Church

The National Monuments Service's description

Located on the outer edge of a shelf towards the bottom of a gentle S-facing slope. A church at the ‘vill de Gernoun’ is listed in the ecclesiastical taxation (1302-06) of Pope Nicholas IV (Cal. doc. Ire. 5, 261). Ussher (1622) describes the church and chancel as in reasonable repair (Erlington 1847-64, 1, xcii). Dopping (1682-5) describes it as ruined and the graveyard was not enclosed but the font is mentioned (Ellison 1973, 6). The parish church of Gernonstown is within a rectangular graveyard (dims c. 50m E-W; c. 40m N-S) defined by earthen banks at N and E and masonry walls at S and W.
The church is an undivided nave and chancel structure (int. dims 23m E-W; 6.4m N-S) with ivy covered walls (T c. 1m) that survive almost complete, except most of the N and E walls. There are gaps towards the W end of the N and S walls, probably for doorways, and a portion of a window with glazing-grooves and bar-holes is towards the E end of the S wall where there is a piscina. The remains of a large tracery window of two lights are in the W wall, but this wall is supported by buttresses. A barrel-vaulted chamber (int. dims 5.11m E-W; 2.4m N-S; H 2.65m) attached externally to the E end of the N wall is probably a sacristy as it is connected with the church by a lintelled passage (Wth 0.87m; H 1.63m; L 1.55m). A plain subcircular, sandstone font (ext. diam. 0.63-0.7m, max. H 0.46m) with a circular basin (diam. 051m; D 4-12cm) that has damaged side-walls was described as in the church (Cogan 1862-70, 2, 303) but became deeply embedded in the ground (Roe 1968, 119) of the rectangular graveyard. It is now outside the Roman Catholic church at Rushwee (ME019-118----), c. 1km to the S.

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 upload/revision: 15 December, 2014

References

Roe, H.M. 1968 Medieval fonts of Meath. Meath Archaeological and Historical Society.

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

Cogan, Rev. A. 1862-70 Ecclesiastical history of the diocese of Meath: ancient and modern. (3 vols) Dublin: John Fowler, Joseph Dollard

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.

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