Church

The National Monuments Service's description

In gently undulating countryside. Church marked on the 1838 edition of the OS 6-inch map standing in the centre of St. Bridget's graveyard (LA019-014002-). Ballintubbert Church of Ireland Church may have been built on the site of or incorporated part of an earlier medieval church (Comerford 1883-6, vol. 3, 127). The medieval church of Ballintubbert is depicted on the 17th century Down Survey map of Ballyadams Barony. The terrier of the Down Survey parish of Fontstowne recorded that there was in 'Ballintubber and Moniscribban a slated House in repaire and an old ruined church'. The late 13th century ecclesiastical taxation of the Diocese of Leighlin lists the rectory of 'Fonston alias Ballintobber' which was valued at £10 2s (Comerford 1883-6, vol. 1, 239).
No surface remains visible of this medieval church in the vicinity of the 19th century C of I church. However, located 16m to the E of the C of I church in the E quadrant of the graveyard are the low wall footings of a rectangular building (int. dims. 7.95m E-W; 5.5m N-S; wall T 1m) roughly aligned E-W which could be the partial remains of the medieval church of Ballintubbert that is indicated on the Down Survey map. The ivy-clad NE angle of this building survives is the only section that remains upstanding to a height of 1m above the present graveyard surface. The E wall survives upstanding for a length of 1.2m and the N wall for a distance of 0.55m. Uninscribed grave-markers in graveyard (LA019-014002-) and holy well (LA019-014003-) 25m to SE of St. Bridget's Church. Comerford recorded that the 'Protestant Church of Ballintubber occupies the site of the primitive parochial church; this is evidenced by the fact of Catholics being still interred in the burial ground (LA019-014002-) attached to it' (Comerford 1883-6, vol. 3, 127).

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Laois' (Dublin Stationery Office, 1995) compiled by P. David Sweetman, Olive Alcock and Bernie Moran. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 24 June 2014

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

References

Comerford, Rev. M. 1883-6 Collections relating to the dioceses of Kildare and Leighlin, 3 vols. James Duffy and Sons. Dublin.