Church

The National Monuments Service's description

Located towards the S end of a low N S spur. A church of the ‘vill de Drak’ is listed in the ecclesiastical taxation (1302-06) of Pope Nicholas IV (Cal. doc. Ire. 6, 261). Ussher (1622) describes the church and chancel as ‘somewhat ruinous’ (Erlington 1847-64, 1, xcv). According to the Dopping (1682-5) and Royal Visitations (1693) the parish church of Drakestown dedicated to St. Peter had been in ruins since 1641 and it was not enclosed (Ellison 1973, 4). The site of the church is within a D-shaped graveyard (dims c. 50m NW-SE; c. 46m NE-SW) backing onto a NE SW field bank at SE. Only one grass covered wall of the church is visible. Architectural remains suggest a 15th century date, but a mouth-pulling face that was built into a gate pier (Davies 1941, 64-6) is now missing. The cross-slab (ME012-023----) is c. 130m to the SW.

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Meath' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1987). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of revision: 11 December, 2014

References

Davies, O. 1941 Miscellanea: Drakestown graveyard, Co. Meath. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, 71, 64-6.

Ellison, Rev. C. C. 1971-5 Bishop Dopping's Visitation Book 1682-5, Ríocht na Mídhe, 5, 1, 28-39; 5, 2, 3-13; 5, 3, 3-11; 5, 4, 98-103; 6, 1, 3-13.

Cal. doc. Ire. - Calendar of documents relating to Ireland 1171-1307, ed. H.S. Sweetman (5 vols., London, 1875-86).

Erlington, C. R. (ed.) 1847-64 The whole works of the most Reverend James Ussher. 17 vols. Hodges and Smith, Dublin