Church

The National Monuments Service's description

The site of the parish church of Ardcarn, listed as Ardcarna in the Papal taxation of 1306 (Cal. Doc. Ire., vol. 5, 224), on the site of an early church (RO006-103002-). Situated on the NE-facing slope of a Ardcarn Hill. Rectangular graveyard (RO006-103004-) (dims 85m E-W; 60m N-S) defined by a mortared stone wall. The sandstone jamb of a medieval doorway is used as a headstone, and a limestone armorial plaque (RO06-103005-) erected by Cormac MacDermot, possibly a son of Owen Mac Conor Og of Aghacarra (Mulhall 1907-09; Mac Dermot 1996, 360), in honour of his wife Elinor Crean in 1688 is situated just E of the present Church of Ireland church in the graveyard. It consists of a crucifixion over the crests of both families and a largely illegible inscription, all within a raised border (Wth 1.4m; H 1.95m). A cross-inscribed stone (RO006-103019-) is just S of the E end of the present church which was damaged in a fire in 1858 and re-dedicated in 1860. The site is within an extensive deserted settlement (RO006-103007-). (Weld 1832, 245-6; O'Flanagan 1931, 90-91; D'Alton 1845, 93-6; Gwynn and Hadcock 1988, 29)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 24 August 2010
Amended: 17 April, 2014

References

D'Alton, J. 1845 The history of Ireland: from the earliest period to the year 1245. 2 vol. Dublin, Author.

Gwynn, A. and Hadcock, R.N. 1970 (Reprint 1988) Medieval religious houses of Ireland. Dublin. Irish Academic Press.

Mac Dermot, D. 1996 Mac Dermot of Moylurg: the story of a Connacht family. Manorhamilton. Drumlin.

Weld, I. 1832 Statistical survey of the county Roscommon. Dublin, Royal Dublin Society

O'Flanagan, Rev. M. (Compiler) 1931 Letters containing information relative to the antiquities of the county of Roscommon collected during the progress of the
Ordnance Survey in 1837. Bray.

Mulhall, J. 1907-09 Ardcarn Churchyard. Journal of the Association for the Preservation of the Memorials of the Dead, Ireland, vol. 7, 453-4.