Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Church
Rathregan, County Meath, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Rathregan
- County
- Meath
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Ruin
- Latest-edition OS map
- Church (in Ruins)
- Coordinates
- 53.47403, -6.53418
- SMR number
- ME044-021----
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
4 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1799 map "Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1799 · Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1811 · Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1830 · V.3:11-15:XV. Britisches Reich. C. Kon: Ireland. a. Prov: Leinster. Counties: 1-12 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1891 · Ireland 16 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
The parish church of Rathregan is located at the crest of a NE-facing slope down to the NW-SE Tolka River, which is c. 80m to the NE and close to its source. A church at Rathregan is listed in the ecclesiastical taxation (1302-06) of Pope Nicholas IV (Cal. doc. Ire., 5, 254). The rectory of Rathregan was amongst the possessions of the Augustinian priory at Newtown (ME036-049003-) at its suppression in 1540 (White 1943, 296). Ussher (1622) describes the church and chancel at Rathreggan as ruined (Erlington 1847-64, 1, lxx). According to Dopping’s visitation (1682-5) the church of the Blessed Virgin Mary had been unroofed since 1641 but the walls were standing and the graveyard was not enclosed (Ellison 1971, 38). According to Cogan (1862-70, vol. 2, 360-1) the church measured ’74 feet by 18 feet (c. 22.55m x c. 5.5m). The foundations (Wth 0.9m; H 0.4- 1.4m) of a rectangular nave (int. dims c. 14m E-W; 5.5m N-S) and a possible chancel (int. dim c. 7m E-W) survive in a neglected D-shaped graveyard (dims. c. 48m NE-SW; c. 40m NW-SE) defined by masonry walls with straight sides at the SW and NW sides. There is a roadway outside the perimeter SE-SW, and the few headstones date from c. 1850 to c. 1940. The rath (WM044-020----) is c. 60m to the NNW.
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: 7 April, 2015
References
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. 1847-64 The whole works of the Rev. James Ussher, D.D., Lord Archbishop of Armagh, and primate of all Ireland, 16 vols. Dublin. Hodges and Smith.
Cal. doc. Ire. - Calendar of documents relating to Ireland 1171-1307, ed. H.S. Sweetman (5 vols., London, 1875-86).
Nearby in the register
- Graveyardunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Barrow - mound barrowunder 1 mi
- Moated siteunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.