Skreen Church

Detached three-bay rendered church, built 1818. Cruciform plan, engaged three-stage castellated tower to north, transepts to east and west. Pitched slate roofs, clay ridge tiles, gabled ventilator on ridge, half-round cast-iron gutters on eaves corbel course, stone verges to north and south gables. Unpainted smooth-rendered ruled-and-lined walling, projecting plinth, blind occuli with ashlar limestone surrounds to north, west and east sides of second stage of tower, crenellated parapet to tower with pinnacles to corners. Pointed-arch window openings, chamfered limestone surrounds, painted Y-pattern multi-pane timber tracery windows with central inward-opening hopper, stained glass leaded lights to chancel window, uPVC window to gable of west transept c. 2004, paired round-headed openings with hood moulds over and painted timber louvres to third stage of tower. Pointed-arch door opening on east side of tower, chamfered dressed stone surround, painted timber vertically-sheeted double doors, flight of stone steps. Located on hill adjacent to ancient church and graveyard, set back from road behind rubble stone boundary wall, wrought-iron double gates, graveyard within with iron and stone grave markers set between grass areas. The ancient church on the site is a detached stone church, built c. 1550, now in ruins with extensive ivy growth concealing remains of structure. Limestone walling with sandstone details. Evidence survives of lancet windows with chamfered and rebated reveals and wide internal splays. Floor well below existing external ground levels. Tombs and headstones erected within church c. 1830. Ancient graveyard still in use, numerous box tombs with intricately carved stonework, several tombs with skull and cross bones motifs. Ogee gabled vault to north of church ruin. All set to east of elevated site, high rubble stone boundary wall.

A fine church of modest design on a commanding site. The vaults and graves exhibit a degree of high quality craftsmanship in both stone and metalwork. Its association with the adjacent ancient church is of particular importance. This beautifully-sited church ruin and graveyard are important social and historical reminders of earlier Christianity in Ireland. Embellishment of tombs is of a high standard and well preserved. Some carvings were executed by the Diamonds, a local family of stone carvers working between 1774-1886. The most notable piece being the black monument depicting a ploughman dressed in top hat and tails with a plough drawn by two horses. Across the road is the birth place of Sir George Gabriel Stokes (1819-1903).

This beautifully-sited church ruin and graveyard are important social and historical reminders of earlier Christianity in Ireland.