Graveyard

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on low hillock with Tully House 160m to E and St. Bridget's Well (KD022-035----) 140m to SSE. The graveyard is now adjacent to the National Stud of Ireland and present remains consist of a sub-rectangular shaped area (approx. dims. 67m N-S; 52m E-W) enclosed by a 19th century stone wall entered through a gate with adjacent stone stile and coffin stand in centre of W wall. The church ruins belonging to the Preceptory of the Knight’s Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem (KD022-034----) stands on the highest point in the centre of the graveyard. In 1298 there was a court case regarding a murder which took place within the cemetery of Tully. In this year 'Roger de Galewey, who says that he was provost of Toli [Tully], and the felon committed the homicide within the cemetery, and therefore was taken from the church [KD022-034----] and put in the stocks in the house of the Master' (Cal. justic. rolls, Ire. Edw. I, 203).
The graveyard contains pots-medieval grave markers, although several graves are marked by medieval chamfered window jambs recycled from the church ruins. Numerous burials are located inside the church ruins. A sheela-na-gig (KD022-034002-) was recently recorded in the W quadrant of the graveyard.

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 13 June 2018

References

Cal. justic. rolls, Ire. Edw. I - Calendar of the justiciary rolls, or proceedings in the court of the justiciar of Ireland preserved in the Public Record Office of Ireland. 1: 23-31 Edw. I, 1295-1307; 2: 33-35 Edw. I, 1305-7, ed. J. Mills (2 vols., Dublin, 1905, 1914)