Church

The National Monuments Service's description

According to Fitzgerald (1912-14, 182), the church was dedicated to St. Lawrence. In a graveyard (KD019-006002-). The poorly preserved, ivy-clad remains of a rectangular structure comprise a nave (int. dims. L 12.9m E-W; Wth 5.4m) and levelled chancel (int. dims. est. L c. 5.2m E-W; Wth 5.1m), built mainly of rubble limestone masonry with occasional random coursing, and some tufa in the quoins. The W-end of the nave is reduced to rubble-covered, lower wall courses, and a gap (Wth 1.7m) at the upstanding W-end of the S wall may mark an original entrance. A second gap (Wth 0.9m), near the E-end of the wall may be a robbed-out window, and is matched by a similar gap (Wth 0.9m), almost opposite, in the N wall, which also contains a reconstructed window near its centre. The nave's very high, steeply pitched, E-gable wall survives and is pierced by a round, chancel arch (Wth 2.7m; H 2.15m) of rubble masonry, located slightly off-centre, to the S. The lower A-line of the chancel roof is marked by thin flags projecting E (c.0.3m) from the gable wall face, and the E-face of the wall is set back (c. 0.10m) above the chancel arch. The chancel's N, E and S walls have been levelled and scar lines of the N and S walls are visible in the gable wall of the nave. A low scarp (H 0.5m) may mark the line of the E gable wall. While the very steep pitch of the nave's E gable wall suggests a pre-Norman date for the original church, with the chancel added later, O'Carragáin (pers. comm. SMR File) comments that the nave and chancel may well be contemporary. Fitzgerald also recorded, 'portions of a handsome, early sixteenth century window' originally from the church, but which had lain scattered in the graveyard (KD019-006002-) and were removed to Kerdiffstown House c. 400m to the NNE, but the present whereabouts of which are unknown. (Sherlock 1899-1902, 298; Herity 2002, 60-61 (176-77); Mc Cabe 1991, 218-21; 20003, 187-9).

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy

Date of upload: 10 June 2011