Ardaneena Church (in ruins)

On the NE-facing slope of a small but pronounced hillock, under tillage. A similar hillock c. 160m to the SE is occupied by Wilton House. There are good views in all directions. The OS Letters (1839) describe, 'the western doorless windowless gable, of what the people take to have been an old Church, whose foundation may be traced fifty two feet [15.8m] in length and eighteen [c. 5.5m] in breadth. They call it by the name of Árt an Fhíona' (O'Flanagan ed. 1930, vol. 1, 108 (36)). According to Carrigan (1905, vol. 2, 3365-6), the church, 'has been all removed except part of the west gable. Both the gables, also fragments of the side-walls, remained till less than eighty years ago. Attached to the outside of the remaining gable there is a small, low, square building, the entrance to which was from the church; it was covered with a stone roof at the top and was loopholed in the sides. It evidently served as a locker or safe for the vestments, altar vessels, &c., of the church. There is no appearance of a graveyard. The true name of this church is Teampull Bhuirghiasa Mhóir...."Ardaneena Church," the name given it on the Ordnance Map, is absolutely without foundation'. Healy (1874-9, 43) states that when he visited there was, 'only a small portion of the western gable standing, and an opening connected with it seems to have led to a special staircase'. The church is not visible at ground level. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 15 May 2019