Knocknagapple Church (in ruins)

On the summit of a hill, the church is located towards the W end of a long rectangular graveyard (TS086-030001-). The parish church of Templetenny is mentioned in the Civil Survey (1654-6), 'The sd pish includeing the two Chapples of Ease therein comonly called Kilmolash & Tampletunny lyinge and beinge in the Barony of Iffay and Offay' (Simington 1931, vol.1, 373). The long nave and chancel church (ext. dims. at least 21.5m E-W x 8.15-9.2m N-S), now in a bad state of repair, is constructed of sandstone rubble, roughly coursed, with small stones used throughout. Only the W gable (H c. 6m), with bellcote, and chancel arch survive to any great extent. The N wall of the nave has been rebuilt to a height of 1.4m, the S wall to a height of 0.35m. The SW angle has been reconstructed, but the wall-footings appear to continue S for another 1m beyond this. An opening (Wth 2.45m) at the W end of the S wall may be the the location of the original doorway. Of the chancel, only a portion of the S wall survives to a height of 1.15m above ext. Only the NW angle survives intact, the quoins formed of very crude blocks. The external face of the W gable (T 0.84m) and the short length of the original N wall (T 0.8m) have a base-batter (Wth 0.3m; H 1.6m). The W gable appears to indicate a very steep-pitched roof. This gable is surmounted by a single bellcote with a pointed arch. In the centre of the W gable there is a window embrasure with splayed ingoing, but of the single light only the S jambs and sill survive. According to the OS Letters it was flat-headed (O'Flanagan 1930, vol.1, 19). The pointed chancel arch (H 2.1m; Wth 2.6m) has been rebuilt or repaired with cement mortar. Tie stones for the N wall of the chancel project from the E face of the W chancel wall (H c. 6m). A number of architectural fragments in the church interior and graveyard include three jambs and one coping stone. At least one cut stone block may have been a quoinstone. All jamb fragments (int. width 0.12-0.14m) have an external chamfer (0.1m wide) and two have an internal rebate. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011

Knocknagapple Church, a ruined structure on a hilltop, was likely built in the 17th century as the parish church of Templetenny, mentioned in the Civil Survey (1654–56). Its significance lies in its historical role as a local place of worship and its association with the early ecclesiastical landscape of the region.