St. Baithin’s Catholic Church — Saint Johnstown

Freestanding Catholic church on cruciform-plan, built 1857-60, comprising three-bay nave to the south-west having gable-fronted single-bay single-storey porch attached to the south-east end of the east elevation, single-bay chancel to the north-east, shallow single-bay transepts to the north-west and south-east, single-storey sacristy attached to the north-west side of chance and with later single-storey porch and extension attached to the south-west gable end of the nave (c. 1965). Pitched natural purple slate roofs with raised ashlar copings to gable ends having kneeler stones to eaves and with cut stone Celtic cross finials to gable apexes, cast-iron rainwater goods, and with stepped three-stage gabled ashlar bellcote to north-east end of nave having ashlar skews, wrought-iron Celtic cross finial over, and paired pointed-arched openings with quatrefoil motif above. Two-stage chamfered yellow brick and rendered chimneystack to sacristy with clay-ware pot. Dressed rubble slate walls over projecting dressed rubble stone plinth with chamfered ashlar sandstone coping over, and with rubble stone buttress with ashlar sandstone skews\coping over to the north-east end of transept to the south-east. Pointed-arched window openings to the nave having chamfered cut sandstone surrounds with cusped heads, chamfered ashlar sandstone sills, and with leaded windows. Tripartite pointed-arched window openings to gable ends of transepts having chamfered ashlar sandstone surrounds, chamfered ashlar sandstone sills, cut sandstone tracery, and with leaded windows having coloured glass insets. Four-light pointed window opening to the south-west gable end of nave having chamfered ashlar sandstone surrounds, chamfered ashlar sandstone sills, cut sandstone tracery with pointed-arched window openings surmounted by roundel motifs, leaded stained glass windows, and with cut sandstone hoodmoulding over. Pointed-arched window openings to side elevations of chancel having chamfered ashlar sandstone surrounds, chamfered ashlar sandstone sills, cut sandstone tracery, and with leaded windows. Triple-light pointed-arched window opening to the chancel gable having chamfered ashlar sandstone surrounds, chamfered ashlar sandstone sills, cut sandstone tracery with cusped window openings surmounted by three sexfoil motifs, leaded stained glass windows, and with cut sandstone hoodmoulding over. Square-headed window openings to sacristy having chamfered ashlar sandstone surrounds, chamfered sills, and with leaded windows. Pointed-arched doorway to the south-east face of porch set in pointed-arch recess having chamfered ashlar sandstone surround with incised multifoil motif over, and with battened timber double doors with wrought-iron hinges. Modern square-headed window and door openings to later porch and extension to the south-west. Exposed timber trusses internally having timber sheeted ceiling, timber pews and marble altar with double chamfered chancel arch on colonnettes. Set back from road in own grounds to the south-west of the centre of Saint Johnstown. Car park to the east and modern graveyard (1951) to the west. Freestanding bellcote to the south having cast-iron supports, decorative cast-iron spandrels, and bell metal bell. Cut stone Celtic cross memorials to the south of site adjacent to modern extension. Rubble stone boundary walls to the east (modern) and to the south.