Church

The National Monuments Service's description

In N half of graveyard (9544); ruined rectangular church consisting of nave with added chancel. Nave (13.2m E-W; 8.6 N-S) built of large blocks of masonry, roughly coursed, supported on foundation plinth (projecting c.0.1m); the walls (Wth c. 1m) stand to max. H of 3.24m; only lower courses (H c. 0.4m) of original E gable remain, with foundation plinth. Much-ruined door in centre of W gable. Chancel (10.3m E-W; 9.2m N-S) walls stand to max. H of 3.2m; base batter added to N and E walls and to E end of S wall; along remainder of S wall batter appears to be integral part of wall and Cotter (1994,3) suggests S wall rebuilt when batter added to the other walls. Chancel entered from nave through inserted door, of which onlyone jamb stone survives. Site cleared of overgrowth and masonry made secure during clean-up operation by members of local community in 1993 (Cotteribid.). Under archaeological supervision, rubble removed from interior and trench (Wth 2m) across chancel archaeologically excavated. This revealed floor surface consisting of irregular flat stones. At N end of trench, jambstone from window surround of possible 15th-century date recovered, suggesting date for building of chancel; diagonal tooling on one surviving jamb stone in W doorway of nave of 13th-century style, suggesting date for building of nave (ibid.,4). According to OS Field Book of 1840 'church formerly a Friary, founded by St. Cohen or Quain' (Grove-White 1905-25, vol. 3, 322), but no such foundation listed by Gwynn and Hadcock (1988). More likely church of parish which was engulfed by Mourne Abbey in 16th or17th century. Holed stone (9569) c. 30m to NW; tumulus (7864) in field c. 45m to WSW.

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 3: Mid Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009

This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 1/1993).