St Patrick's Church, Buncrana Road, Londonderry, BT48 7QL

St Patrick's Church is a large redbrick church of transeptual plan, built in the Hiberno Romanesque style with a tall attached bell tower and projecting apsidal east end. The building is distinguished by extensive sandstone dressings throughout, steep pitched slated roofs, and richly decorated architectural features combining Romanesque and Celtic motifs.

The principal southwest-facing front projects slightly from the main wall plane and is constructed entirely in sandstone. At its centre is a symmetrically placed entrance in the gable, featuring a pair of square-headed panelled doors. Each door is flanked by a double order of engaged columns with moulded bases and cushion capitals enriched with Celtic ornament. The columns support recessed arches decorated with chevrons and interlaced designs, with the tympanum divided by a circle and two quadrants. A moulded label crowns the archway. On either side of the entrance is a single slim arched lancet with sandstone trim and hood moulding. Above the entrance runs a band of blind wall arcading, which extends between a clasping buttress on one side and the tower on the other. Immediately above this arcading stands a large wheel window set within an arched recess with double orders and matching decorative treatment. The gable verge is emphasised by a slightly projecting moulded bargestone, crowned at the apex with a small Celtic cross. The clasping brick buttress rises above eaves level with decorative corbels and cornice, supporting a miniature baldacchino-type finial.

The bell tower, positioned at the southeast corner of the nave, rises forward from the west front and is strengthened by brick clasping buttresses. Excluding the belfry, the tower comprises three stages. At ground level, pairs of slim lancets appear on each of the three exposed sides. The middle stage is higher and features a decorative canopied niche containing a statue of St Patrick on two faces, with a single oculus with hood moulding on the third face. The third stage begins with a horizontal moulded string course running around all sides, followed by pairs of arched lancets with double hoods on the three exposed sides, with a corbel arcade above linking the clasping buttresses. The top of this stage, with its projecting cornice, stands nearly level with the gable apex. All decorative stonework is in sandstone. The belfry, square on plan, features an arcade of three slim arched openings on each face, with springing lines linked by a moulded string course and arches emphasised by hoods. Above the belfry rises an ogee onion-type dome, wider at its base than the tower itself. The intervening space is filled with horizontal string mouldings and continuous corbelling. Circular eyebrow oculii punctuate each side of the dome, which is covered with copper tiles and topped with a small metal cross.

The long sides of the church are similar in treatment, with double-glazed transepts and side extensions almost aligned to the nave but with reversed roofs. The walls are punctuated by tall arched double recessed lancets. The gables of the transepts and side chapels each feature two-light lancets with a six-cusped rosette above, set within an arched recess. Side porches occupy the angles between the nave and transepts, with parapet roofs featuring arcaded corbels beneath moulded coping. Continuous bold corbel arcades run beneath the eaves of the nave and other roofs, providing considerable visual interest. Small oculii punctuate each gable, with a horizontal band of stone below. Transept quoins are picked out in stone. The semi-circular apse projects from the east gable in a stilted manner, with bold arcaded corbelling above the eaves and four round-headed lancets with a deep plain stone band. The gables on either side project inward to form recesses, roofed with skirted copper sheets and each containing a single arched lancet. Shallow confessionals project from the transept gables, decorated with side buttresses, skirted roofs, round-headed kneelers, and three small glazed oculii. All gables feature broad bargestones with rounded and panelled kneelers. A sacristy block is positioned at the northeast corner with a tall shouldered chimney stack. A boiler room is situated beneath external steps.

The roofs are covered with grey stone slates and relieved with circular dormer vents. The walls are constructed of smooth red Bridgewater bricks.

The church stands well back from Buncrana Road, accessed by a double avenue approach. The grounds are well planted and maintained. Each gateway features a pair of sandstone pillars with moulded bases and conical tops crowned with arcaded corbelling, together with decorative wrought iron gates. A low wall with decorative railings runs along the footpath to the road. A presbytery is located within the grounds.