Church

The National Monuments Service's description

National Monument No. 55. Rattoo Church (in ruins), graveyard (KE009-056005-). This church is situated in a graveyard enclosed by a stone wall built in the last century. Immediately NW of this church lies Rattoo round tower (KE009-056001-).
Rattoo parish church described in the Urban Survey of Kerry as follows: ‘This church is probably the successor of the pre-Norman church but nothing is known of its history. It was probably granted, along with the vill of Rattoo, to the hospital/abbey [KE009-056004-], because in 1597, when George Isham was granted the tithes of Rattoo it was noted that: these had belonged to the abbey (17 RDKPRI, 44: no. 6034).
Small rectangular building of uncoursed rubble masonry, measuring 10.2 by 5. 5m internally. It was built mostly of yellow and pink sandstone but some limestone and shale were also included. The east end of the interior is built up with modern vaults. The east wall is 5m high externally but lacks its gable. It has a narrow twin-light ogee-headed window with hollow spandrels and flattened rear-arch. The limestone jambs are tooled and chamfered but the central mullion is missing. Externally there is a rectangular hood moulding with plain stops. Several re-used dressed stones are set in the splayed surrounds and inner jambs indicating that the window was
inserted. The north wall, between 2.5 and 3m high internally, is featureless except for some very large stones in the external masonry which may indicate the remains of an earlier structure. Part of an external plinth also survives. The west wall stands to a height of 4.5m and has a pointed door with tooled and chamfered limestone jambs, and lintelled rear-arch. The chamfers have pointed stops and the lower part of the outer face of the jamb is battered. Wall footings project from the S corner indicating the former presence of a structure here. The south wall was lit by blocked single-light window with chamfered limestone jambs; it is now blocked and its arch is missing. A small lintelled slit at the east end may be modern. There is an external batter at the east end of the S wall, 56cm wide and rising to a height of 3m’ (Bradley et. al. 1987, 85-7).

Described by the North Kerry Archaeological Survey as: 'The church is rectangular in plan, measuring 11.5m x 6.6m externally. The walls measures .6m thick and have a noticeable batter. The doorway is situated on the W gable. On the exterior side it is formed of cut limestone in the pointed style and measures .8m wide and 1.7m high. However, on the interior side, the door is covered by a flat lintel, possibly suggesting an early date.
Built into the wall inside the doorway is a stone with an inscription on the upper part, which is turned towards the doorway. The stone measures .4m x .3m and was probably used to repair the doorway. The inscription may read as follows: 'X MARGARET O'DINIGHEN, EJUS 1666, VXOR, HIC JACET' (Lynch, JRSAI 40, 1910, 244-245). The X before the name Margaret may have been intended to connect it to another inscription, possibly her husband's, or it may have served as a mark when this stone was separated from another.
The E gable contains a window formed of cut limestone in the pointed style which was originally divided into two lights by a stone mullion which exists no longer. The window measures .6m wide x 2.2m high. The S wall contained two windows, but these have been blocked up. Though this church is generally given as 15th century (O'Donovan 1841, Harbison 1970, Barrington 1976), there are obvious earlier characteristics incorporated into the building, but because it has been so modernised it is difficult to ascertain a definite date'.

The above description is derived from C. Toal, ‘North Kerry Archaeological Survey’. Dingle. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority (1995), no. 938. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 4 May 2022

References

Barrington, T.J. 1976 (new edition 1999) Discovering Kerry. Cork. The Collins Press.

Harbison, P. 1970 Guide to the national monuments in the Republic of Ireland. Dublin. Gill and Macmillan.

O'Donovan, J. 1983 The antiquities of the county of Kerry. Cork. Royal Carbery Books.

Toal, C. 1995 North Kerry Archaeological Survey. Dingle. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority.

Bradley, J., Halpin, A., and King, H.A. 1987 Urban archaeological survey - county Kerry. Unpublished report commissioned by the Office of Public Works, Dublin.