Church

The National Monuments Service's description

Located on the S-facing slope of Skreen Hill. Adam de Feipo, Baron of Skreen, founded St Nicholas’ church before 1175, perhaps in opposition to the old monastery of St Colum Cille (ME032-047003-) c. 200m to the N, and endowed it on his brother, Thomas. When Thomas joined the Cistercians of St Mary’s in Dublin (DU018-020048-) c. 1186, all the tithes and privileges of the large parish of Skreen were transferred to St Mary’s. The old monastery at Skreen seems to have become the parochial centre soon after, and St Nicholas’ is not recorded again after a charter of Adam’s son, Richard. It probably became a chapel attached to the motte (ME032-047001-) and tower house (ME032-047002-) c. 250m to the SSE and c. 200m to the SE respectively. It is depicted as a rectangular structure (dims c. 10m N-S; c. 5m E-W) on the 1836 ed. of the OS 6-inch map and there is no record of an attached graveyard. It is not visible at ground level in pasture. (Hickey 1952, 145-8)

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: 28 January 2015

References

Hickey, E. 1952 St Mary's Abbey and the church at Skryne. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, 52, 145-50.