St Matthew's Parish Church, Main Street, Scarva, Craigavon, Co Down, BT63 6LS

A double-height rubble stone Parish Church with two-stage entrance tower and stone broach spire; dated 1850 and located on an elevated site west of Main Street in Scarva. Set on an east-west axis with tower to west, small chancel to east and gabled projection flanked by lean-to porches to south. Pitched natural slate roof with blue/black angled ridge tiles and raised verges with kneeler stones. Gothic pinnacle to gabled projection to south. Cast-iron half-round rainwater goods on ovolo-moulded eaves course. Walling is random rubble stone with sandstone dressings, including a chamfered plinth and quoins. Windows are mainly timber-framed cast-iron lattice lancets in sandstone surrounds with splayed sills and hood moulds. West gable is abutted by central entrance tower; exposed sections blank. Tower comprises Tudor-arched opening to south with a replacement square-headed timber-sheeted double leaf door with timber-sheeted tympanum. Above the door is a rectangular Gothic stone plaque with cusped detailing and shield inscribed, 'Erected to the Glory of the Most Holy Trinity. AD-1850'. West elevation has a lattice paned lancet at ground floor; north elevation has blind lancet. Moulded string course divides first stage from belfry stage which has Y-tracery louvered vents to three sides and is surmounted by a broach spire with lucarnes on a corbelled string course over a plain recessed frieze. The north elevation of the nave is four windows wide. The east elevation is abutted by a small chancel which has three graded leaded and stained glass lancets covered by a wire panel. The south elevation of the nave has a window to either side of a central symmetrical gabled projection with central break-front bay comprising a single central lancet, corbelled kneelers and gothic pinnacle to apex. Flanking bays have single lancet with lozenge shaped latticework; left cheek is blank; right cheek has modern square-headed timber-sheeted door. Setting Set on an elevated site accessed via a tarmacadam lane to south, with views to west over the village and to surrounding farmland. The site is bounded by a rubble stone wall. Modern housing estate to east. Surrounded by graveyard with headstones dating from the mid-nineteenth century. To west is a set of red-brick gate piers with yellow brick dressings and sandstone caps supporting a cast-iron arch and gate. Steps lead down to the rear entrance of St Matthews Parochial Hall (HB17/03/033). To north of this is a set of fluted sandstone gate piers with decorated frieze and pointed caps supporting a replacement latch gate. Entrance gates to southeast corner have large sandstone gate piers with chamfered shafts and pointed caps supporting cast iron gates. Roof: Natural slate Walling: Rubble stone Windows: Lattice paned lancets RWG: Cast-iron