Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ecclesiastical enclosure
Killowney Beg, County Offaly, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Killowney Beg
- County
- Offaly
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Coordinates
- 53.23616, -7.87088
- SMR number
- OF022-012005-
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
Curving arc of townland boundary c. 100m to N and NE of church (OF022-012001-) and graveyard (OF022-012002-) along with curving arc of field boundaries to SW of graveyard may indicate possible remains of an ecclesiastical enclosure of Early Christian date (Fitzpatrick 1998, 121). The partial remains of an enclosing bank which may have formed part of an inner enclosure visible on aerial photographs (GSI June 1973 N. 521/520) was levelled in the early 1990s. This enclosing bank was located in the field to the E of Killowney church (OF022-012001-) and graveyard (OF022-012002-) and was levelled by a machine driver when the graveyard was being extended c. 1990 (SMR file 1997). The circular curving field banks indicated on the current edition of the OS 6-inch maps 150m to the SSW of the church (OF022-012001-) may be the remains of the original ecclesiastical enclosure (int. diam. c. 290m) associated with an Early Christian monastery at Killowney. This field boundary no longer survives but a portion of an upstanding curving field boundary located 100m to the N of the church (OF022-012001-) may be the only surviving surface remains of the possible ecclesiastical enclosure. This upstanding section of the ecclesiastical enclosure acts as the townland boundary between Killowney Beg and Killowney More. The curving shape of the 19th century graveyard wall may suggest the presence of an inner enclosure with the graveyard wall following the curve of the earlier inner enclosure.
See attached word document for annotated sketch plan showing circuit of possible ecclesiastical enclosure.
Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien
Date of revision : 27 November 2014
References
GSIAP - Geological Survey of Ireland Aerial Photographs (c. 1973). Geological Survey. Beggars Bush, Haddington Road, Dublin 4.
Fitzpatrick, E 1998 The early church in Offaly. In Timothy O'Neill & William Nolan (eds), Offaly: history and society: interdisciplinary essays on the history of an Irish county, 93-129. Dublin: Geography Publications.
Nearby in the register
- Churchunder 1 mi
- Graveyardunder 1 mi
- Fulacht fiaunder 1 mi
- Fulacht fiaunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.