Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ecclesiastical enclosure
Wheery, County Offaly, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Wheery
- County
- Offaly
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- NULL
- Latest-edition OS map
- Indicated
- Coordinates
- 53.25962, -7.81541
- SMR number
- OF014-040002-
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
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1790 "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Situated on the low-lying flood plains of the river Brosna. Ruins of a simple rectangular church (OF014-040001-) built with irregularly coursed limestone blocks giving the masonry a cyclopean appearance often found on early medieval churches. A bronze bell and its shrine were found in the nearby river in 1849 and were locally associated with the church (JRSAI 1868-9 Vol. 19, 347-8). A large semi-circular enclosure (approx. int. diam. 190m N-S ; 310m E-W) runs off the River Brosna which acts as an enclosing element on its S side with church located in centre of enclosure. During the winter months this enclosure floods acting as a waterfilled moat around the church. It appears to have originally consisted of an inner bank now mainly levelled and a wide flat bottomed fosse. This was the site of 'the ancient monastery of Kilwheery' (Anon 1868-9, 347).
The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Offaly' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.
Date of upload: 23 May 2011
Nearby in the register
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.