Church

The National Monuments Service's description

On the summit of a hill, the church is located towards the W end of a long rectangular graveyard (TS086-030001-). The parish church of Templetenny is mentioned in the Civil Survey (1654-6), 'The sd pish includeing the two Chapples of Ease therein comonly called Kilmolash & Tampletunny lyinge and beinge in the Barony of Iffay and Offay' (Simington 1931, vol.1, 373). The long nave and chancel church (ext. dims. at least 21.5m E-W x 8.15-9.2m N-S), now in a bad state of repair, is constructed of sandstone rubble, roughly coursed, with small stones used throughout. Only the W gable (H c. 6m), with bellcote, and chancel arch survive to any great extent. The N wall of the nave has been rebuilt to a height of 1.4m, the S wall to a height of 0.35m. The SW angle has been reconstructed, but the wall-footings appear to continue S for another 1m beyond this. An opening (Wth 2.45m) at the W end of the S wall may be the the location of the original doorway. Of the chancel, only a portion of the S wall survives to a height of 1.15m above ext. Only the NW angle survives intact, the quoins formed of very crude blocks. The external face of the W gable (T 0.84m) and the short length of the original N wall (T 0.8m) have a base-batter (Wth 0.3m; H 1.6m). The W gable appears to indicate a very steep-pitched roof. This gable is surmounted by a single bellcote with a pointed arch. In the centre of the W gable there is a window embrasure with splayed ingoing, but of the single light only the S jambs and sill survive. According to the OS Letters it was flat-headed (O'Flanagan 1930, vol.1, 19). The pointed chancel arch (H 2.1m; Wth 2.6m) has been rebuilt or repaired with cement mortar. Tie stones for the N wall of the chancel project from the E face of the W chancel wall (H c. 6m). A number of architectural fragments in the church interior and graveyard include three jambs and one coping stone. At least one cut stone block may have been a quoinstone. All jamb fragments (int. width 0.12-0.14m) have an external chamfer (0.1m wide) and two have an internal rebate.

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 26 August 2011

References

Simington, R.C. (ed.) 1931 The Civil survey, AD 1654-1656. Vol I: county of Tipperary: eastern and southern baronies. Dublin. Irish Manuscripts Commission.

O'Flanagan, Rev. M. (Compiler) 1930 Letters containing information relative to the antiquities of the county of Tipperary collected during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1840. Bray.