Church

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated at the crest of the W side of a small N-S valley, with a NW-SE section of the N-S stream c. 50m to the E. The chapel of Gallowe is amongst the possessions of the Augustinian priory of St Peter’s at Newtown Trim (ME036-049003-) at the Suppression in 1540 (White 1943, 294, 297). Ussher (1622) describes the church and chancel at Galloe as ruined (Erlington 1847-64, 1, lxxviii). According to the Dopping Visitation (1682-5) Gallow had been a chapel-of-ease in Galtrim parish but became an independent rectory in 1615. However, the church and chancel were in ruins, although the graveyard was fenced (Ellison 1972, 5). The foundations of a small building (dims c. 7m E-W; c. 5m N-S) are visible as earth and stone banks (Wth 1.7-3.3m; H 0.1-0.6m) with a small platform (dims 2.5m x 2.5m) attached to the W. Originally the structure may have been extended to the E beneath a small mortuary enclosure (ext. dims 9.1m E-W; 6.25m N-S) defined by masonry walls (Wth 0.5m; H 1.7-2m) that was probably built in the 1830s.
The church is within a subrectangular graveyard (dims c. 55m E-W; c. 40m N-S) defined and retained by masonry walls with evidence of a slight bank inside the perimeter, which is probably the result of cutting back the mound of the graveyard from the top of the walls. Seven architectural fragments, including four from a single-light ogee-headed window, lie in the W part of the graveyard. A fragment of what may be a cross-slab (Wth 0.24m; H 0.75m; T 0.1m) is also in the graveyard. A triangular-shaped stone (Wth 0.66m; H 0.32m; T 0.16m), possibly a fragment from a wall monument, has been set on the ground immediately E of the graveyard entrance; it is carved with a representation of the scourging of Christ.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 9 April 2015

References

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

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.