Religious house - Augustinian, of Arrouaise nuns

The National Monuments Service's description

On a SW-facing slope. References to Arroasian nuns at St Mary's, Drumalagagh, date from 1195 to 1400. It was a daughter house of Clonard, Co. Meath, which was transferred to Kilcreevanty, Co. Galway, c. 1223 (Gwynn and Hadcock 1988, 316). The house had been abandoned by the Suppression and was owned by the Earl of Clanrickard in 1641 (Simmington 1949, 63). The remains extend over c. 4 ha, consisting of the church and adjacent hut-sites, three buildings, two bullaun stones and the remnants of a field system. All the features, except the bullaun stones post-date the church. (Hall 2003, 71, 77)

The church is a T-shaped building, with N and S transepts, but lacking a chancel extension. The nave (int. dims. c. 13.65m E-W; 5.7m N-S) is represented by the W gable (H c. 6m) with a light at ground level and a light placed high in the wall, and adjacent parts of the N and S walls. The S transept (int. dims. 6.7m N-S; 5.15m E-W) has a S wall (H c. 4m) with a cupboard, and evidence of a light in the E wall. The recatngular E pier with chamfered edges of the N transept (int. dims. 8.5m N-S; 5.15m E-W) survives, but only its NW angle and W wall survive nearly complete (H 2.5-4m) with the ingoing of a large window on the N wall. Later cross-walls, now reduced to the foundations, cut off the W end of the nave and the S transept, and enclose the area between the nave and the S transept. There is a rectangular grass-covered platform (dims. c. 22m N-S; 18.5m E-W) defined by slight scarps attached to the E.

Within 20m of the church are 5 possible hut-sites (RO056-004007-) (ext. diam. 4-5m), defined by stone spreads (Wth c. 1-2m), sometimes with facing stones evident, although they may be clearance cairns.

About 150m SE of the church, and adjacent to an E-W mill-race which leads to a 19th century mill c. 500m to the S, are the grass-covered foundations of a building (RO056-004008-) (dims 16m N-S; 6m E-W) adjacent to the NW-SE public road. About 30m to the W is a second building (RO056-004-003-) (dims. c. 25m NE-SW, c. 10m NW-SE), regarded locally as a church, defined by a grass-covered wall (T 0.75m) or a grass-covered earth and stone spread (Wth c. 2m; H 0.2-0.5m). Two clay-walled houses (RO056-004013-) (dims. c. 6m x 5m) defined by low mound walls (Wth 0.5-1m) are built within it, and a sweat-house (int. dims 1.6m x 1.4m) was built in the N corner but is now collapsed. Nearby is a bullaun stone (RO056-004002-) (dims. 1.05m x 0.9m; H 0.5m) with a single basin (diam. 0.4m; D 0.23m). A fragment of another bulluan stone (RO056-004012-) (dims. 0.9m x 0.7m; H 0.5m) with a single damaged basin is c. 70m SW of the church.

About 200m SW of the church is a masonry building (RO056-004011-) (ext. dims 21.4m N-S; 8m E-W) defined by masonry walls (T 0.7-0.8m; max. H 1.5m), which is divided into 4 rooms, but there is no evidence of internal or external doorways.

About 20m NW of the church is a modern NE-SW field bank, and a field system (RO056-004005-) covering c. 2ha survives to its NW. There are portions of two rectangular fields (dims. c. 30m x c. 30m) defined by earth and stone banks (Wth c. 3m; H 0.5-1m) associated with lazy beds. A house site (RO056-004014-) (ext. dims. 5.3m E-W; 4.3m N-S) is built on one of the field banks.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 24 August 2010

References

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

Simington, R.C. (ed.) 1949 Books of survey and distribution. County of Roscommon. Dublin. Stationery Office.