Church

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on the W edge of a small steep gully; the area slopes gently S to the Vartry Reservoir. A nave and chancel church (int. dims. 14.3m x 6.4m) defined by wall foundations (Wth 0.9m; H 0.4-0.75m), constructed of shale slabs with some larger granite boulders. There are doorways in the W and S walls. There is a full length extension on the S side (int. L 13.5m; int. Wth 3m) and an annexe (int. dims. 4m x 2.9m) attached to the E end of the N wall. Chamfered stone from the pointed arch of the S door lies within the church. The church lies towards the NW corner of a rectangular graveyard (60m N-S; 40m E-W) defined on the N and W sides by a low earth and stone bank (Wth 1.4m) and an external fosse (Wth 1.5m), possibly part of an earlier enclosure. An earthfast granite bullaun (WI018-007004-), with basin cut into the steeply sloping upper surface, lies 35m NW of the site. A second bullaun (WI018-044----) is believed to have been moved from here to a private residence, c. 2km to the NE in Knockraheen, in the late 19th century (pers. comm. C. Corlett).

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Wicklow' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload/revision: 14 February 2013

Revised by: Claire Breen