Grangemockler Church (in ruins)

On the S end of a broad ridge which slopes steeply to the S beyond the graveyard to a small river valley running roughly E-W. In rushy terrain, rough grazing. The church (dims. 7m N-S; 15.9m E-W; wall T 0.9m) is on a rise in the southern part of the graveyard (TS071-019001-) which originally extended further northward. Aligned E-W, it is constructed of sandstone rubble, roughly coursed. Only the E gable (H 5-5.5m) stands to any height. It is heavily ivy clad, though there is a clear area in the interior where a section of wall has been rebuilt with well coursed sandstone blocks. All the remaining walls are visible as low collapsed wall (H 0.7-2m) with only the SE angle being quite well preserved, but this is obscured by ivy. The line of the S wall is largely composed of rubble. There is a gap (Wth 2.5m) mid-way along the N wall which probably indicates the position of the original doorway. There appears to be an external buttress (H c. 2m; Wth 0.65m) at the S end of the E gable. A sandstone shrine has recently been built onto the W end of the N wall. According to the OS Letters (O'Flanagan 1930, vol. 1, 57-8) the 'west gable and north wall are nearly destroyed but the south wall and east gable are in tolerable preservation. The east gable contains a small window placed at the unusual height of fifteen feet [4.5m] from the ground and measuring on the inside, where it is quadrangular, about five feet [1.5m] and three feet [0.9m] in width; on the outside it is constructed of cut limestone pointed at top and measures about three feet [0.9m] in height and not more than six inches [0.15m] in width'. A graveslab (TS071-019002-) possibly of 16th or early 17th-century date was noted within the SE quadrant of the church in the OS Letters (O'Flanagan 1930, vol. 1, 58). Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011