Ballytarsna Church (in Ruins), Grave Yard

In grassland at S end of N-S ridge of rock outcrop in undulating countryside with good views in all directions, with a tower house (TS053-006----) 350m to N, moated site (TS053-007----) and ringfort (TS053-008----) 430m to E. The church may have been associated with the Knights Templar in the 13th century when they claimed advowson of this chapel (Wood 1906-07, 368-9). It is built with roughly coursed limestone rubble with side walls (H 4m) and gables (H 2.5m) surviving. It consists of a simple, poorly preserved, ivy-covered rectangular building (int. dims. 6m N-S; 10m E-W; wall T 0.80m) with priest's residence or mausoleum (int. dims. 6m N-S; 3m E-W; wall T 0.8m) built into the W end of the church, now used as a burial place containing 18th/19th-century memorials. At the E end of the interior are four large 18th/19th-century memorials. A possible destroyed doorway or gap (Wth 1.65m) is W of centre, and one broken-out window E of centre, in the N wall. Two broken-out windows are E of centre in the S wall, while a piscina with credence above is located at the E end of this wall. According to the OS letters (1840) this church was known as Templebeg and was lit by four windows, two in the S wall and two in the N wall, with a doorway in the S wall at a distance of 15ft feet [4.5m] in from the W gable (O'Flanagan 1930, vol. 1, 107). In 1840 there is no mention of a chamber in the W end of the building, suggesting that it may have been built in the 19th century as a burial chamber. In the OS letters the church is described as measuring 47 feet 8 inches [14.6m] long and 19 feet 10 inches [6.2m] in breadth (O'Flanagan 1930, vol. 1, 107). Remains of a quarry are located immediately to N of the church. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011