St. Nicholas Church — Ballymorin

19th century St. Nicholas Church of Ireland church may have been built on site of medieval church of Ballymorin depicted on the 1657 Down Survey map of Rathconrath barony and on the parish map of Ballymorin (NLI, MS 723-4) (Swan 1988, 22). On the parish map the church is depicted standing just N of the S boundary of the glebe land of Ballymorin with a house (WM017-101----) standing further to S in area where 'Almoritia' is annotated on current ed. OS 6-inch map. The terrier of the 1657 Down Survey map of Ballymorin parish stated that in this townland there was a 'House & Church' (NLI, MS 723-4). Present church located in N quadrant of graveyard (WM017-100001-). Present Church of Ireland building described by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage as a, 'Freestanding Church of Ireland church, rebuilt c.1816 and altered c.1887, comprising three-bay hall with attached three-stage tower on square-plan to the west having a raised parapet with English-style crenellations and corner pinnacles. Shallow sanctuary/chancel added to east and a single-storey vestry added to northeast corner, c.1887. This appealing Church of Ireland church was rebuilt on the site of (and possibly incorporates the fabric of) an earlier church in the early nineteenth-century. It was rebuilt in a subdued Gothic style and retains its early form, character and fabric' (www.buildingsofireland.ie; Reg. No. 15401725). Compiled and Revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 09 January 2019