St. Mura’s Church of Ireland Church — Fahan

Freestanding Church of Ireland church, built 1820 and extended 1858 and 1897, comprising three-bay nave with three-stage tower (on square-plan) to the south-west gable end having crenellated parapet over with cut stone corner pinnacles, single-bay single-storey vestry, added 1858, with mono-pitched roof over attached to the north-east end of the north-west side of nave, and with shallow single-bay chancel to the north-east, added 1897. Pitched artificial slate roof to nave with clay ridge tiles, yellow brick chimneystack to north-east gable end of nave, projecting cut stone eaves course brought across gable ends as stringcourse, replacement rainwater goods, and with raised coping to the gable ends. Pitched artificial slate roof to chancel having projecting eaves course, and with raised cut stone verge to the north-east gable end having cut stone finial over gable apex and kneeler stones at eaves level. Mono-pitched artificial slate roof to vestry having cut stone eaves course and with raised verges to either end. Randomly coursed rubble stone walls with flush ashlar limestone block-and-start quoins to north-east gable end of chancel. Cut stone stringcourses to tower delineating stages, Irish-style rubble stone crenellations to parapet having cut stone coping over, cut stone stringcourse to base of parapet supported on cut stone corbels, and with cut stone corner pinnacles. Cut stone date plaque to first stage, over doorway, reading ‘Built A.D. 1820 Revd. Wm Knox Rector’. Pointed-arch window openings to side elevations of nave having foliate\cusped plate tracery, cast-iron quarry-glazed windows, stone sills, and with cut stone hoodmouldings over. Triple-light wind opening to the north-east gable end of chancel (added 1897) having cusped intersecting tracery cut stone sill, leaded stained glass windows (added 1900), and cut stone hoodmoulding over; pointed-arched window openings to the side elevations of chancel having chamfered ashlar surround, cut stone sill, cast-iron quarry-glazed windows with coloured glass margin lights, and with cut stone hoodmoulding. Pointed-arched window openings to south-west face of tower at first stage level having cut stone sills, cast-iron quarry-glazed windows, and with hoodmoulding over; square-headed window openings to tower at second stage level having timber windows with cast-iron quarry-glazed windows, stone sills, and cut stone hoodmouldings over; pointed-arched openings to tower at belfry\third stage level having cut stone sills, timber louvered fittings, and with cut stone hoodmoulding over. Square-headed window opening to north-west face of vestry having chamfered ashlar stone reveals, stone sill, and six-over-six pane timber sliding sash window. Pointed-headed entrance door opening to the south-east side of tower having chamfered reveals, battened timber double-doors, and with cut stone hoodmoulding over. Square-headed doorway to the south-west face of vestry having battened timber door. Gallery with timber balustrade to the south-west end of nave to interior, circular vestibule to tower, pointed-arched chancel arch having cut stone half-colonnettes on brackets, marble wall memorials, and with timber pews. Cut stone font (on octagonal-plan) next to entrance door. Set back from road in corner site to the south-east end of Fahan. Graveyard to site with collection of cut stone gravemarkers of nineteenth and twentieth century date, including number of Commonwealth graves. Celtic cross memorial to the dead of H.M.S. Laurentic (1917) to site. Detached two-bay single-storey outbuilding or possible sexton’s house to the south-east of site having pitched natural slate roof, rubble stone walls, square-headed window opening with cast-iron quarry-glazed window, and square-headed doorway with battened timber door. Gateway to the south corner of site comprising a pair of cut stone gate posts with wrought-iron double-gates; pedestrian gateway to the south-east of site having wrought-iron gate. Rubble stone boundary walls to site. Associated rectory (see 40820017) located to the south-west.