Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB10/05/005

Address :
Church of the Sacred Heart, Dergbrough Road, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, BT79 8EF

Townland:
Lisnacreaght

---

Survey 2:
B2

Date of Listing:
02/11/1989 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:
89-2

IG Ref:
H4842 9125

---

Owner Category

Church - RC

Exterior Description And Setting

Detached symmetrical double-height Roman Catholic Church, dated 1896, located to the south side of Dergbrough Road, Plumbridge. Cruciform-plan nave with square tower to west; gabled chancel to east with single-storey lean-to extensions to both north and south re-entrant angles. Roofs are pitched natural slate with crenellated red clay ridge tiles; raised flat stone verges; moulded kneeler stones and cavetto moulded eaves course supporting ogee-profile cast-iron rainwater goods; two chimney-stacks to east gable with off
setting and cross finial to apex. Walls are coursed rock-faced red sandstone with stepped ashlar quoins and projecting chamfered plinth. Windows are pointed-arched-headed containing leaded stained glass with margin lights contained within stepped chamfered ashlar surround with rock-faced voussoirs over and projecting splayed cills; secondary glazing to nave. Principal elevation (gable) faces west and is abutted at centre by two-stage square tower; exposed section contains single window at left and right. Tower detailed as nave with projecting stepped plinth. First stage south elevation contains principal entrance; paired windows at west; north blank. Second stage contains single window at north and south; octagonal pediment at west is surmounted by niche containing statue; each surmounted by continuous string course forming hoodmould over. Tower terminates with moulded string course surmounted by crenellated parapet. Entrance via replacement double-leaf vertically sheeted timber doors contained within rebated chamfered stepped ashlar surround and surmounted by hoodmould with label-stops and rock-faced voussoirs; accessed by three masonry steps. North elevation is four windows wide; each divided by stepped angle-buttress with offsetting. Nave abutted at left by double-height gabled transept detailed as nave. Transept north gable contains three central windows (central taller); single window to right cheek; left cheek abutted by single-storey extension with hipped roof; exposed section blank. North extension; east elevation has projection at left containing vertically sheeted timber entrance door contained within chamfered surround with moulded stop. Single window at right cheek; single window at right. North elevation has projection at right containing vertically sheeted timber entrance door contained within chamfered surround with moulded stop; single window at left cheek; single window at left. East gable is abutted at centre by gabled chancel containing two geometric bar-tracery windows surmounted by quatrefoil tracery window and stone cross finial to apex. Right cheek abutted by single-storey extension with hipped roof, detailed above. Left cheek detailed as right, south door in extension has date engraved lintel which reads ‘1896’. South elevation is four windows wide and detailed as north. Set within churchyard containing selection of grave markers dating from the lat nineteenth-century to present day. Site bounded to road at east by roughcast rendered wall with segmental stone coping; vehicular access via square rendered piers supporting replacement cast-metal gates. The church and car park are also accessible from the Dergbrough Road at north via the parochial house. Roof Natural slate Walling Coursed rock-faced red sandstone with stepped ashlar quoins and projecting chamfered plinth Windows Pointed-arched-headed containing leaded stained glass with margin lights RWG Cast-iron ogee profile gutters and square downpipes

Architects

Historical Information

The church is dated 1896 and the exterior remains largely unchanged. There has, however, been extensive refurbishment to the interior. The church is first shown on the third edition OS map of 1905, captioned ‘RC Church’, The first edition OS map of 1833 shows a previous ‘RC Chapel’ in the town. Griffith’s Valuation records the earlier church as the ‘RC Chapel and yard’ valued at £8.15s. The land is leased from John MacFarland, with a graveyard added in 1888. Valuation Revisions record the ‘site of new RC chapel’ in the fieldbook dating from 1894-1907, however no valuation for the church is given in subsequent books. The church remains as built; similar construction style and materiality indicate that all parts of the church including square tower at west and chancel at east are from the same period. However, internally the church has been largely refurbished; work has included replacement doors; flooring and timber pews, a secondary entrance vestibule and gallery located in the nave may also have been added at this time. The restoration work is clarified with the identification of a plaque in the tower which reads ‘THE RESTORATION/ OF THIS CHURCH/ WAS INSPIRED BY/ FR DENIS McCONOLOGUE P.P./AUGUST 1989-AUGUST 1990/ BEANNACHT DE LENA ANAM.’ References: Primary Sources 1. PRONI OS/6/6/11/1 -First Edition OS Map (1832-3) 2. PRONI OS/6/6/11/2 -Second Edition OS Map (1854) 3. PRONI OS/6/6/11/3 -Third Edition OS Map (1905) 4. PRONI VAL/2/B/6/46A -Griffith’s Valuation Map (1858) 5. PRONI VAL/12/B/39/11A-G -Valuation Revisions (1860-1929) Secondary Sources 1. Mitchell, C. J. Haldane. “Omagh: Paintings and Stories form the Seat of the Chiefs.” Donaghadee, Co. Down, Cottage Publications, 2000. 2. Rowan, Alistair. “North West Ulster: Londonderry, Donegal, Fermanagh, and Tyrone.” Buildings of Ireland Series. Dublin: Penguin Books, 1979

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

A detached symmetrical double-height Roman Catholic Church, dated 1896, located to the south side of Dergbrough Road, Plumbridge. The building retains much of its original character both externally and internally with similar construction style and materials indicating that all parts of the church including square tower at west and chancel at east are all from the same period. It is well proportioned, enjoys a raised setting and is one of the most significant buildings in Plumbridge.

General Comments

Date of Survey

07 April 2009