European Heritage Open Days - St Aidan's Parish Church, Salters Grange
Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th September
Event: European Heritage Open Days - St Aidan's Parish Church
Date: Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th September 2024
Time: See Below
Location: 21 Salters Grange Road, Armagh, BT61 8EX
Price: FREE
European Heritage Open Days - St Aidan's Parish Church
St Aidan's Parish Church will be open:
Saturday 14 September 2024, 10.30am - 5.00pm
Sunday 15th September 2024, 12.00pm - 5.00pm
The building of St Aidan's Parish Church began in 1773 on land, in the townland of Salters Grange, gifted by Sir Capel Molyneux 3rd Bart of Castledillon. It was constructed of white limestone quarried just a short distance from the site, The building was financed by Archbishiop Richard Robinson as a Chapel of Ease to St Patrick's Cathedral Armagh. It was finally consecrated in 1776. The Molyneux coat of arms can be seen above the side door and those of Archbishop Robinson and Dean Hamilton either side of the main entrance.
The Church is listed as B+ by The Department for Communities as are the Old School House and the Schoolmaster's House which flank the entrance. Both have recently been refurbished with the School Master's House being privaltely tenanted and the Schoolhouse renamed the Talbot Hall serving as a meeting room for the Select Vestry and other organisations.
The Architect involved was Thomas Cooley who came to Ireland from London in 1768 having won a competition to design the Royal Exchange building in Dublin now Dublin City Hall. Archbishop Robinson and Thomas Cooley formed a very productive partnership as far as Armagh was concerned leaving behind a huge legacy of church and public buildings. St Aidan's is listed as design number 10 in the designs produced by Thomas cooley for Archbishop Robinson and the original dated 1773 is held in Public Library in Armagh. There are four other churches designed by Cooley in the Diocese of Armagh - St Matthew's Keady, St John's Lisnadill and St Judes Camlough and Newtownhamilton both now derelict.
Over the years changes have been made a galllery being added in 1823 and North and South trancepts in 1843. It is said that the gallery included in BCooley's original plan was not initiqally included to save estimated costs of £79. The only other significant work in the Church's almost 250 year history was the repointing of the spire in 2002 complete re-roofing in 2016 courtesy of the Heritage Lottery Fund. Of particular interest inside the church are the Molyneux Memorial Tablets of which there are four in the form of marble sculptures. There is also a Molyneux vault under the South Trancept where several members of the family have been laid to rest. Other members of the family are buried in St Auden's Dublin. There is also the magnificent Stained Glass Window in the Chancel designed by Beatrice Elvery and installed in 1910. The lower fourlancets depict parables from the New Testament and the middle lancets show images of the four authors of the Gospels of the New Trestament. Completing the window are the seven tracery lights at the top presenting a representation of the Day of Pentacost. The fine stone pulpit, reading deskand baptismal font were presented by Julia Talbot in memory of her father Sir Capel Molyneux 7th Bart.
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