Clontarf & Scots Presbyterian Church

Not the typical type of church that you will normally see me shoot. This one, is just a stone’s throw from the Bram Stoker Park and is quite the eye catcher, with a combination of Granite and Sandstone. Now I am by no means a religious person, but I do enjoy a nice bit of architecture, regardless of its condition. This one as it happens still has four walls and a roof and is in full use to date.

Forgive for the details, I’m a bit rusty on the terminology here but I shall attempt to giver it a go. Built back around 1888-90 in the Gothic Revival style. There is a four-bay nave with gabled transept to south side. A single-bay chancel, a side aisle to south connecting to single-bay vestibule and four-stage tower which was added later in 1897 to southwest. Both the cruciform porch and the vestry were also later additions in 1931 to west end of north elevation. The pitched roof has some gorgeous terracotta ridge cresting which offsets the red Sandstone used in various other parts.

I saw some carved limestone copings and shallow rounded finials and carved Dumfries with red sandstone brackets supporting a combination of cast-iron and uPVC rainwater pipes. A chimney stack sits over the Nave & porch and there is a crenelated parapet to the tower with more red sandstone finials. Last but not least, we have the granite and red sandstone buttresses to gables with granite copings and carved red sandstone details. I didn’t get a chance to look inside as the place was all locked up.