Saint Mary's Catholic Church

Detached four-bay double-height single-cell Catholic church, consecrated 1843, with three-bay single-storey flat-roofed projecting entrance bay to west. Extensively redeveloped, 1934-7. Pitched slate roof with clay ridge tiles, chamfered coping to gables having cross finial to apex to west, open bellcote to apex to east (on a square plan with copper-clad swept pyramidal roof over), and cast-iron rainwater goods on rendered eaves. Flat roof to entrance bay not visible behind parapet. Unpainted roughcast walls with cut-limestone stepped buttresses to west, painted rendered, ruled and lined walls to entrance bay having frieze, and coping to parapet. Tudor-headed window openings (grouped in tripartite arrangement to west) with painted sills, rendered surrounds having moulded reveals, and fixed-pane fittings having leaded stained glass panels. Square-headed openings to entrance bay forming open arcade on pillars. Square-headed door opening to church with painted block-and-start surround, and timber panelled double doors. Full-height interior with timber pews, shallow segmental barrel-vaulted coffered ceiling, and round arch to chancel (having pulpit (1937) with flanking side altars (1934)). Set back from road in own grounds.

Representing the centrepiece of an ecclesiastical complex (with 12321012/KK-31-21-12) established by the Carmelite order in the mid nineteenth century, in the process superseding earlier settlements having origins in a thirteenth-century enclave at Knocktopher Abbey (12321004/KK-31-21-04) a well-composed middle-size rural parish church forms an appealing landmark in Knocktopher. Having been well maintained the church presents an early aspect with most of the historic fabric surviving intact both to the exterior and to the interior where stained glass panels displaying fine craftsmanship identify the artistic significance of the site.