Church

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on the crest of a N and E-facing slope, with a W-E section of the River Boyne c. 100m to the N and a small S-N section of a stream in a fold c. 50m to the E. The parish of Assey was established 1250-1300 (O’Neill 2002, fig. 5) and a church at Athboy (sic) listed in the ecclesiastic taxation (1302-06) of Pope Nicholas IV may be a misprint for Assey from its position in the list (Cal. doc. Ire. 5, 255). Ussher (1622) describes the church and chancel of Athsey as ruinous (Erlington 1847-64, 1, lxxviii). According to Dopping (1682-5) the church of the Blessed Virgin Mary was in ruins since 1641 and it was not enclosed (Ellison 1972, 7).
The parish church of Assey is within a neglected subrectangular or D-shaped graveyard (dims c. 50m NW-SE; c. 35m NE-SW) defined by masonry walls. The graveyard has a few headstones dating c. 1744-1820. The foundations of an undivided nave and chancel church (int. dims. 14.3m E-W; 6.3m N-S) survive, with cairn material around the base of a tower (int. dims 3.25m N-S; 2.15m E-W; H c. 3m) at its W end. One piece of a window surround (dims 0.25m; x 0.18m; H 0.31m) with a glazing-groove and hollow chamfers is in the church.

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: 9 January 2015

References

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

O'Neill, M. 2002 The medieval parish churches in County Meath. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, 132, 1-56.