Cathedral of St. Patrick and St. Colman, Hill Street, Newry, Co Down, BT34 1AF

Cathedral of St Patrick and St Colman, Hill Street, Newry, County Down

This Perpendicular-style cathedral comprises a nave, chancel, side aisles, transepts, sacristy and bell tower, located on the east side of Hill Street. It follows a traditional cruciform plan with the tower and sacristy attached to the north elevation. The roofs are natural slate and lead with parapet gutters and box-section metal downpipes. Five granite steps with roll-moulded nosings rise to a concrete paved area before the west end.

West End Façade

The west elevation consists of a tall gable with a central door and large tracery window above, flanked by two squat towers that terminate the north and south aisles. Between the gable and towers are two tall, semi-attached octagonal stair towers rising the full height of the elevation and terminating in octagonal lanterns above the parapet.

The central gable wall is ashlar granite with a raised chamfered base course. The main door is set within a deeply recessed Tudor-arched opening with five ribs (three of which are colonettes) to its canted reveal, surmounted by a hoodmould with stop-ends. The pair of oak doors are framed and braced tongue-and-groove sheeted, stained and varnished, with decorative strap-hinges, central ring handle strap decoration, iron beading to all sides, and a large lockcase locked from inside only. Above is the tall gable window of granite tracery with stained glass set within a large Gothic opening with canted sill and reveals. A moulded stringcourse at sill level continues across the gable and stair towers. Over the opening is a hoodmould with figurative stop-ends. Above the window, in the gable head, is a small lancet opening (a vent to the loft area) with canted reveal and wire mesh over. The gable has a frieze decorated with a raised Gothic arcade design. This frieze supports a moulded stringcourse following the line of the gable. A parapet rises above, finished with stepped crenellations and terminated at the apex by a square-based gabled pinnacle (panelled on three sides) with a granite cross finial.

The octagonal stair towers rise on each side of the main gable. Their walls are ashlar granite with a base course matching the façade and an additional moulded base course positioned one course above. Each tower is divided into four stages by moulded stringcourses. A narrow lancet window (glazed with obscure glass) appears on the front face of the first and second stages. The stringcourse between the second and third stages marks the eaves level of the side towers. The third stage is more exposed and only quarter-attached to the main gable; each face is decorated with small chamfered rectangular panels with taller lancet panels over. Supporting the stringcourse between the third and fourth stages is a frieze with raised Gothic arcade decoration continuing that on the main gable. The fourth stage rises above the main gable and is octagonal with unglazed tracery openings to each face, creating a fretted open crown terminated by a moulded stringcourse and crenellated parapet.

The flanking side towers have walls of ashlar granite with chamfered base courses matching the façade. Stepped buttresses at each outside corner terminate as corner pinnacles. At roof level on both faces is a moulded stringcourse with arcaded frieze below and crenellated parapet over. The west end façade of each tower has a granite tracery window set within a Gothic opening with canted reveals and a hoodmould over. The cheeks of each tower are identical, each having a ground-floor centre door that is tongue-and-groove sheeted with no furniture, set within an opening with moulded reveal and Tudor-arched head within a square-headed recess with hoodmould over. The panelled spandrels to the arch head are decorated with raised shields. Above each door is a hoodmoulded stained glass tracery window detailed as that on the tower façade.

South Elevation

The south aisle runs from the southwest tower to the southeast side chapel and is abutted by the south transept. The wall is squared granite rubble laid in regular courses with two snecking stones between each block, divided into five equal panels by four stepped buttresses in granite ashlar that terminate at eaves level. At the eaves is a moulded stringcourse with crenellated parapet over. Each wall panel has a traceried window (five in total) in a canted Gothic-headed opening.

The south transept abuts the south aisle and has a door to the west cheek and windows to the south and east walls. The walls are ashlar granite with a chamfered base course to the west cheek only, with a stringcourse at eaves level and crenellated parapet. Stepped corner buttresses at each outside corner terminate in gabled pinnacles. The west cheek has a projecting gabled porch at ground floor centre. High in the wall above the porch are two blind tracery panels, each containing a raised shield. The left bears the letters 'AD' in raised type; the right has '1888' in similar raised letters. The porch is ashlar granite with a base course matching the rest of the walls and corner buttresses offset at 45 degrees, terminating below eaves level. The eaves to each cheek are concave and support a stringcourse and crenellated parapet rising up the gable, terminated by a granite cross finial. Three granite steps lead to the doorway in the centre of the west gable, which consists of a pair of Gothic-headed tongue-and-groove sheeted, stained timber doors with black painted decorative strap-hinges, set within a recessed canted opening with Gothic head. Each cheek of the porch has a small cusped lancet window with canted sill, decorated voussoirs and metal bars over. The south elevation has three Gothic openings with sandstone tracery: single narrow lancets to the sides and a three-lancet composition to the centre. Below is a ground-floor projection with a hipped granite roof, plain walls, and recessed confessionals. The east elevation has two Gothic windows with granite tracery, central mullion and transoms forming four lancet lights; below this is a projecting roof over the lower part of the wall, running flush with the buttress.

