Church

The National Monuments Service's description

According to the OSL (Herity 2002, 3) it was, 'a Church in ruins … now used as a Cowhouse … (which) gave name (sic) to the Parish'. It is located on a possible early monastic site (KD011-002----). This much altered rectangular structure (dims. L 8.6m ENE-WSW; Wth 4.9m; av. wall T 0.8m) is built of small, roughly coursed limestone blocks with undressed quoins and has a small bellcote on the W gable. A partially robbed-out doorway (Wth 1.5m) at the W end of the S wall has externally rebated jambs suggesting that there may have been a porch outside, no trace of which survives. There is a second, blocked-up doorway (Wth 1.15m) opposite, in the N wall, which has a barring-slot hole on its E side. The N and S walls each contain two partially robbed-out windows set in broadly splaying embrasures; the more easterly window in the N wall finished externally with a later looking, Gothic-style arch, as is the centrally placed but blocked-up window in the E gable wall. There is a fine triangular-headed piscine at the E end of the S wall. The internal faces of both gable walls are offset to carry a loft which was lit by a small loop in the W gable. This loop is flanked on either side by two putlock holes and there is a third putlock hole in the E gable. A large, roofless, brick-built, barrel-vaulted, burial-vault, occupies the entire interior below ground level and according to Fitzgerald (1896, 376) belonged to the Bellingham family and its insertion may also account for the other alterations to the building. Fitzgerald (ibid) also states that there was once a burial ground (KD011-002004-) associated with the church. The church is enclosed by a wooden fence at an average distance of 4.5m away and has a row of 'palm' trees planted only 1m outside the walls. (O'Neill 2004-5, 414, 429; CUCAP AHK 11 (1963); AYR 52 (1969); BDU 45 (1970)).

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy

Date of upload: 10 June 2011