Killevy Churches

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A long rectangular block aligned E-W and comprising two medieval churches. They were original separated by a 10m gap but the side walls of the E church were extended to meet the gable of the W church.

Both sections are roofless with random rubble granite walls, all recently re-pointed. All dressings are granite. The W church is earlier.

1. West Church.
West gable has squared granite quoins at left end and a door opening to centre with massive dressed granite lintel and block jambs.
North elevation is blank. East gable has a small segmental-headed window opening to centre. South elevation is ruinous and not to full height. It is abutted to left end by a small rectangular walled structure with a low lintelled opening into church.

2.East Church
North elevation contains a door opening at left with dressed granite jambs and flat head. East gable, which is strongly battered to its base, has the remains of a finely dressed stone coping on moulded kneelers. To centre is a Gothic window opening with irregular stone voussoirs and dressed chamfered jambs with figurative heads (that to left is crowned).. South elevation is a flat headed window opening set at right. Original W gable completely gone.

Churchyard is enclosed by a rubble stone boundary wall with lime strap pointing (repointed with cement in places). A pair of cement rendered (square in section) gate piers with chamfered corners and pyramidal concrete caps supports a pair of wrought iron gates. The churchyard contains a range of memorials, mostly 18th and 19thC. All face E and include engraved field stones, slate and stone memorials. To the rear of churchyard is the McCoy burial plot enclosed with wrought-iron railings.

Historical information

The West Church is the older of the two. Its W wall with massive lintelled door may date from the 10th or 11th C. The rest of the church is 12thC. The East church is 13thC with a decorated 15thC east window. In the 5thC a nunnery was founded here by St Monnina (also called St Dareaca or St Bline), thought to have been a sister of St Patrick. A nearby well has been dedicated to her (HB16/13/044).

Scheduled Monument number SMR Armagh 21:30

Primary Sources:
1. State Care and Scheduled Monuments List, EHS, 1998.

Secondary Sources:
1. C.E.B. Brett, 1999, Buildings of County Armagh, p.16 (Belfast, UAHS).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

An exceptional survival of a medieval church set within a churchyard, retaining many interesting features.