Church

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on the S side of a low E-W spur where the Cistercian abbey (WX039-030001-) is located c. 120m to the NE. It is on the flood-plain of the estuary of the ENE-WSW Campile River, and on the N side of a small SE-NW stream c. 50m E of where the stream joins a N-S section of the Campile. This is the Capella ante portas (lay chapel or parish church) of Dunbrody Abbey (WX039 030001-), the W wall of which forms part of the perimeter of a rectangular graveyard (dims c. 48m N-S; c. 20m E-W) defined by masonry walls.

The church is a rectangular building oriented E-W (ext. dims. 11.6m E-W; 6.7m N-S; int. dims 9.3m E-W; 4.75m N-S) surviving almost to roof level (H 2.5m) with complete gables, except the N wall (H 1.8m), the outer face of which is damaged. The walls are in poor condition and overgrown with ivy. There are sandstone quoinstones with a chamfer at the NW angle, suggesting a date contemporary with the abbey but the church was probably re-vamped when the Ethchinghams lived in the abbey after the Suppression (WX039-030002-). The W doorway (Wth 1.15m) has a flat arch and may be inserted or re-built. There is a pointed niche in the inner face of the S wall towards the W end. There is a large limestone rectangular window (Wth 0.95m), originally of two lights, with a square hood moulding in the E gable. The W wall of the church is built over two piers of the gatehouse (WX039-029001-) immediately to the W, and is later than it.

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: 25 January, 2013