Christ Church (Fermoy) — Church Hill

Freestanding cruciform Church of Ireland church, built 1802, with two-stage entrance tower to west with spire, three-bay nave elevations, bowed chancel to east, transept to south, and two-bay single-storey vestry to north-west. North transept demolished and spire to tower added 1820s to replace original. Pitched slate roofs with carved limestone eaves course to main block, and moulded bracket course and copings with carved kneelers to transept. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Rubble sandstone walls, partly rendered to apse, with moulded limestone string course at impost level and above bottom stage of tower, heavier to transept. Rubble sandstone buttresses to corners of transept, with dressed limestone quoins. Oval recessed panels to tower, east and south elevations, and square-headed panels to south and east elevations, all with moulded limestone surrounds. Round-headed niche to west elevation of nave, with cut sandstone voussoirs, and round-headed recessed panel to west elevation of tower with stepped cut sandstone surround and voussoirs. Cut limestone copings and kneelers, bracket courses, and dressed limestone quoins to vestry. Tower has rubble sandstone walls, with cut sandstone facing to bottom stage and to panelled pilasters to faces of of upper part, recessed part of upper stage having corbel table, moulded limestone cornice, and cut limestone spire. Round-headed window openings throughout, grouped in threes to side elevations of transept with chamfered block-and-start surrounds and stained-glass, triple-light to gable of transept and to former north transept arch, latter set into having rendered walling with round-headed chamfered brick surround. Nave windows are two-light and traceried with carved limestone surrounds and sills and having quarry glazing. Round-headed traceried triple-light window to chancel with surround comprising rendered engaged Ionic columns supported by carved limestone console brackets and having carved limestone archivolt, with stained-glass window. Round-headed recesses to tower, with stepped cut sandstone surrounds and having louvered double lights with oculi over, all lights having chamfered dressed limestone surrounds. Square-headed double-light and single-light round-headed windows to vestry, with chamfered cut limestone surrounds. Oval window to west side of tower, with chamfered sandstone surround and spoked window. Round-headed entrance opening in south side of tower, with chamfered dressed limestone block-and-start surround and voussoirs, set into round-headed recess with sandstone voussoir, with timber battened double-doors with ornate cast-iron hinges, and approached by limestone steps. Church retains internal features, such as braced timber kingpost ceiling timber gallery supported on timber Ionic columns, carved marble Corinthian engaged columns and pilasters to elliptical-headed east window, ornate marble sprocketed reredos, ornate marble pulpit, stained-glass windows, memorial tablets and brass plaques and font incorporating bowl dating from thirteenth century. Round-headed niches flanking altar area. Sited back from the street with lawn bounded by cast-iron railings set in dressed limestone plinth, with square-profile dressed limestone piers and cast-iron gates.