Ecclesiastical enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

In undulating pasture on SW face of low hillock with poorly preserved wall footings of a medieval church (WM035-003----) standing in NE quadrant of graveyard (WM035-003001-) standing inside possible ecclesiastical enclosure (Swan 1988, 11) of a monastery associated with St. Manchán (Managhan/Menaghan/Moynaghan) of Lemanaghan (OF015-004003-). According to local folklore there was an old pilgrimage route running between the monastery of Clonmacnoise (OF005-027001-) and the old churchyard at Killomenaghan which passed through the townland of Cloncraff or Bloomhill (OF006-001002-) where partial remains of the trackway were excavated in 1987 (Breen, Parkes & Bradshaw 1988, 332-3). Curving earthwork visible on aerial photograph (CUCAP BDT 93) in field from N-E suggest the presence of a possible ecclesiastical enclosure although this is not certain as the curving boundary may be a topographical feature following the base of a natural hillock on which the graveyard is situated. This possible ecclesiastical enclosure is intersected at N by a railway line, the curve in the road to SE may follow line of enclosure. A curving ditch in the field to the SW appears to be a drainage ditch while the earthwork in the field to the E may be the result of scarping of a natural hillock on which the graveyard is situated. The earthworks in the field to the NW appear to be the remains of broad cultivation ridges running WNW-ESE of uncertain antiquity. Two holy wells (WM035-003002-; WM035-003003-) dedicated to St. Managhan located inside possible ecclesiastical enclosure.

Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien

Date of upload: 05 August 2014

References

Breen, C.T., Parkes, H. and Bradshaw, R. 1988 Excavation of a roadway at Bloomhill Bog, County Offaly. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 88C, 321-39.

Swan, D.L. 1988 The Early Christian ecclesiastical sites of County Westmeath. In J. Bradley (ed.), Settlement and society in Medieval Ireland: studies presented to F.X. Martin O.S.A., 1-31. Kilkenny. Boethius Press.

CUCAP - Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photographs. Unit for Landscape Modelling, Department of Geography, University of Cambridge. See:https://www.cambridgeairphotos.com