St Marys Church (in Ruins) — Mallow (fermoy By.)

In Mallow; part of N boundary of graveyard (14606). Former C of I parish church of Mallow; dedicated to St Anne though named 'St Mary's' on OS 6-inch map. Comprises roofless rectangular nave (int.: 23.48m E-W; 8.03m N-S) with tower at W end and apse at E end. Nave built of random-rubble limestone with quoins, walls topped by concave ashlar cornice. Five round-headed window opes in S wall, of roughly-dressed stones; at W end partially blocked door ope. Nave gable-ended to W, with central ground-floor door giving entry from tower. Ledge and joist holes at W end of nave indicate position of gallery, access to which was gained through 1st-floor door in tower (now blocked). Curved apse added to E end of nave; central part of apse wall now completely missing. Tall 4-storey tower (2.94m E-W; 3.62m N-S) added to W end of nave: two upper storeys divided by band course on external elevation. Blocked entrance door in S wall. Bluntly pointed door ope in W wall gave access to stairs up to gallery door- part of timber stairs in situ. Interior of church long used for burial; earliest plaque, on N wall, is dated 1694; beneath church is burial vault of Jephson family of Mallow Castle (14273). Church is late 17th/early 18th century appearance- similar in design to Ballynamona C of I Church (9571). In 1692 reported that 'church much damnified in the late wars, but since well repaired' (Brady 1863, vol. 2, 322-333). By 1817 church considered beyond repair, and by 1820 replaced by St James Church built immediately to W and design by Pain brothers (Caplice 1990, 36-38): random-rubble-limestone construction with cut stone detail; wide rectangular nave with shallow gabled transepts at E end and smaller gabled projections at W end; buttresses on corners; chancel to E flanked by one storey embattled vestry/store; pointed window opes throughout with cut stone surrounds. Originally built to accommodate 800 persons, much improved in 1873 with removal of galleries reducing capacity to about half with new seating and heating system installed (ibid.). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 4: North Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2000). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009