Church

The National Monuments Service's description

References to 'Cell Mothenoc' dating from 1173 (Price 1957, 313-15). Described by O' Donovan in the OS Letters (O' Flanagan 1928, 17-8) and in ruins at that time. Situated to the E of centre of graveyard (WI007-064002-). A poorly preserved ivy-clad, rectangular structure built of roughly coursed undressed sandstone blocks with well-dressed granite quoins, comprising a nave (int. 8.4m E-W; 5.25m N-S) and the E gable wall of a chancel (int. 5.25m E-W; 5m N-S) linked via a round chancel arch (Wth 2.05m; H 2.2m) of undressed voussoirs, inserted, off-centre, in the E gable wall of the nave. The W gable wall of the nave survives to original height (H c. 5m) and contains a small rectangular window at first floor-level, while the lower area of the inner wall face is obscured by a row of tall 18th-century graveslabs. The N wall survives intact (H 2.2m; T 0.7m) and has a small rectangular opening towards the E end. The central portion of the S wall has been robbed out and a bullaun stone (WI007-064003-) lies on its line. Only the E gable wall (H 3.9m; T 0.8m) of the chancel survives and contains a central narrow window of limestone (Wth 0.34m; H 1.6m), the top and sill of which are robbed out, set in a broad, gently splaying embrasure.

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Claire Breen

Date of upload: 16 November 2012

References

O'Flanagan, Rev. M. (Compiler) 1928 Letters containing information relative to the antiquities of the county of Wicklow collected during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1838. Bray.

Price, L. 1957 The place-names of Co. Wicklow. V - The barony of Rathdown. The Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies (281-338).