Old Redcastle Church of Ireland Church

Freestanding three-bay former Church of Ireland church, dated 1747, now in ruins. Roofless, with fragment of bellcote to south gable. Uncoursed rubble stone walls with squared stone block-and-start quoins. Window openings to north, south and east elevations with splayed reveals. Segmental-arch headed doorway to west gable with inscription stone over. Set within own grounds with small single-storey former school house with remains of pitched slate roof, roughcast rendered rubble stone walls and square-headed openings with battened timber door. Graveyard surrounding with several maritime related and early eighteenth-century gravemarkers. Bounded by rubble stone wall with angular rubble stone coping, rubble stone gate piers with pyramidal rubble stone coping and double wrought-iron gates.

A typical hall-type parish church replaced by a new church (see 40903101) c. 1850. The existence of contemporaneous gravemarkers and former school enhance the character and historical importance of the site. The date and name plaque adds historic interest. The inscription above the west door reads: ‘This church was rebuilt in the year 1741 (or 1747). Colonel Edward Cary of White Castle. Edward Cary of Castle Cary Esqr. Church wardens. The Revd. John Torrens Rector.’ Lewis (1837) records that it was built by the 'Carey family in 1741 as a private chapel, and afterwards became a chapel of ease, and eventually the parish church; but, being much too small, a larger is about to be erected'.