Church

The National Monuments Service's description

In an upland river valley at the E end of a low ridge overlooking a steep river valley to E and N, with early medieval church (KK015-030001-) and graveyard (KK015-030002-) 85m to the E. A holy well known as St. Scoheen's Well (KK015-030006-) is located approx. 20m S of the later medieval church and is incorporated into the S section of its graveyard wall (KK015-030005-). Freneystown castle (KK015-031----), located 545m SE, dominates the high ground overlooking the church and graveyard. A 19th-century C of I Church, which incorporates substantial remains of the medieval church, is located in the N quadrant of a large rectangular-shaped graveyard (KK015-030005-) enclosed by a 19th-century wall. The present remains consist of a ruinous 19th-century rectangular nave and chancel church (ext. dims. 9.1m N-S; approx. 13.95m E-W; wall T 0.85m) with a two-storey bell-tower (ext. dims. 3.5m x 3.45m) at the W end of the church. The chancel appears to have been very small (approx. int. dims. 4m N-S x 1.3m E-W). The main entrance of the church was via a pointed doorway in the centre of the S wall of the bell-tower. There is evidence for at least three large windows in the S wall of the church. Detailed examination of the masonry was not possible as the external walls are covered in ivy while the interior is covered in collapsed rubble, trees and ivy. Due to the overgrowth of vegetation it is unclear to what extent the upstanding walls are medieval in date, however, the thickness of the walls suggests that some at least may pre-date the 19th-century church. According to Carrigan (1905, vol. 3, 361) 'Some pieces of the walls of the Catholic church in use here at the time of the Reformation, remained down to about 1820, when they were cleared away to make room for a Protestant church. This latter church having no worshippers, was closed after the passing of the Church Disestablishment Act, and has since been taken down to the ground'. The medieval church probably dates to the 13th/14th century, as a grave-slab (KK015-030007-) of that date is located approx. 20m W of the W gable of the C of I church.

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 7 March 2016

References

Carrigan, Rev. W. 1905 (Reprint 1981) The history and antiquities of the diocese of Ossory, 4 vols. Kilkenny. Roberts Books and Wellbrook Press.