Church

The National Monuments Service's description

Aghanunshin Old Church: The surviving church ruins were probably built post 1622 (see Royal Commission, 218). The church continued in use until the mid-nineteenth century when the chapel of ease in Cornagill townland was built (Rowan 1979, 346; OS 6-inch map, 2nd edition). The ruined rectangular gabled building of three bays, 13.6m by 5.6m internally, stands to full height and is partly covered in ivy; some coping survives. Built of rubble with small pinnings, it has rough ashlar quoins containing some dressed blocks. The E gable is lit by a large window with slightly splayed ingoings and segmental rear-arch. There is a similar smaller window without rear-arch at the E end of the N wall, and three others pierce the S wall, the western-most of which is missing its rear-arch. The E 7.8m of the latter wall is reduced in thickness by an internal offset .5m-.8m above the present interior; the sills of the two windows in this section were originally at about this level, but were subsequently raised to their present height. The doorway in the W gable has a round head, indications for a timber frame, a segment-headed rear-arch, and slightly splayed ingoings. Due to the high level of the graveyard outside the church, the pathway to the N and S of the door has a retaining stone face. Traces of a plaster coat survive on the interior, the exterior is harled and the W gable is slate-hung.
The architectural remains, particularly the window forms, are indicative of a 17th century date for this church.

The above description was derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century.' Compiled by: Brian Lacey with Eamon Cody, Claire Cotter, Judy Cuppage, Noel Dunne, Vincent Hurley, Celie O'Rahilly, Paul Walsh and Seán Ó Nualláin (Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated.

Date of upload: 22 September 2008