What is recorded here

Grave Yard in County Laois holds no visible headstones before 1700 AD, yet late medieval dumbell pier bases from the Augustinian Priory still lie scattered among newer stones. The square graveyard measures forty metres north-south and fifty-two metres east-west, with a Church of Ireland building in the south quadrant and the priory in the north. Most memorials cluster east of that church, pointing to a busy burial ground after the cloister fell into ruin. Fragments of the old priory were reused in the graveyard wall, giving the place the character of a room where one house was broken open to make space for another.

All visible headstones post date 1700 AD. A square shaped graveyard (int. dims. 40m N-S; 52m E-W) enclosed by a stone wall with church of Ireland church (LA034-019004-) in S quadrant of graveyard and Auguistinian Priory (LA034-019003-) in N quadrant. It contains many 19th and 20th century headstones. No memorials pre-date 1700 AD. The majority of memorials are to the E of the Church of Ireland church which would have been in the area to the S of the Augustinian Priory. There are numerous architectural fragments littered around the graveyard and incorporated into the graveyard wall. There are several late medieval limestone dumbell pier bases of the cloister scattered around the graveyard. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Laois' (Dublin Stationery Office, 1995) compiled by P. David Sweetman, Olive Alcock and Bernie Moran. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 17 December 2007

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