Sacred Heart Church, Plumbridge Explained

54.601°N -7.309°W

Sacred Heart Church
Fullname:Church of the Sacred Heart
Location:Plumbridge
Country:Northern Ireland
Denomination:Catholic
Status:parish church
Functional Status:Active
Heritage Designation:Grade B2
Completed Date:1896
Materials:Stone
Parish:Plumbridge

Sacred Heart Church is a Roman Catholic church in the village of Plumbridge, County Tyrone in Northern Ireland. It was built in 1896 and is a Grade B2 listed building.[1]

History

Sacred Heart Church was constructed in 1896.[2] There had previously been a Roman Catholic chapel in the village as late as 1833 with a graveyard added in 1888. The land which Sacred Heart Church was built on was leased by John MacFarland and designated as a location for the new church in 1894. The church retains the majority of its original external fittings. It first featured on a map in 1905 in the Third Edition of the Ordnance Survey map.

In 1950, £100 was donated, to pay for repairs, to the church tower by a local resident.[3] It was granted grade B2 listed status on 2 November 1989. The reasons for the listing were due to the fact that "The building retains much of its original character both externally and internally..." and that it "...is one of the most significant buildings in Plumbridge" according to the Department for Communities. Following this, the internal areas of the church were refurbished in 1990 with new pews being erected and new doors being installed. A plaque commemorating this was attached to the base of the church tower.

In 2017, the church was damaged by flooding which resulted in a fundraising campaign being set up for the repairs. A local singer raised over £2,000 for the church in a concert.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sacred Heart Church, Plumbridge. Department of the Environment NI Buildings Database. 16 January 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110718163634/http://www.doeni.gov.uk/niea/built/build.htm. 18 July 2011.
  2. Web site: Church of the Sacred Heart . Department for Communities . 2020-03-02.
  3. Book: Belfast Gazette . XXIX . HM Stationery Office . 59 . 1949 . 9780337755804.
  4. Web site: Orlaith raises over £2000 for flood damaged church . Ulster Herald . 2018-04-08 . 2020-03-01.