Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB01/01/011

Address :
Learmount Parish Church (C of I), Learmount Wood, Tireighter Road, Park, Co Londonderry BT47 4BA

Townland:
Tireighter

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Survey 2:
B1

Date of Listing:
26/02/1979 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

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OS Map No:
62/10

IG Ref:
C5856 0230

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Owner Category

Church - C of I

Exterior Description And Setting

A small rectangular three bay long simple hall church built of stone with roughcast rendering all round except for a shallow projecting stone faced porch and equally shallow chancel. Each corner of the church is emphasised by diagonal and shouldered stone faced buttresses. The roof is slated and surmounting the entrance gable a small decorative bellcote with pointed finial. Three tall pointed windows on each of the long walls of the nave have timber ‘Y’ tracery and diamond panes of glass. Gutters and downpipes are cast-iron. Barges in sandstone. The building is set in a secluded corner of what was formally the grounds of Learmount Castle and now a Department of Agriculture forest. Adjacent is a former school and teacher’s residence. Around the church a small graveyard not overpopulated with graves. Contiguous to the graveyard is a post war housing scheme which forms an extension to Park village. Access to the church and graveyard is through a pair of iron gates between tall piers. The church is kept in good repair as likewise the graveyard.

Architects

Farrell, William

Historical Information

The church was built in 1831, inscribed on west gable, “and cost 747 pounds 5 shillings which was raised by a grant of 400 pounds from the Board of First Fruits, aided by contributions from the Bishop of Derry, the Irish Society, the Skinners Company and several of the gentry”(OSM). Architect not known but possibly William Farrell. References Primary Sources: 1. OS Map 1st Edition Co Londonderry 29 2. 'Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland Vol.28. Parishes of County Londonderry IX', ed Angelique Day & Patrick McWilliams (QUB, 1995) p8. 3. S Lewis A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland Vol. I. Secondary Sources: 1. J S Curl 'The Londonderry plantation 1609-1914' Philmore & Co, London 1986, p304

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form

Historic Interest

V. Authorship W. Northern Ireland/International Interest X. Local Interest Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

Small neo-Gothic style rural church with some neo-Tudor detailing. Typical of Board of First Fruits work.

General Comments

Date of Survey

19 August 1997