Ballintra Church (Drumhome)

Freestanding Church of Ireland church, built c. 1795 and remodelled 1854 - 5, having three-bay hall with four-stage tower (on square-plan) attached to the centre of the west gable end with stepped parapet over. Projecting single-bay single-storey gable-fronted vestry to the rear (east) at the south end, added 1854 - 5, and modern single-storey gable-fronted boiler house extension to the rear at the north end. Pitched natural slate roof to main body of church, vestry and boiler house having clay ridge tiles and some remaining sections of cast-iron rainwater goods. Projecting ashlar eaves course to side elevations (north and south) of main body of building brought across gable ends as stringcourse. Cut stone verge to verge/coping to east gable end of vestry with moulded sandstone kneeler stones to the eaves at the east gable end and moulded sandstone corbels supporting cast-iron rainwater goods to the north and south side elevations. Roughcast rendered walls to main body of church, tower and to boiler house over smooth rendered plinth. Lead flashed stringcourses to tower at third and fourth stage level. Round clockface to front face of tower at third stage level. Cement rendered finish to parapet. Coursed squared rubble limestone construction to vestry having flush ashlar sandstone block-and-start quoins to the corners. Three groups of three graded pointed-arched window openings to the north and south elevations of hall, added 1854 - 5, having chamfered ashlar sandstone surrounds with chamfered ashlar sandstone mullions, chamfered ashlar sandstone sills and cast-iron framed quarry glazed windows. Three graded pointed arched window openings to east gable end having chamfered ashlar sandstone surrounds with chamfered ashlar sandstone mullions, chamfered ashlar sandstone sills and cast-iron framed quarry glazed windows. Paired pointed-arched window openings to west elevation, flanking tower, having chamfered ashlar sandstone surrounds with chamfered ashlar sandstone mullions, chamfered ashlar sandstone sills and cast-iron framed quarry glazed windows. Pointed arched window openings to tower at second stage level and to first stage at front face of tower (west) having chamfered ashlar sandstone surrounds and replacement windows; pointed-arched openings to tower at belfry level (fourth stage) having ashlar sandstone surrounds and timber louvers. Round openings to side elevations of tower at third stage level having ashlar surrounds and replacement windows. Paired pointed-arched window openings to the east side of vestry having flush ashlar sandstone block-and-start surrounds and cast-iron framed quarry glazed windows. Pointed-headed entrance door openings to north south elevation of tower having ashlar sandstone surrounds, ashlar sandstone lintel, replacement timber boarded door and replacement overlight. Pointed-arched door opening to the south side of tower now blocked. Shouldered door opening to the south elevation of vestry having flush ashlar sandstone block-and-start surround, timber sheeted door with metal hinges, and ashlar sandstone threshold addressed by two ashlar stone steps. Rendered walls to interior with timber box pews on raised timber boarded flooring, flat timber boarded coffered ceiling supported on full-height Doric columns, carved timber pulpit (on octagonal-plan) with pointed-headed arcade detailing, and with horseshoe-shaped gallery to the west supported on painted cast-iron columns and having decorative timber balustrades/parapets with recessed pointed-headed arcade detailing. Set back from roadside in own grounds to the north end of Ballintra with tarmacadam forecourts and lawned areas to site. Two gravemarkers (commemorating John Kincaid and Ann Jane Kincaid) to east side of church. Enclosed by rendered boundary wall with cast-iron railings over to the west; rendered rubble stone boundary walls to north, south and west sides of site. Gateway to the west comprising a pair of rendered gate piers (on square-plan) having pyramidal caps and with a pair of cast-iron gates.