Graveyard

The National Monuments Service's description

The 17th century parish church (WM038-107006-) and graveyard of St. James in the town of Kilbeggan was located near the western limit of the town (WM038-017----). The present ruins of the 18th/19th century C. of I. church standing in the centre of a disused graveyard probably stands on the site of the parish church and graveyard of Kilbeggan that is listed in the 1606 land grant to Sir Oliver Lambert where it is described as 'a small chapel or church (WM038-017006-) belonging to the town of Kilbeggan, and to the parishioners of said monastery (WM037-017007-)’ (Erck 1846, 268). The patron’s day at Kilbeggan was held on the 24th of July, the eve of the feast of St James (Ó Riain 2011, 93). The site of the Cistercian monastery (WM038-107007-) of Kilbeggan and a graveyard (WM038-017002-) lies 190m to the SSW and S respectively.
The C of I church ruins stands in the N quadrant of a long rectangular shaped graveyard (approx. dims. 95m N-S x 45m E-W) enclosed by a post-1700 stone wall with entrance gate at NE angle. The graveyard contains memorials which mainly date from the post-1700 onwards. A 16th/17th century graveslab (WM038-017014-) belonging to John Nelson was recently unearthed in the E quadrant of the graveyard.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 28 September 2017

References

Erck, J.C. (ed.) 1846-52 A repertory of the inrolments of the patent rolls of chancery in Ireland commencing with the reign of King James I, vol. 1, parts 1-2. Dublin.

Piers, H. 1981 A chorographical description of the county of Westmeath written AD 1682. Meath Archaeologial & Historical Society.

Ó Riain, P. 2011 A dictionary of Irish Saints. Dublin. Four Courts Press.

Bradley, J., Halpin, A., and King, H. 1985 Urban archaeological survey - county Westmeath. Unpublished report commissioned by the Office of Public Works, Dublin.

Lewis, S. 1837 A topographical dictionary of Ireland, 2 vols. London. Lewis and Co.