Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Graveyard
Clonsast Upper, County Offaly, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Clonsast Upper
- County
- Offaly
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Grave Yard
- Latest-edition OS map
- Grave Yd.
- Coordinates
- 53.22470, -7.13366
- SMR number
- OF027-008003-
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 LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 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
Located on flat pasture land with good extensive views with Cairn (OF027-007----) to SW and St Broghan's stone (OF027-009002-) to SE. According to Gwynn and Hadcock (1988, 377) this is the site of an early monastic site founded by St. Bearchan in the 7th-century. Present remains consist of a poorly preserved nave and chancel church (OF027-008002-) built with large blocks of limestone and greywacke stone. Only parts of E wall at foundation level, E end of N wall foundations, N section of dividing wall and W end of S wall survive. No surface trace of graveyard, headstones or enclosure around church. Comerford (1883, 124) described the church as a divided nave and chancel church (ext. L. 45ft; W T 4ft; nave int. Wth 16ft; chancel int. Wth 10.5ft) with no architectural features or headstones visible. St Broghan's stone is a bullaun stone now broken with a shallow depression which according to Comerford (1883, 124) was formed from the impression of the saints head and is now used as a cure for headaches.
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
References
Gwynn, A. and Hadcock, R.N. 1970 (Reprint 1988) Medieval religious houses of Ireland. Dublin. Irish Academic Press.
Comerford, Rev. M. 1883-6 Collections relating to the dioceses of Kildare and Leighlin, 3 vols. James Duffy and Sons. Dublin.
Nearby in the register
- Ecclesiastical siteunder 1 mi
- Enclosureunder 1 mi
- Churchunder 1 mi
- Cairn - unclassifiedunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.