Church in Killyon

Situated at the bottom of a N-facing slope with the W-E River Deel c. 35m to the N. A church at Killyon is listed in the ecclesiastical taxation (1302-06) of Pope Nicholas IV (Cal. doc. Ire., 5, 257). Ussher describes the church and chancel of Killian as ruinous (Erlington 1847-64, xcix). According to Dopping (1683-5) only the church walls were standing and it was not enclosed (Ellison 1973, 10). The parish church of Killyon is within a subrectangular graveyard (dims c. 40m N-S; c. 35m E-W) that has only modern boundaries of wooden and wire fences. The graveyard has headstones dating from 1757 to 1977. Only the E wall (T 0.95m) and parts of N (int. L 7.4m) and S (int. L 6.2m) walls survive to any extent (max. H 2.5m) of a single cell structure (int. dims 8.35m plus E-W; 5m N-S) that has a destroyed window embrasure (Wth 1.34m) in the E wall and another (Wth 1.43m) in the N wall. A headstone in the church erected in 1787 commemorates seven members of the 18th century Dominican friary at Donore (ME041-007----) c. 2km to the ENE, who are buried here, the earliest date being 1737 (Cogan 1862-70, 1, 309). The holy well (ME041-006002-) is c. 20m to the E. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Meath' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1987).