Knockmahon Church (Monksland)

Detached three-bay single-storey Gothic-style single-cell Board of First Fruits Church of Ireland church, c.1820, with single-bay two-storey entrance tower to west on a square plan. Now disused and derelict. Pitched slate roof with clay ridge tiles, cut-stone coping, and remains of cast-iron rainwater goods. Roof to tower not visible behind parapet. Unpainted rendered walls (now mostly overgrown with ivy) over random rubble stone construction with cut-stone course to eaves. Random squared rubble stone walls to tower with diagonal buttresses, chamfered corners, and paired stringcourses to top (bell) stage having battlemented parapet over with elongated corner pinnacles. Lancet window openings to nave with cut-stone sills, cut-stone surrounds, and hood mouldings over. Now blocked-up. Paired lancet openings to top (bell) stage to tower with cut-stone block-and-start surrounds, hood mouldings over, and louvered panel fittings. Lancet blind openings over with red brick surrounds. Shallow segmental-headed door opening now obscured by overgrowth. Set back from road in own grounds with overgrown grounds to site.(ii) Gateway, c.1820, to south comprising pair of cut-stone piers with wrought iron double gates having spear-head finials.

A well-composed, small-scale rural church, the form and arrangement of the nave and tower identifying a standard plan advocated by the Board of First Fruits (fl. c.1711 – 1833). Although now apparently long disused, the church retains most of its original form and massing, together with the remains some important salient features and materials. The church is of particular importance as a reminder of the once-prosperous Church of Ireland community in the locality, and remains an important landmark in the area, the elegant tower punctuating the skyline.