the work of skilled masons. This feature was added to the plainer original or earlier building c. 1890, and illustrates the increasing wealth and architectural ambition of the Catholic Church in Ireland as the nineteenth century progressed. This church was apparently originally built or rebuilt in 1858. However, there is a small T-plan chapel on a similar footprint indicated here on the Ordnance Survey first edition six-inch map of 1837 so it is possible that this building contains fabric from this earlier building. The interior (not viewed) is notable for having three galleries and originally had the altar located at the centre of the long axis of the south side of the nave. This church went out of use c. 1984 following the construction of a new church (not in survey) a short distance to the south. This earlier church building at Haugh/Gortlosky occupies a prominent location adjacent to a road junction, and is a landmark feature in the rural landscape to the north of Donegal Town. This building is an integral element of the built heritage of the local area, and is an important element of the social history of Killymard as a focal point of community and worship since the mid-nineteenth century. The graveyard, boundary wall and the pedestrian gateway add to the setting and complete this composition.