Saint Canice's Cathedral — Church Lane

Detached eight-bay single- and two-storey Church of Ireland cathedral, begun 1203, on a cruciform plan comprising five-bay double-height nave with five-bay single-storey lean-to aisles to north and to south having single-bay single-storey gabled projecting open porch to south, single-bay (two-bay deep) double-height transepts to north and to south, and two-bay double-height chancel to east having single-bay double-height lower flanking chapels. Completed, pre-1285, with single-bay double-height lady chapel added to transept to south. Renovated, 1354, with single-bay single-stage squat tower to crossing reconstructed on a square plan. In ruins, c.1650-pre-1756. Restored, pre-1776. Restored, 1844-77. Pitched slate roofs behind parapets (lean-to to aisles having gable to porch to south; pyramidal roof to tower) with clay ridge tiles, cut-limestone coping to gables having cross finials to apexes, and cast-iron rainwater goods. Random rubble stone walls with squared rubble stone dressings including full-height engaged octagonal corner turrets to west on buttress piers having polygonal conical roofs with finials to apexes, advanced corner piers to remainder having cut-stone chamfered coping, and Irish battlemented advanced parapets on corbels. Paired pointed-arch window openings to aisles with quatrefoils over having cut-limestone surrounds with chamfered reveals, hood mouldings over, and fixed-pane fittings having leaded stained glass panels. Quatrefoil window openings to nave forming clere-storey with cut-limestone surrounds having moulded reveals, and fixed-pane fittings having leaded stained glass panels. Pointed-arch window openings to remainder (in tripartite arrangement to east and to west having octafoils over to gables; paired to transepts) with cut-limestone surrounds having chamfered reveals, hood mouldings over, and fixed-pane fittings having leaded stained glass panels. Pointed-arch window openings to lady chapel (in tripartite arrangement to south; in bipartite arrangement to east having quatrefoils over) with cut-limestone sill course, cut-limestone surrounds having chamfered reveals, hood mouldings over, squared limestone voussoirs to south forming pointed-arch relieving arches, and fixed-pane fittings having leaded stained glass panels. Lancet window openings to tower with cut-stone surrounds having chamfered reveals, and fixed-pane fittings having lattice glazing. Paired cinquefoil-headed door openings to west in pointed-arch recess with cut-limestone surround having rebated reveals with engaged Corinthian colonettes supporting moulded archivolt having hood moulding over, moulded surrounds to door openings having shared colonette mullion, tongue-and-groove timber panelled double doors, and decorative overpanel incorporating quatrefoil in carved limestone surround. Pointed-arch opening to open porch with moulded cut-limestone reveals supporting archivolt having hood moulding over. Pointed-arch door opening into cathedral with carved limestone doorcase having moulded reveals, moulded archivolt, and timber panelled double doors having wrought iron hinges. Pointed-arch door opening to aisle to north with cut-limestone surround having Corinthian colonettes supporting archivolt, chamfered reveals, hood moulding over, and timber panelled double doors. Pointed-arch door opening to transept to north with carved sandstone doorcase having moulded archivolt, hood moulding supporting squared limestone voussoirs, moulded reveals, diagonal tongue-and-groove timber panelled double doors having wrought iron hinges, and overpanel with quatrefoil. Full-height interior open into roof with clay tiling to floors having decorative cast-iron grilles, pointed-arch arcades to aisles on columns having colonettes supporting moulded reveals featuring archivolts, exposed timber roof construction on cut-stone corbels, pointed arches to crossing on clustered colonettes having groin vaulted ceiling with cut-limestone ribs, and decorative Gothic-style timber panelled choir fittings to chancel. Set back from road in own grounds on an elevated site.