Ballynoran Church (in ruins)

On a S-facing slope, on a natural rise towards base of slope. Overlooking the River Suir flood plain to the S, in undulating pasture. There is a raised knoll c. 30m N up-slope of the site. The church (dims. 6.7m N-S; 13.95m E-W; wall T 0.9m) is construced of randomly-coursed sandstone and limestone rubble, with a later fifteenth-century phase of roughly coursed limestone blocks. It was renovated in 1977 by the Board of Works under Percy de Clerc. Entered through opposing doorways, that in the N wall has its W side intact, complete with hanging-eye and draw-bar hole, and a stile has been inserted. The S doorway is largely reconstructed, with remains of its original hanging-eye. At the W end of the church cut limestone corbels were inserted to support a first-floor priest's residence or gallery as part of the later fifteenth-century phase. The church was lit by a broken-out single-light window at the E end of the S wall and a sandstone pointed two-light window in the E gable. The W gable has been totally rebuilt as has the E length of the N wall (H 1.5m), E of the doorway. The lower levels of masonry on the E gable (up to window head height) and S wall (H 2m) are of sandstone and limestone rubble, while the walling above consists of limestone blocks. Four architectural fragments are lying in the interior, including two fragments of a curving sandstone door surround and a portion of a door jamb with external chamfer and internal rebate. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011