St John's RC Church, Castlewellan Road, Hilltown, Newry, Co Down, BT34 5UY

St John's Roman Catholic Church is a mid-19th century cruciform-plan church with classical detailing, enhanced by an early 20th century Baroque-style tower. It stands on the east side of Castlewellan Road outside Hilltown, on the east bank of the River Bann.

The church has a pitched natural slate cruciform roof with terracotta ridges and large box-section gutters on the eaves cornice. The north, west and south gables feature a raised blocking course over the pediment and are terminated with ashlar granite crosses; the east gable is plainer.

West Elevation

The front elevation faces west and is constructed in stugged ashlar granite blocks. Three modern granite steps rise to a modern entrance plinth that runs across the front of the building, paved in granite setts with two modern bollard lamps and incorporating a flowerbed. At the top of the steps, modern polished granite bollards with incised crosses on each face stand to left and right.

The west elevation is divided into three equal bays by four advanced pilasters rising from a common advanced base course. These terminate in moulded Ionic capitals and support a three-course ashlar frieze, upon which rests a blank gabled pediment with moulded architrave and raised gables. The main entrance occupies the central bay: a pair of horizontal sheeted doors with similar sheeted transom, all set within a tapering eared granite architrave with plain frieze and advanced moulded cornice in Egyptian style. Above the doorway, between the pilasters, is a blank recessed rectangular granite plaque. The left and right bays each contain an identical tall semicircular-headed stained glass window with moulded granite architrave resting on a broad cill (approximately two metres high) that continues to either side, meeting the pilasters. The tower stands to the right of this elevation.

North Elevation

The north elevation of the nave is four bays wide, framed by five pilasters rising from a common base course as on the façade, with a frieze and cornice above. The walls between the pilasters are squared, roughly dressed granite blocks brought to courses. The right bay contains an infilled doorway and architrave; the remaining three bays each have a window matching those on the west elevation.

At the left, the north transept advances. Its north gable is identical to the west elevation of the nave but is abutted by a modern wheelchair ramp rising from the left, with steps to the right, all in ashlar granite with overhanging chamfered coping and tubular metal handrail. Flat iron handrails are also attached to the wall. The transept's west cheek has two bays with pilasters and windows as before. Its east side is similar but the pilasters are broader and the window architraves are not moulded; the left window is infilled and abutted by the Sacristy extension.

To the left is the east gable (sanctuary) of the church, which advances slightly. At the join is a modern cement-rendered chimney stack with cement coping and a single pot. The gable is abutted by the two-storey Sanctuary and a single-storey Sacristy extension; its remaining walls to left and right are ashlar granite and blank. The gable pediment is blank with a plain advanced frame and is topped by an empty bellcote with semicircular head and cross finial. The bellcote opening is also semicircular-headed.

The Sacristy extension appears to be early 20th century but has been re-rendered and had its windows replaced. It is symmetrical, with flat concrete roofs to both ground floor and first floor portions. All roofs have a coped blocking course, except the east face of the ground floor which drains directly into cast iron gutters. The walls are lined and cement-rendered. Ground floor windows are one-over-one sashes—two single and two pairs—with modern fixed security grills and new polished granite cills. The doors, one on the east face and one on the north, are modern horizontal sheeted timber. The first floor portion is narrower than the ground floor and blank to the east; its south and north cheeks each have a small semicircular-headed stained glass window lighting the sanctuary.

South Elevation

The south transept is identical to the north in all details, except that its south gable door retains its original three granite steps and its walls are cement-rendered between the pilasters. To the left is the south elevation of the nave, which is four bays wide divided by five pilasters. The tower abuts the left bay. The remaining three bays are cement-rendered and each have a stained glass window matching the others in the church.

Tower

The four-stage, square-plan tower abuts the western corner of the south wall of the nave. The walls are finely dressed ashlar granite blocks. Its north wall at the first and second stages abuts the south wall of the nave.

The first stage has a plain advanced base course following that of the church. In addition, a second base course with cyma-recta moulding rises two courses above. The west end shares the modern entrance plinth with the church. Set to its centre is a deeply recessed doorway containing a modern horizontal sheeted door with a semicircular-headed plain fanlight above. Its architrave is elaborately moulded with keystone and rises from the second base course. To its left and right are plain recessed, bolection-moulded, eared spandrel panels. Hanging from these, below the spring of the arch, are patera pendants. The south face of the first stage has a blank recessed central panel. The east elevation is identical but inset into the panel is a rectangular leaded light. Dividing the first and second stages is an advanced moulded cornice which follows the line of the indented panels on the south and east faces.

The second stage of the tower is shorter than the first. Each face has a recessed central panel framed to left and right with band-rusticated ashlar work. The lintel above each recessed panel is supported by closely spaced corbels, which advance in line with the band rustication. Above is a moulded abacus with plain frieze and an advanced moulded cornice, in line with that on the eaves of the church. Additionally, on the west face above the door, a carved decorative pediment with cross finial is set into its recessed panel, resting upon the first stage cornice. It is decorated with a heart and cross from which shamrocks and arabesques radiate. The south and east faces of the second stage each have a narrower slot window with coloured leaded glazing inset into the wall panel.

The third stage of the tower rises above the main body of the church and is identical on all four faces. It is taller than the two previous stages and has a recessed central panel. Each inset panel has a tall rectangular coloured glass window with a moulded cill on corbels and an eared architrave. Above is a narrow frieze flanked by inverted corbels and topped with an advanced semicircular-headed pediment. Paired pilasters with Ionic capitals frame the panels, supporting an abacus, a narrow frieze and a moulded cornice. Above the cornice is a plain blocking course, broken to the centre of each face with three square-section balusters. A moulded coping terminates this stage.

The fourth stage broaches from square to octagonal. The broach angle to each corner is filled by an inverted scrolled corbel which sweeps up to form the angle panels on the broached tower. The remaining four faces (north, south, east and west) each have a tall semicircular-headed opening with plain architrave and advanced keystone. Within each of these openings is a timber louvred panel. Above are an abacus, a plain frieze and a moulded cornice. Above this point is an octagonal bell-profile copper roof terminated by a small plain glazed octagonal lantern. Over the lantern is a smaller similar copper roof, with a ball finial surmounted on a cross.

Setting

To the west boundary is a cement-rendered wall with cushion-moulded coping, broken to centre in a convex sweep of railings with gates. The railings are held on granite piers with inset panels and Moorish cushion-moulded copings. The railings have cast iron foliated spikes and rest on occasional ball cushions on the wall. The gates match the railings. On entry into the churchyard is a circular tarmac drive edged in lawn. The centre is divided by cruciform pathways in granite setts with steps rising up to the front of the church, all lined with modern bollard lights and modern polished granite bollards.

To the north of the church is a graveyard with no monuments of any merit. To the immediate northeast of the church is a small grotto in rock-faced granite containing two modern statues. To the northeast corner is a small single-storey plant room with pitched natural slate roof and granite dressings mimicking the pilasters and gables of the main church. To the south is a car park, and beyond within the grounds is the modern parish house.