Church

The National Monuments Service's description

On N side of graveyard (CO045-03101-), ivy-clad ruins of parish church of Knockmourne. Original rectangular church (8.5m N-S; surviving for 17m E-W) had W gable inserted (1.8m inside broken end of N wall) and shallow rectangular chancel (2m E-W; 6m N-S) added to E gable; N and S walls also show signs of rebuilding and repair. Earlier features, of late medieval character, include doorway near W end of S wall with pointed arch (jambs are sandstone, arch limestone); two windows in N wall with single trefoil-headed sandstone lights rebated on outside edge; also traces of base batter on S elevation. Interior heavily overgrown; inserted round-headed chancel arch in original E gable, chancel semi-elliptical in plan on inside with wide central window ope. In 1694 described as 'burnt by the Irish in the late war' (i.e. 1642) but by 1774 had been put 'in repair' (Brady 1863, vol. 2, 295)'. Replaced 1815 by new C of I parish church on different site (CO046-00302-).

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 2: East and South Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1994). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009