Church of the Immaculate Conception 21 Lissummon Road Serse Newry Co Down BT35 6NA

The Church of the Immaculate Conception, built between 1934 and 1936 for the Parish of Lower Killeavy, stands in the townland of Serse on Lissummon Road, approximately 5.5 miles north-west of Newry, County Down. Designed by Ralph Henry Byrne, the church sits on a bend in the road at the junction with Lissummon Church Road, facing north-east and set back behind a low wall with railings. To the south stands a 20th-century dwelling, a former teacher's residence lies to the west at the rear, and the graveyard occupies the opposite side of Lissummon Road to the east.

The building is a Lombardic-Romanesque style Roman Catholic church constructed in dark red machined Dungannon brick with reconstituted fire-cast stone dressings designed to resemble Newry granite. It has a rectangular plan with a pitched natural slate roof to the main section, an attached square-plan sacristy with a flat roof on the north-west side, and projecting confessionals on each flank with pitched leaded roofs. A tall stone plinth runs to all sides with brick above in English garden wall bond.

The front north-east elevation presents a gabled symmetrical façade with a central square-headed door opening featuring a decorative stone surround and original panelled painted timber bolection-moulded double-leaf doors with a leaded stained glass overlight. Small window openings flank the door, while a central rose stained glass window sits at high level. Both door and rose window are set within a tall blind arch with a carved diamond-shaped moulded surround. Stone soldiered quoins project at each edge of the façade, and a corbelled arcade with diminutive stepped blind arches runs to the eaves. The belfry at the apex has a pitched lead roof with a small cross at its tip; the bell and associated apparatus remain in place.

The north-west side elevation shows the main section symmetrically arranged with the flat-roofed sacristy to the right. Toothed stone quoins appear at each edge with a concave stone eaves level. A projecting pitched leaded roof confessional is centrally positioned, constructed of stone with the same decorative eaves detail as the front elevation, a diminutive rectangular window to its centre, and a small cast iron cross at the roof apex. A small circular window aligns above the confessional. The confessional is flanked by three tall semi-circular headed window openings with brick arched heads and applied polycarbonate storm glazing. The square-plan sacristy features an original panelled painted timber door on its north-east side with decorative surround; a stone band runs below the coping stone. Two 1/1 timber sliding sash windows with coloured leaded glazing sit on the north-west façade.

The rear south-west elevation is a symmetrical gabled façade with three tall window openings, the central one taller than those either side, echoing the soldiered quoins and decorative eaves of the front elevation. A carved metal date stone inscribed "1933" is located at low level within the plinth. A carved stone cross crowns the apex. The rear of the sacristy abuts to the left side with no openings; a slate sundial dated 1828 and designed by Thomas McCreash is positioned at high level.

The south-east elevation is a mirror image of the north-west side, with identical detailing throughout.

All windows are stained glass leaded lights with stone cills, except where noted. Window and door surrounds throughout are reconstituted fire-cast stone. All windows are single-glazed. Rainwater goods are cast iron, with a PVC soil pipe on the north-west side.

The graveyard to the east contains a memorial marking the site of the pre-emancipation church, and a granite stoup remains. The front boundary features cast iron gates and railings of simple design with decorative curled stays on the church ground side and organic-shaped details to the gates themselves. A low brick wall with plain stone coping stone and plinth runs the frontage, with square-plan piers topped by pyramidal capping stones. The church grounds frontage is laid in concrete with 20th-century steps and a ramp.