The south side chapel is abutted to the west by the south aisle and transept, and to the north by the chancel and sanctuary. The walls to the south and east are similar to the south transept but lower, with crenellations stepping up to each corner. There are two traceried Gothic stained glass granite windows in the south elevation with canted reveals and voussoired hoodmoulds over. A similar window in the east elevation has a metal grille over.

The south nave wall runs from the west end gable to the apse at the east end and is a clerestory wall enclosing the body of the church. At ground floor it is internal (abutted by the south aisle) and arcaded. The first bay from the west end is dressed ashlar granite; the second and third bays are squared granite rubble laid in regular courses with two snecking stones between each block. The remaining bays are roughly finished squared granite blocks with clumsy repointing. The wall is divided into eight equal panels by stepped buttresses rising to gabled ashlar pinnacles. At the eaves is a moulded stringcourse with crenellated parapet over. The first panel is over the southwest tower; the second to sixth are over the side aisle; the seventh and eighth are over the south transept. Each wall panel has a traceried window in a canted Gothic-headed opening with hoodmould over.

Apse

The apse consists of nine panels, each divided by a stepped, gabled pinnacled buttress and with a crenellated parapet matching the nave. The first two to each side are a continuation of the nave and are abutted by the side chapels. The remaining five panels form the canted apse. Each panel has a single window at clerestory level. Below the parapet, running between buttresses, is a shallow Gothic arcade similar to that on the front façade. Each window is Gothic tracery with canted reveal, hoodmould, and sills sloping down to form a roof over the projecting lower wall, the face flush with the corner buttress.

North Elevation

The north elevation is identical to the south, with two additions. Firstly, the tower abuts the north aisle and west cheek of the north transept. Secondly, the sacristy abuts the north side chapel and east side of the north transept.

The north side chapel abuts the apse to the south, the north transept to the west, and is partially abutted by the single-storey sacristy link to the north. The remaining walls, to the east and north, are ashlar granite with a stringcourse at eaves level and crenellated parapet. On the east wall at ground level is a granite block inscribed "Chancel erected 1904, Most Rev H O'Neil, DD Lord Bishop of Dromore." There is a single traceried Gothic stained glass window in the east elevation with canted reveal and voussoired hoodmould over (mirroring the east side of the south side chapel). Two similar windows appear in the north elevation, both with metal grilles over. The sacristy abuts below these windows in the north elevation.

The north transept abuts the side aisle to the south, the tower to the west, and the single-storey sacristy to the east. The walls are ashlar granite with a chamfered base course to the west cheek only, with a stringcourse at eaves level and crenellated parapet. Stepped corner buttresses at each outside corner terminate in gabled pinnacles. In the centre of the elevation is a projecting bay (containing a shrine niche internally). The north elevation has three Gothic openings. The central opening contains a three-part Gothic tracery window on the projecting bay. The flanking side windows are narrow sandstone tracery lancets. The east elevation is abutted by the single-storey link block leading to the sacristy. Above are two Gothic windows with granite tracery.

The north aisle is abutted by the tower to the east. The aisle wall is squared granite rubble laid in regular courses with snecking stones between each block, divided into five equal panels by four stepped buttresses terminating at eaves level. At the eaves is a moulded stringcourse with crenellated parapet over. Each wall panel has a traceried window (five in total) set in a canted Gothic-headed opening. The tower obscures the eastern panel and its window is infilled with a shrine.

The north nave wall runs from the west end gable to the apse at the east end and is a clerestory wall enclosing the body of the church. At ground floor it is internal (abutted by the north aisle) and arcaded. The first bay from the west end is dressed ashlar granite; the second and third bays are squared granite rubble laid in regular courses with two snecking stones between each block. The remaining bays are roughly finished squared granite blocks with clumsy repointing. The wall is divided into eight equal panels by stepped buttresses rising to gabled pinnacles. At the eaves is a moulded stringcourse with crenellated parapet over. The first panel is over the northwest tower; the second to sixth are over the side aisle; the seventh and eighth are over the north transept. Each wall panel has a traceried window in a canted Gothic-headed opening with hoodmould over.

Tower

The tower is square in section and has four stages. It is attached to the north side aisle at first-stage level, and its first and second stages abut the north transept. The walls are finely dressed ashlar granite with tall piers rising from the second stage to the parapet and assorted granite detailing.

