Church

The National Monuments Service's description

Annagh Church was described in 1840 as following; ‘Situated in the north part of Annagh townlands, to the north of the road running through same, are the ruins of Annagh Old Church. The walls occupy about 60 [18.3m] by 20 feet [6.1m] and are about 10 feet [3m] high. A burial place lies here‘ (OSL Vol. 2, 443).
The church was described in 1907 as following; 'In the townland of Annagh there stands a ruined church in good preservation. It measures internally 46 feet [14m] by 18 feet [5.5m]. The east window is two-light ogee-headed, divided by a mullion still in position. On the south side, near the east end, there is a similar single-light window. There is a window in the west gable choked up with ivy, and there appear to be no windows in the north wall. The door is in the south wall, and is a pointed arch, 6 feet 2 inches [1.88m] high, and 3 feet 6 inches [1m] wide. On the right-hand side going in is a curious holy-water stoup, hollowed out of one of the stones in the wall. It has two semicircular pointed openings, one in the doorway for those entering, the other in the church for those leaving. In the south side there is a piscina, 1 foot 11 inches [0.58m] wide, 1 foot 5 inches [0.43m] deep, and 1 foot 5 inches [0.43m] high, which has in its floor a shallow, circular basin 9½ inches [0.25m] in diameter. There is a similar smaller recess in the east end. The building, which is the only one now standing in the parish, is surrounded by a very small graveyard, in which the oldest dated tomb is one of 1781' (Seymour 1907, 365).
Present remains consist of a late medieval undivided church (ext. dims. 16m E-S; 8.05m N-S; wall T 1m) entered though a pointed chamfered doorway located off centre to W in S wall with double ope pointed stoup visible in E splay of entrance embrasure. The walls of the church are built with random rubble with alternating long and short dressed quoins with base batter visible on E and W gable of church. Church lit by twin light ogee headed window in centre of E gable with single light ogee-headed window at E end of S wall. Flat headed window high up in centre of W gable, no windows in N wall of church. Middle spandrel of twin light E window decorated with ivy-leaf carvings, glazing groove visible on window jambs. Piscina at E end of S wall set into flat headed chamfered surround with octagonal-shaped basin and drain hole visible. Flat headed wall cupboard or aumbry in S end of E wall close to SE angle. Wooden beam holes at W end of N and S wall of church indicate remains of wooden floor at this end of church. Possible wooden floor of gallery or two storey priests residence. Good evidence for internal render on N wall of church. Chamfered limestone doorway decorated with stiff-leaf/ivy leaf carvings of late medieval date visible on chamfer stop and jambstone. Cross-marks incised into surface of punch dressed jambs of doorway appear to be original and may represent mason's marks. Good evidence of wicker centring on the underside of the arch of the doorway embrasure.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 1 October 2018

References

OSL - Ordnance Survey Letters. Letters written by members of the Ordnance Survey's 'Topographical Department' (T. O'Conor, A. O'Curry, E. Curry, J. O'Donovan and P. O'Keeffe) sent to headquarters from the field (1834-41). MSS in Royal Irish Academy.

Seymour, Rev. St. J. 1907 Abbey Owney, County Limerick. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 37, 165-80, 360-73.