Country Republic of Ireland Consecrated 1830 Capacity 1,000 Architect John Semple | Founded 1830 Closed 1962 Architectural type Church | |
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Location St. Mary's Place
Dublin Architectural style Gothic Revival architecture Similar St Mary's Collegiate Church, St Mary's Church - Mary Stre, Pro‑cathedral, St Mary's Pro‑Cathedral, National Print Museum | ||
St Mary's Chapel of Ease, also known as "The Black Church", is a former chapel in Dublin, Ireland. Now deconsecrated, it was a church of the Church of Ireland located on St Mary's Place, Broadstone, Dublin. It is constructed from local calp limestone which takes on a dark hue when wet. This is the origin of the building's nickname. A chapel of ease is a church building, other than a parish church, that is located within the bounds of a parish for the convenience of those who cannot conveniently reach the main church. The parish's main church, now also deconsecrated, was St Mary's on Mary Street.
Contents
History
The ground for the church was donated by the Viscount Mountjoy. The church was built in 1830 to designs by John Semple of the Board of First Fruits. He was given many contracts by patron Archbishop McGee, during an intense building period when both denominations vied for control of the population.
Amongst the striking features of the church is how the interior is constructed. There are no interior walls but instead the exterior walls are arched towards the ceiling to create an interior of a large parabolic vault. It was the culmination of a series of designs which Semple constructed around Dublin and countrywide over a 12-year period. As you view his work in year-on-year progression, the ideas develop and become more refined. For example, what began as a simple cross type motif over the main door, eventually became the fully expanded Semple 'Rose' window. The main door-way itself became one of his 'trademark' features, a tall, ovoidal gothic multi-leaved entrance.
There is much symbolism incorporated into his designs, the interpretation of which he left to our imaginations. There are no records of his thoughts.
Today, surrounded by paved streets, the striking building still sinisterly looms upon onlookers. Although it has a rather more innocuous aspect, perhaps helped by the fact that it is no longer a house of worship. The church was deconsecrated in 1962. After extensive modern refurbishment, is now occupied as offices.
Legend
Local lore says that you will summon the devil if you run around the church anticlockwise three times at midnight.