Stage one is exposed at the west and north elevations, with corners chamfered from halfway up. The west elevation has a double moulded base course and moulded stringcourse three courses higher. Four granite steps rise to a central entrance consisting of a pair of timber Gothic-headed doors with decorative strap hinges set within a deeply recessed and chamfered Gothic opening with hoodmould over. To the left of the door is a tubular metal handrail. The north elevation has a single-storey outshot to the left (containing stairs). There is a single cusped stained glass window in a canted reveal to the centre of the elevation. The outshot has a canted corner and a parapet above eaves level. Its west cheek has a cusped stained glass window in a canted reveal.

Stage two is exposed on all four sides and is double height. Its wall is recessed within corner piers. At the bottom of the recess, the wall pitches out to the stringcourse at first-floor level. Each panel contains two tall cusped lancet windows divided into two panes by a quatrefoil panel in the middle. Each window is stained glass set within a chamfered reveal. Each side pier is octagonal (and quarter-attached to the tower). Between this stage and the third stage is a frieze decorated with a Gothic arcade.

Stage three is single storey and has a similar central panel and piers as the stage below, although the octagonal piers transform into plain buttresses. The panel has four narrow lancet windows in chamfered reveals. Above, between this stage and stage four, five moulded corbels support a balconette enclosing the recessed wall panel.

Stage four (the belfry) has a buttress to each face; terminating halfway up is a steep, crocketed and finialed gablet. The central panel is not as deeply recessed as those below and contains a large open tracery window set within a deeply recessed Gothic opening. The spring of the arch level corresponds with the gablet to each pier. On the sill of the opening is a balconette consisting of six fretted quatrefoils. Between the plain piers, over the arch head, is a blind arcade of fretted trefoil-headed lancets. Between this stage and the parapet is a moulded stringcourse with projecting gargoyles to the corners (at 45 degrees) and to the centre of each elevation.

The parapet has corner gargoyles from the stringcourse below supporting flying buttresses from the fretted pinnacles rising from the piers below. Each pinnacle has an open fretwork panel and a crocketed pinnacle with crown and cruciform lightning conductor. They are linked by an open balustrade of delicate lancet panels supporting a moulded coping. The centre of each balustrade supports a pinnacle (set at 45 degrees) similar but smaller than those to the corners and resting on the central gargoyle. The roof is leaded and pyramidal with a large wrought-iron cross finial to the centre.

Sacristy

This two-storey building is linked to the north side of the north side chapel and the east side of the north transept by a one-storey link block. The roof is hipped and natural slated over the main block, and pitched and natural slated with skylights to the link block. The main block has a granite chimney rising from the wall head off centre of the east elevation. The walls are ashlar granite, each corner is chamfered, and there is a moulded stringcourse at eaves level with a crenellated parapet above. The east elevation is abutted to the left by the link block with crenellated parapet. It has a single one-over-one sliding sash window within a chamfered reveal to the east and similar to the south cheek. The main elevation has five windows to each floor. All are one-over-one sliding sashes set in chamfered Tudor-arched reveals. There is one to the right and two pairs, one to the centre and one to the left on each floor. All ground-floor windows have bars over. At basement level below the centre windows is a Tudor-headed basement door in a two-stage opening accessed by a flight of steps from the left. The door is tongue-and-groove panelled. Below the left window is a two-light opening at ground level with wire mesh over. The south elevation is abutted at ground floor by the link block; to the first floor are two windows, one to either side of the elevation, as those on the east elevation. The west elevation is abutted by the link block and has no window openings. To the right of the north elevation is the link block gable, set back from the main elevation. The gable has stepped crenellations and a cross finial. Its door is tongue-and-groove sheeted and set within a chamfered Tudor-headed opening. The north elevation has one window to the ground floor left and one between ground and first floor at right, and one above to the first floor. All are detailed as those on the east elevation.

Chapter Rooms

To the northeast corner of the site is a single-storey flat-roofed modern chapter room. Its walls are ashlar granite with a chamfered base course and stepped crenellations at eaves level. A date stone over the main doors indicates that it was built in 1984. The central block is a meeting room with three pairs of timber ogee-headed windows. To the right is a projecting block with a timber door and, to the right, two timber square-headed windows. Three further similar windows appear on the return wall to the right side. The left block has four square-headed windows to the façade, returning to the meeting room wall with stained tongue-and-groove double doors.

Setting

Each side of the front steps is enclosed by a flight of railings rising from gate piers to the left and right on Hill Street. The railings are wrought iron, resting on a chamfered granite base wall. The gate piers are octagonal with chamfered plinths, panelled faces and decorative wrought-iron lamps with globe lanterns. To each side the railings continue to enclose the site, supported by occasional granite piers with chamfered edges and stepped copings. To the south is a formal garden with lawns, paths and flowerbeds. There are occasional ornate stone garden ornaments and some benches. The south, north and east boundaries are high wet-dashed walls.