Gateway

The National Monuments Service's description

Not marked on the 1839 or 1908 eds OS 6-inch maps. In undulating countryside SW of church site (LA035-031001-). Reference to gateway here (O'Hanlon and O'Leary 1907, vol. 1, 227-228). Constructed with limestone boulders (Wth c. 5.1m, L c. 3.3m, T. c. 1m). Rebated entrance at E.

According to Carrigan 'The graveyard (LA035-031002-) has been walled in by the Board of Guardians, and is still used for interments by some old Catholic families in the neighbourhood. A few perches to the south are the remains of an ancient gateway which, perhaps, led to the presbytery attached to the church (LA035-031001-)' (Carrigan 1905, vol. 2, 228).

Monument consists of a rectangular gateway located 11m to the SW of the 19th century graveyard wall. This gateway (Wall T 1m; H 3m) was entered through an passage (Wth 3m; L 2.5m) from its W side. At the E end of this passage there are the lowermost chamfered and rebated jambstone surviving on either side of the entrance passage. Running off the external face of the N and S wall was the enclosing wall of the medieval church and graveyard. The circuit of this wall can now be seen only as a low rise of ground which is best visible to the S of the gateway and shows up on aerial photographs as a sub-circular enclosure (LA035-013004-).

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: 17 December 2007