Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB11/20/001

Address :
St Michael's Church C. of I. Cooley Road Sixmilecross, Omagh Co Tyrone BT79 9DH

Townland:
Sixmilecross

---

Survey 2:
B1

Date of Listing:
14/08/1989 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Church

Former Use
Church

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

---

OS Map No:
139-13

IG Ref:
H5688 6784

---

Owner Category

Church - C of I

Exterior Description And Setting

Detached double-height Church of Ireland, built c.1835; funded by the Board of First Fruits; located to the west side of Cooley Road, Sixmilecross. Rectangular nave with chancel to east; diagonal vestry abutting north elevation of chancel; square-plan three-stage tower to west gable. Roofs are pitched natural slate, blue/black clay ridge tiles; saddle-back stone verges, replacement u-profile cast-iron rainwater goods supported by cast-iron square brackets and stone projecting eaves course; walls are roughly coursed squared-and-snecked rubble with diagonal buttresses and off
setting; timber tracery windows with lattice glazing contained within gothic openings with projecting painted chamfered surround, unless otherwise stated. Principal elevation faces west and is centrally abutted by three-stage tower; exposed sections contain pinnacles to verge and narrow square-headed loop-hole with cusped gothic louvred openings inset at each side. Tower, stage one, at west, contains diagonal buttresses with offsetting and central gothic rebated opening containing square-headed double-leaf vertically sheeted timber doors with fixed timber sheeted panel over and original ironmongery; north and south cheeks are blank. Stage-two, contains at west, a datestone which reads; ‘ERECTED/ 1885/ Rev. R. S. O’LOUGHLIN A.M. / INCUMBENT.’ North and south cheeks are blank. Belfry stage contains gothic louvred belfry openings at each elevation; tower terminates with crenellated parapet and pinnacles above string course. North (nave) elevation contains three windows. East gable is abutted by chancel; detailed as nave with pitched natural slate roof and chimney to apex. Exposed section at right contains square-headed timber panelled door with fixed panel over within gothic chamfered surround. Exposed section at left is abutted by single-storey diagonally aligned vestry with pitched slated roof; chimney to apex of east gable. South (nave) elevation contains three windows. Chancel built c.1850 east elevation contains central gothic stained glass window with projecting chamfered surround and hoodmould and label-stops; diagonal buttresses with offsetting at corners; right cheek is blank; left cheek is abutted by single-storey vestry with pitched roof. Single-storey vestry built c.1850 is detailed as nave with pitched natural slate roof, gable contains central square-headed timber panelled door with fixed panel over within gothic opening with projecting chamfered surround, stone finial to apex; right cheek contains single gothic lattice glazed window with margin lights within projecting chamfered surround; left cheek is abutted by plinth wall which enclose a masonry stair which leads to a replacement door at basement level. Setting:- Set on elevated site within churchyard containing selection of nineteenth- century and twentieth-century grave markers. Obelisk grave marker at east is that of Violet Christie who died 10th December 1872; wife of Rev. Andrew Christie. A.M. the first minister of St. Michael’s Church between 1837 and 1867. Site bound to road by roughly coursed random rubble wall with segmental coping, accessed through square ruled-and-lined piers with precast concrete moulded coping and ball finial supporting pair of replacement cast-metal gates. Roof: Natural slate Walling: Stone Windows: Timber RWG: Cast-iron

Architects

Not Known

Historical Information

The church was built in 1836, according to the Diocesan Histories, and first appears on the second edition OS Map of 1854. On the third edition of 1906 a tower (built in 1885) is shown to the southeast. The church is added in ink to the Townland Valuation map of 1828-40 and is valued at £10 7s 0d. In Griffith’s Valuation the value is amended from £10 to £17 and this remains the value throughout the revisions. The Diocesan History of Armagh relates: “A church was erected at Sixmilecross in 1733 as a Chapel of Ease…This building…[was]closed in 1811; parishioners were then expected to attend the new Church erected at Carrickmore some four miles distant. This arrangement proved unsatisfactory, and in 1831 it was decided to build another Church at Sixmilecross, meanwhile the local Presbyterian congregation kindly allowed their Church to be used for worship…Lord Belmore conveyed a site for the new Church and the Board of First Fruits provided £900; this building was consecrated, Oct 4, 1836 and dedicated to St Michael. A Chancel and Vestry were added subsequently, and a Tower with pinnacles was built in 1885. A Holy Table was presented in 1951 by Mr Henry L Wilson PC…A Cross of polished brass for the Holy Table was presented in 1978 by the Rev R.E.M. Benson. Additional burial ground was consecrated Dec. 16, 1979”. (p.760) Mitchell notes that the church is associated with a number of notable individuals: “St. Michael’s Church of Ireland church…has a stained-glass window commemorating the Dunlap family, one of whom was John Dunlap, who printed the United States Declaration of Independence [in 1776 and published the first American daily newspaper in 1784]. The last resident [of Dunmoyle Castle] the eminent public servant Sir John Ross…is buried in the church graveyard.” (Mitchell, p.26). References: Primary Sources 1. PRONI VAL/1/A/6/44 - Townland Valuations Map (1828-40) 2. PRONI VAL/1/B/632 - Townland Valuations Fieldbook (1828-40) 3. PRONI VAL/2/B/6/34B - Griffith’s Valuations (1856-64) 4. Leslie, J. B. “Armagh Clergy and Parishes.” Dundalk: William Tempest, 1911. Secondary Sources 1. Armstrong, Maurice A. “The Parish of Termonmaguirke: A Bi-centenary History, 1792-1992.” Carrickmore, Omagh: Self-published, 1992. 2. “John Dunlap” Chap. in “Gray’s Printing Press: Strabane, Co. Tyrone.” Belfast: The National Trust Committee for Northern Ireland, 1967. 3. Mitchell, C. J. Haldane. “Omagh: Paintings and Stories form the Seat of the Chiefs.” Donaghadee, Co. Down, Cottage Publications, 2000. 4. “Termonmaguirke Parish Almanac”(1864) Quoted in Maurice A. Armstrong, “The Parish of Termonmaguirke” (Carrickmore, Omagh: Self-published, 1992), p.27-30.

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form I. Quality and survival of Interior J. Setting

Historic Interest

X. Local Interest Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

Detached double-height Church of Ireland, built 1836, in an elevated graveyard site. This modestly scaled church is demonstrates well constructed stonework and detailing. The plan form, particularly the orientation of the vestry, is of note. Many original features survive in a good example of church architecture of its time that was developed with a later chancel and vestry and, again, with a tower. It also has local associations with persons of interest, such as the printer of the American Declaration of Independence.

General Comments

Date of Survey

04 March 2009