Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ecclesiastical enclosure
Killomenaghan, County Westmeath, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Killomenaghan
- County
- Westmeath
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Coordinates
- 53.37534, -7.84118
- SMR number
- WM035-003004-
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
4 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1790 map "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1790 · Composite: Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1811 · Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1869 · Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1891 · Ireland 16 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
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
Nearby in the register
- Churchunder 1 mi
- Graveyardunder 1 mi
- Ritual site - holy wellunder 1 mi
- Ritual site - holy wellunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.