Kilhorne Church (C of I), Kilkeel Rd, Annalong, Newry, Co Down, BT34 4TJ

Kilhorne Church is a Church of Ireland building erected in 1840 on Kilkeel Road near Annalong, County Down. It is a simple, well-proportioned structure of mid-19th century date with later 19th century additions, displaying attractive detailing and ornamentation of high quality. Much of the interior has remained virtually unchanged since the turn of the 20th century. The church, its boundary walls, graveyard and setting at a distance from other buildings on Kilkeel Road create an attractive landscape setting. Its close association with Lord Kilmorey lends added local and social interest.

The building is a barn church aligned north-east to south-west, with a tower abutting the southern gable and a vestry at the north-east corner abutting the chancel. The roof of the main body is coped and gabled with natural slate, with vents on the seaward side, and has modern metal rainwater goods. The south-west (entrance) elevation is abutted by the tower, with small lancet windows to either side. The main entrance, which has a Gothic head, is in the centre of the south-west facing wall of the tower.

The tower is of square cross section and three stages high, with each stage delineated by a projecting string course. The walls are cement rendered over a projecting base, with quoins and openings trimmed with finely dressed granite. All ground floor openings have chamfered jambs with hood moulds above. The first stage has three slit openings at the front with a clock face above; to the left are two slit openings and a second clock face; the seaward face is plain. The second stage has a tall lancet louvred opening and stepped jambs on all four sides. The roof has a crenellated parapet over a projecting coping with pyramidal corner pinnacles.

The north-west and south-east elevations are of coursed and squared granite rubble, strap pointed with some snecking. They have projecting eaves courses and finely dressed raised and stepped quoins. There are four tall lancet windows to each elevation, the reveals of which are chamfered with hood moulds over (all finely dressed). The windows have bottom-hung openings; they are leaded with plain glass and inset coloured panels. In the centre of the north-west wall is a cartouche bearing the date 1840.

The north-east elevation is abutted by the chancel. The chancel roof is similar to the nave but lower. Its north-west elevation has two small lancet windows; those to the south-east elevation are now blocked by the vestry. The chancel gable has a large tripartite lancet window with geometric tracery in the spandrel above. The glass is coloured and painted with repetitive geometric patterns of Gothic leaves with an oak leaf and acorn background.

The vestry is a lean-to extension which abuts the chancel and nave in the eastern corner, with a shallow pitched roof. There is a large modern picture window to its north-east facing gable. The right wall is blank and there is a Gothic door to the south-west gable. The walls are dashed and the openings trimmed with granite.

Immediately south-east of the church is a graveyard which contains slate memorials dating from the 1840s. The church, graveyard and approach from the main road are all delineated by drystone granite walls. To the south-west of the church is a large modern church hall. The gateposts to Kilkeel Road are granite; a plaque notes that they were erected as a memorial to the Earl and Countess of Kilmorey. The actual gates are modern galvanised steel replacements.

The chancel was added in 1883 and the tower in 1889. A photograph inside the church shows that, prior to the erection of the tower, there was a projecting gabled porch on the south-west gable of the church, above which on the main gable was a clock and apex bellcote. The detailing of this porch suggests that it was incorporated into the tower. The vestry was added in 1972.

The church was financed by Lord Kilmorey and the candelabra was also a gift from him. For much of the 20th century it was painted black and hung in the roof at the rear of the church; it was only in the 1960s that it was electrified and placed in its present prominent position. The chancel is dedicated to the memory of his wife and son, as are the gate piers.

The extent of the listing includes the church, gates, avenue wall, boundary wall and graveyard wall.