Survey Data

Reg No

40909704


Rating

Regional


Categories of Special Interest

Architectural, Historical, Social


Previous Name

Killybegs Church of Ireland Rectory


Original Use

Rectory/glebe/vicarage/curate's house


In Use As

House


Date

1820 - 1835


Coordinates

171267, 375597


Date Recorded

02/11/2007


Date Updated

--/--/--


Description

Detached three-bay two-storey former Church of Ireland rectory, built c.1830, having later single-bay single-storey entrance porch to the centre of the front elevation (north-east), and with two-storey return to the rear (south-west). Now in use as a private house. Possibly containing earlier fabric. Hipped slate roof having overhanging bracketed eaves (paired brackets) with cut stone eaves course, and having rendered chimneystacks. Pitched artificial slate roof to extension having projecting cut stone eaves course. Hipped roof to porch. Roughcast rendered walls over smooth rendered plinth course. Chamfered cut stone plinth course to the south-east and the north-west gable ends. Square-headed window openings having rendered reveals, stone sills and six-over-six pane timber sliding sash windows. Shallow bowed window to the south-east gable end at ground floor level having central nine-over-nine pane timber sliding sash window flanked to either side by six-over-six pane timber sliding sash windows, and with continuous cut stone sill on curved plan. Square-headed window openings to rear return having timber sliding sash windows, some with tripartite arrangement. Square-headed doorway to the front face of porch (north-east) having timber panelled door with overlight, and with two-over-two pane timber sliding sash sidelights. Square-headed doorway to the north-west elevation having replacement timber door and flight of cut stone steps. Set well-back from road in extensive mature grounds to the south of the centre Killybegs, at the outskirts of the town. House overlooks Killybegs harbour to the north-east and to the east. Detached three-bay single-storey outbuilding to the rear (south-west) having pitched slate roof, rubble stone walls, and square-headed openings with brick dressings. Remains of former walled garden (on rectangular-plan) and ruins of a single-and two-storey rubble stone outbuilding to the south-west. Associated Church of Ireland church, St. John’s, located to the far end of Killybegs (see 40845019). Former Church of Ireland church, now ruinous, located a short distance to the north-east (see RMP DG097-015002-).

Appraisal

This well-proportioned former Church of Ireland rectory, of early nineteenth-century appearance, retains it early character and form. Its visual expression and integrity is enhanced by the retention of much of its early fabric including timber sliding sash windows. The overhanging eaves with paired brackets creates interest to the roofscape. The shallow bowed window with tripartite sash windows to the south-east elevation is an interesting feature that enlivens this elevation. The porch is a later addition, perhaps added during the first decades of the nineteenth century. This building is an example of the language of classical architecture stripped to its barest fundamental elements, which creates a fine dwelling in a subtle style. This is exhibited through features such as the rigid symmetry to the main elevation, the central doorway, and the window openings that diminish in scale towards the eaves. The three-bay two-storey form is typical of Church of Ireland rectory buildings (particularly those built by the Board of First Fruits), and many middle class gentleman's residences, dating from the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth century. This building may have been erected in 1829 at the same time the associated Church of Ireland church, St. John’s (see 40845019), was built in Killybegs to the north. This rectory was described by Lewis in 1837 as ‘a recent erection’, while the Established Church Papers of 1819-20 record that there was no glebe house in Killybegs at this time. However, this rectory is located very close to the remains of an earlier church (see RMP DG097-015002-), and it is possible that this rectory was originally built to serve this church. This former church was in existence in 1622 when it was described as 'newly re-edified and well repaired', and remained in use until the first decades of the nineteenth-century. It is possible that this rectory contains earlier fabric associated with this earlier church, perhaps to the rear return. This former rectory was the home of a Revd. William Lodge in 1846, a Revd. John Gage Ball in 1881, and a This building is of social interest to the local community as a former Church of Ireland rectory, and forms of related structures with the associated Church of Ireland church. Situated in attractive mature grounds overlooking Killybegs Harbour, this building is an integral element of the built heritage of the local area. The simple outbuilding to the rear, and the remains of the former walled garden and outbuilding to the south-west, add to the setting and context.