Church

The National Monuments Service's description

On a ridge in undulating grassland; it is situated within a rectangular graveyard on the td. boundary. Though named on OS 6-inch maps as 'Abbey', there is no definite evidence of a monastery here (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 363). Named by Neary (1914, 125, no. 76) as 'Ardcloon Church', and described as an 'ancient church [of which] only the W. gable and small portions of side walls remain'. He noted the existence of two single-light windows; one at W end of S wall and one in W gable. The latter is described as a 'splayed window, 3 ft. high [0.9m], over which there is a rudely sculptured stone'. When coupled with his mention of 'inlet holes for joists on the inner side of the gable' (ibid.), this suggests that there may have been a loft at W end of the building. All that is visible now is an ill-defined grassed-over mound. It was probably a medieval parish church. There are a number of crossslabs in the graveyard (Higgins 1987, 278, 323, 373, nos. 9, 49, 93) and a cross head (GA016-013006-) is also associated. (O'Flanagan 1927, Vol. 1, 28)

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. II - North Galway'. Compiled by Olive Alcock, Kathy de hÓra and Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999).

Date of upload: 05 August 2010