Church

The National Monuments Service's description

On a rocky knoll on the floor of Kilcorney Valley, within the E half of an associated graveyard (CL009-028003-). Indicated and named ‘Kilcorney Church (in Ruins)’ on the 1842 ed. of the OS 6-inch map. Recorded by Robinson (1977) as ‘Cill Chóirne 10-11th-C. parish ch.’ on his map of the Burren. Described in 1839 in the OS Letters (Comber 1997, 76) as being ‘in a state of great dilapidation’, all of its features were destroyed and only the N wall appears to have survived intact. Swinfen (1992, 35) noted that, in 1867, Marcus Keane referred to ‘portions of two ancient windows, in the east and south walls’ and that on the ground outside the latter window, there was ‘a curious headstone of an ancient window, having sculptured devices for its outside ornament’. Westropp (1900a, 133) recorded that the church was ‘much defaced’, was built of ‘fine old masonry’ and probably of 10th-century date. Fragments of a decorated S doorway and an E window (which he dated c. 1080) survived. The top of the window had ‘a remarkable romanesque window head … with a boldly projecting human head and curious foliage (ibid., 1900b, 421); the slab was ‘curiously recessed’ (ibid., 1900a, 133).

This nave (int. dims. 9.75m E–W; 6.2m N–S) and chancel (int. dims. 7.35m E–W; 5.15m N–S) church is of cyclopean construction (wall Wth 0.8m). Only the N end of the W gable survives and it and N wall (H c. 2-2.5m) and E gable (int. H 1m) are all considerably reduced in height. The E end of the S wall (H c. 4m) survives to its original height and is overgrown with ivy but the W end of this wall has also been reduced. A plinth runs under the N wall of the chancel. The dressed ingoings of the W side of a window survive in the S wall of the chancel and the remains of the doorway are visible in this wall towards the W end of the nave. Outside the doorway there is an elaborate limestone moulding (L 0.6m; Wth 0.25m; T 0.25m), which may be one of the decorated fragments noted by Westropp (1900a, 133). Other architectural fragments have been recorded at various locations within the graveyard (Large 2011). According to Swinfen (1992, 35) and Coffey (1993, 68), the Romanesque slab noted by Westorpp (1900a, 133; 1900b, 421) has more recently been reused as a grave-marker in the graveyard. A font and its base (CL009-028004-) are visible in the interior of the church. A wall (L 2.6m; H 0.5m) extending off the N wall of the nave is a later feature. There is also an overgrown rubble mound (diam. 2m; H 2m) against this wall.

The following images have been uploaded:
CL009-028002- E window head (Westropp 1900b, 421).jpg
CL009-028002- Interior of church (CL009-028002-) looking E.jpg

Compiled by: Olive Alcock

Date of upload: 17 December 2021

References

Comber, M. (ed.) 1997 The antiquities of County Clare: John O’Donovan and Eugene Curry: Ordnance Survey Letters 1839. Clasp Press. Ennis.

Coffey, T. 1993 Field notes. The Other Clare 17, 67-8.

Westropp, T.J. 1900 Excursions of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Summer meeting, 1900. Description of the places visited. Section III. Third excursion; Section IV. Fourth Excursion. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 10, 392-419; 420-26.

Robinson, T. 1977 (revised 1999) The Burren: a two-inch map of the uplands of north-west Clare. Map scale 1:31680. Roundstone: Folding Landscapes.

Large, S. 2011 A church and graveyard survey in County Clare. Database and photographic record. Clare County Council. Clare Heritage Forum. The Heritage Council.

Westropp, T.J. 1900-02 The churches of Co. Clare and the origin of the ecclesiastical divisions in that county. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, Series 3, vol. 6, 100-180.

Swinfen, A. 1992 Forgotten stones: Ancient church sites of the Burren and environs. Dublin. Lilliput Press.