Confey Church

O'Neill (2004-5, 416-9), acknowledging previous studies by O'Keeffe (1985-6, 408-17) and Manning (2002, 18-21), argues for three building phases here: he suggests that an original 11th-century, single cell structure (int. dims. L 8.3m E-W; Wth 4.68m) was converted into a nave when a chancel and chancel arch were added to its E end in the 12th-century (when it was a possession of the diocese of Glendalough), with the building being enlarged again, probably in the 15th-century, when the nave was extended, to the W. At the N end of a graveyard (KD006-003001-) within a possible field system (KD006-017----). A fairly poorly preserved, ivy-clad rectangular structure comprising a well-built nave (int. dims. L 14.5m E-W; Wth. 4.7m) of roughly dressed and coursed, limestone blocks, to the E end of which a smaller (int. dims L 5m E-W; Wth 3m) more crudely built chancel was added, but not bonded. The W end of the nave has collapsed, but the inner face of a doorway (Wth 1.7m) with segmented arch survives towards the W end of the S wall, together with traces of a possible opposing, but now blocked, doorway in the N wall. The nave is lit by two very narrow windows at the E end of the S wall; the more westerly of which is lintelled, while the easterly one although round-arched has a tympanum-stone under the arch giving a square-headed ope. Two similar, opposing windows occur in the chancel, near the E end of it's N and S walls, and there is a third in the E gable wall of the nave (with a similar tympanum to the one in the S wall) which was blocked-up when the round-headed chancel arch (Wth. 2m; H 1.8m), which springs from rectangular abacuses, was inserted. The chancel was lit by a window in its E gable wall which is robbed-out, and by a narrow flat-headed window, now blocked, at the W end of the S wall. The interior contains 18th/19th century burials marked by headstones, and piles of collapsed building stones. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 10 June 2011

Confey Church was originally built in the 11th century as a single-cell structure and later expanded in two additional phases. Its significance lies in its architectural evolution, reflecting early medieval monastic traditions in Ireland.