Clogherny Parish Church (C of I) (St.Patrick's), Church Road, Beragh, Sixmilecross, Omagh, Co.Tyrone, BT79 0SA

Clogherny Parish Church (also known as St Patrick's) is a detached Church of Ireland building of considerable antiquity, located on an elevated site within its churchyard to the west of Beragh, accessed via uncoursed random rubble walling with square ruled-and-lined rendered piers supporting replacement metal gates with a lantern-arch.

The church originated circa 1745, reputedly on the site of a 13th-century church burnt during the Williamite wars and restored around 1691, the date of the Communion chalice inscribed 'Teampul mael na Cloighearnach'. The present church was built in 1746 by Reverend Richard Dobbs, incorporating the side walls of the earlier building. The gallery was added by John Lowry in 1775, and the tower by James Lowry (who succeeded his father as rector) in 1794. In 1855, the nave was extended, a new chancel built, and paired stone lancets fitted throughout by William Fullerton, the diocesan architect. The church is a Board of First Fruits Church of Ireland, rectangular on plan with a chancel to the east, built circa 1855.

The double-height barn-style building is simply detailed with walls of uncoursed random rubble. Roofs are pitched natural slate with blue and black clay ridge tiles, flat stone verges supported on cavetto moulded kneelers, and a square rendered chimney to the east gable. Corbelled eaves courses support half-round cast-iron rainwater goods.

The principal elevation faces west and is abutted at centre by a two-stage bell tower with crenellated parapet, built circa 1794. The first stage contains the principal entrance, comprising a gothic opening with square-headed timber-sheeted doors and fanlight over with replacement etched glazing, contained within a chamfered sandstone surround. The second stage contains a central pointed-arched-headed timber louvred belfry opening to each face, surmounted by a cavetto string course and crenellated parapet. To the left, a double-height lean-to extension contains stairs to the organ gallery, with a square-headed chamfered sandstone surround containing a timber-sheeted door with decorative ironmongery intact including strap-hinges and handle, accessed by two stugged-finish stone steps.

Windows throughout are paired gothic containing leaded lattice glazing divided by single chamfered mullion within stepped stugged-finish chamfered stone surrounds, unless otherwise stated. The south elevation contains three paired windows, including a lattice-glazed quatrefoil at the left and a wall-head dormer with stone verges to the right containing a single lattice-glazed window.

The east gable contains a central tripartite lancet chancel window with leaded stained glass (added 1875) within flush roughly stepped stugged-finish sandstone surrounds with rubble voussoirs over. A basement-level lean-to boiler house is almost entirely below ground level, with a natural slate roof, ruled-and-lined rendered walls, and a square-headed timber-sheeted door at the east accessed by masonry steps.

A single-storey vestry with pitched roof is located to the north, detailed as the nave with roughly coursed random rubble walling, accessed at the west elevation through a shouldered segmental-pointed opening containing a timber-sheeted door with decorative ironmongery intact including strap-hinges and handle. The north gable contains a single window, and the east elevation is abutted at the left by the basement-level lean-to boiler house.

The interior is modest with exposed trusses and rafters. A well-preserved and intact interior includes an early 18th-century wall memorial. The stained glass east window is in memory of James Lowry (1875) and comprises seven small scenes in vesica-shaped frames by Hardman & Co. A monument to George Perry (1703) features a slab carved with a skull and crossbones and a heraldic coat of arms.

The churchyard is historic with a good range of memorials. Early 18th-century grave markers are located to the south of the church, most now moved from original locations and rested against the south boundary wall. Two rubble stone structures to the north-west of the churchyard, possibly remains of large vaults or earlier churches, survive from an early date. A contemporary church hall stands to the south-west outside the church boundary wall, with an original stone mounting block.

According to the Ordnance Survey Memoirs, the church "is a modern building situated in the glebe not far from the rector's house. It is generally well attended…and could hold 280 persons." The Townland Valuation Records list it as a Protestant Church, offices and graveyard valued at £8.3.0; Griffith's Valuation rates the church at £12.0.0 and the graveyard at £0.15.0. The church is captioned on the first edition Ordnance Survey Map of 1833, and on the third edition map of 1906 is captioned 'St Patrick's Church' and 'Grave Yard (disused)'.

As a surviving structure demonstrating a range of historical development spanning from circa 1745 through to 1875, the church is an important building in architectural and historic terms, representing the evolution of Church of Ireland architecture and religious practice.