Church

The National Monuments Service's description

St Peter's church might be the parish church of Ferns and it is at the N edge of a small D-shaped graveyard (dims. c. 30m E-W; c. 25m N-S) defined by masonry walls. It is situated on a slight bluff overlooking a NW-SE stream c. 100m to the SW with the Cathedral (WX015-003002-) c. 250m to the SW. This is a nave (int. dims. 10.8m E-W; 7.15m N-S) and chancel (int. dims. 6.1m E-W; 5.6m N-S) church that is complete except for the W wall and portions of other walls of the nave. Investigations at the time of its conservation uncovered the original W wall showing that the nave was longer (int. dim. c. 14.6m) (Anon. 1910-1, 5-6). The church has a plain rounded chancel arch (Wth 5m) and two lancet windows at the E end of the chancel. There are small niches in the N, E and S chancel walls. A lancet window in the S wall of chancel has a round-headed embrasure in a green stone decorated with chevrons, probably taken from Clone church (WX015-023001-) c. 2.7km to the SSW. (Harbison 1975, 247)

This is a National Monument in state ownership: No. 133.

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Wexford' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1996). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload/revision: 30 April, 2012

References

Anon. 1909-10 78th annual report of the Office of Public Works. Unpublished report.

Harbison, P. 1975 (2nd. ed. 1992 reprint) Guide to the national monuments in the Republic of Ireland. Gill and Macmillan, Dublin.