Church

The National Monuments Service's description

Near the centre of a graveyard (KD015-007004-) which also contains a round tower (KD015-007003-) and which may occupy the site of an early monastery (KD015-007002-). The surviving remains consist of the lower portions of the walls of a 12th century, or possibly earlier, nave (int. dims. L 11m E-W; Wth 5m) abutted at the E end by a large, barrel-vaulted chancel (int. dims L c. 10.5m E-W; Wth c. 4.8m) accessed through a chancel arch of tufa. This arch was subsequently blocked-up and a square-headed, granite doorway was inserted into it: a small, rectangular stairs-turret against the chancel's S wall may have been erected around the same time. The nave is built of large blocks of roughly coursed limestone masonry, but a granite quoin at NE may be original (pers. comm. T. O'Carragáin). The original entrance is not identifiable, but a sketch by Cooper shows a porch on the S wall, near its W end, while the N wall contains a blocked, round-arched doorway near its centre. A modern entrance in the S wall now gives access. The nave was lit by a narrow, round-headed window with a chamfered granite arch in the W gable wall, and there are traces of a window-splay and tufa jambs towards the E end of the S wall. The W gable is surmounted by the remains of bell cote. The chancel built is of split, uncoursed limestone rocks and, with its barrel-vaulted ground floor, may have been constructed as a semi-fortified tower. It is lit by three narrow opes in the N wall, each with a rear splay, a large, triple-light, square-headed window in the E gable, which is probably a later insertion, and two opes in the S wall, towards each end, opposing two of the opes in the N wall. Two window fragments lie in the chancel, one granite, the second limestone. The now destroyed upper levels above the chancel were accessed via an external spiral stairs housed in a small projecting tower abutting the S wall. The church and nearby round tower are National Monuments (No. 190) in State ownership. (Bradley et al. 1986 vol. 4, 405-7; Harbison 1992, 192)

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy

Date of upload: 10 June 2011

References

Harbison, P. 1992 Guide to the national and historic monuments of Ireland. Gill and Macmillan Ltd., Dublin.

Bradley, J., Halpin, A., and King, H.A. 1986 Urban Archaeological Survey - County Kildare (4 vols.). Unpublished report commissioned by the Office of Public Works, Dublin.