St John, Moneymore
St John, Moneymore
St John’s Church of Ireland, Smith Street, Moneymore, is the parish church of Desertlyn in the Diocese of Armagh. It is a Norman Revival church of 1832 by William Joseph Booth for the Drapers’ Company, listed Grade B1 (HB09/06/017). Northern Ireland listings are not entered as Historic England or Cadw URLs.
- Location
- Moneymore, County Londonderry
- Country
- Northern Ireland
- County
- County Londonderry
- City / town
- Moneymore
- Address
- Smith Street, Moneymore, County Londonderry, BT45 7PF
- Postcode
- BT45 7PF
- Built
- 1829–32; rebuilt after fire 1889–91
- Consecrated
- 29 August 1832
- Architect
- William Joseph Booth; rebuilt by John Henry Fullerton
- Denomination
- Church of Ireland
- Dedication
- John
- Diocese
- Armagh
- Parish
- Desertlyn
- Grade
- B1
- Style
- Norman Revival
- Materials
- Regular-coursed ashlar in Barony Glen (Draperstown) sandstone from Gortahurk; pitched slate roof; polished granite arcade columns
- Opening hours
- The church can be opened up request. Contact: 07766 466679.
- Access
- Accessible toilets nearby. Level access to the main areas. Ramp or level access available on request
Overview
The Dictionary of Irish Architects records a large new Norman Revival church for the Drapers’ Company, consecrated on 29 August 1832 at a cost of about £6,000. Work began in 1829. Archiseek notes a tradition that the church was modelled on Tewkesbury Abbey. The Stone Database describes a five-bay nave with clerestory and aisles, a square crenellated west tower, a recessed round-arched doorway and a projecting chancel, faced in Gortahurk stone (Barony Glen sandstone). Arcade columns are polished granite from Castlewellan.
A chimney fire in January 1889 destroyed the roof and most of the interior; only the stone pulpit and one window were said to have survived. John Henry Fullerton repaired the walls and replaced the roof in 1891 (reopened 10 October 1891; contractor J. Smith; cost over £2,500). The parish name Desertlyn comes from the earlier church at Ballymully, about two miles from the village, used until a predecessor in Moneymore was built in 1767.