Church in Lusk

The medieval W tower which stands on a natural rise in the centre of an ecclesiastical enclosure. The medieval parish church was demolished in the 19th century except for the extant W tower (Leask 1985, 23). The original church was of considerable size with two aisles divided by a seven arched arcade (L c. 50m). The W tower is square in plan, rising to five storeys including a belfry stage which is marked by a cornice. It has projecting corner turrets, the NE formed by the round tower (DU008-010003-). These are battered with stepped battlements. There are arches visible in the exterior which may be built-up openings or relieving arches. The tower is entered from the W end of the present church which was constructed in 1847. Barrel-vault over ground floor with traces of wicker-centring (int. dims.6.4m ESE-WNW, 3.9m NNE-SSW). There are chambers in each angle except the NE and these are lit by plain slit opes. The doorways have adouble-centred, pointed arch with late Medieval hammer-dressing. The first floor is entered through a large pointed arched doorway. Traces of the W gable of the church are visible in the E facing wall. There are chambers in the NW and SW turrets, the latter has a corbelled roof with a ledge below a slit ope. Stairwell in SE turret. The chambers in the SW and NW on the second floor are rectangular with traces of wicker-centring in the vaulted ceiling. There are chambers also off third floor. At belfry stage on the fourth floor are double-light pointed arched windows on all sides. Chambers in NW and SW corners. Access to parapet at this level. Within the tower is a 17th century font, bullaun stone and portion of a fireplace removed from Bremore castle, decorated in false relief with six shields bearing arms surrounding the Annuciation (H 0.52m, Wth 2.05m, T 0.17m); two graveslabs, one commemorates Walter Dermot d. 1538 with a depiction of the Holy Trinity (Hunt 1974, 146; Roe 1979, 140), the other commemorates James Birmingham d. 1637 and is decorated with a relief effigy of an armoured knight and the coat of arms of the Birmingham and Fitzwilliams (Hunt 1974, 146). On the first floor is a Renaissance table tomb decorated in high relief with the effigies of a knight and lady erected in the mid 1580's to the memory of Sir. Christopher Barnewall d. 1575 and Marion Sharl (Jocelyn 1973, 153-158). Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 15 December 2014