Church

The National Monuments Service's description

Located on a slight E-W rise, which is at the N edge of a plateau and surrounded by the field system (ME042-011----). Only Dopping’s visitation book (1682-5) records the church of Ardnow alias Ardnorath as a chapel-of-ease to Rathmoylan (ME042-020----) (Ellison 1972, 11). At its suppression in 1540 St Mary’s abbey in Trim (ME036-048021-) owned 41 acres at Ardegrath, but there is no mention of a church (White 1943, 304). According to the Civil Survey (1654-6) Patrick Birmingham of Corballis, Garreth Lynch of Knock and Lord Tremblestown owned 154 acres at Ardenew in 1640, and there was an ‘old chappell’ on the property (Simington 1940, 180). The church is marked on the Down Survey (1656-8) parish map of Rathmoylan, for which see this web-page accessed on 25 February, 2015: http://downsurvey.tcd.ie/down-survey-maps.php#bm=Moyfenrath&c=Meath&p=Rathmullian
Only the W gable (H c. 4m), now fenced off for safety, and the grass covered foundations of the church (dims c. 17m E-W; 7.8m N-S) survive at the W edge of a subrectangular graveyard (dims c. 37m E-W; c. 25-30m N-S) defined by masonry walls. The gable has the base of a secondary belfry but no other features. The few headstones are clustered around the W edge of the graveyard and date from c. 1800 to c. 1900.

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: 23 March, 2015

References

Simington, R.C. (ed.) 1940 The Civil survey, AD 1654-1656. Vol. V: county of Meath. Dublin. Irish Manuscripts Commission.

White, N.B. 1943 Extents of Irish monastic possessions, 1540-1541. Dublin. Irish Manuscripts Commission.

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.