St Colemans Cathedral — Townparks (imokilly By., Cloyne Par.)

Cruciform cathedral consisting of aisleless choir, aisled nave, transepts and chapter house projecting from N side of choir. Core of building appears to be late thirteenth century in date but extensively repaired and restored on at least four occasions (1705, 1774-6, 1856 and 1893-4) since the 'thorough repair' of 1642 (Caulfield 1882, 16-7). In 1705 battlements taken down and entire nave, aisles and transept re-roofed; choir also enlarged 'to the furthest foot of the first arch in the nave', chapter house rebuilt. In 1774-6 'Great Arch' taken down, presumably the chancel arch (ibid., 34), transept arches blocked and present blocking wall between nave and chancel built. Alterations in 1856 caused complaints that W end of church, 'from all appearances....of the Transition period', had been 'completely cemented over, cut stone, mouldings, foliaged capitals and all!' (Fitzgerald 1856, 34-5); both nave arcade and W door surrounds are still entirely covered by rendering. Also at this stage new choir windows inserted, also probably aisle windows and those in N transept. During 1893-4 choir entirely re-roofed, replacing 'the old lath-and-plaster ceiling ' (The Irish Builder, May 15, 1893). With all these alterations very little of medieval fabric is evident today. S transept has windows of c. 1270 (Leask 1966, vol. 2, 118): S window is blocked up but what survives of its light shows 'five graduated, trefoil-pointed lancets' (ibid.); E wall has 'a triplet flanked by similar pairs' (ibid.), while W wall has a single pair; near apex of S gable is small trefoil window, also blocked up. On each external corner are graduated buttresses with edge roll mouldings. Internally, window embrasures are framed by engaged columns with floriated capitals. E window of choir has reticulated tracery which could be early 14th century in date (see Stalley 1984, 78), but Jackson (1971, 71) dates it to 15th century. Pointed door in N wall of N aisle has human mask and 'quatrefoil doodle' cut in chamfer, whose 'stops effloresce upwards in free foliage' (Craig 1982, 73; see ill. JCHAS 1892, 110-1); probably 13th or 14th century in date. Divine worship has been confined to choir area for some time. Monuments in Cathedral are listed by Caulfield (1882, 40-46). In N transept is altar tomb of Fitzgeralds, seneschals of Imokilly (Graves 1868, 536-7); much damaged in 1862 during renovations but chest remains with plaque dated 1611 and fragments of two kneeling figures, clad in plate armour of late 16th/17th century style. Set in floor of nave are two slightly wedge-shaped grave slabs, one with supported Latin cross, the second with floriated cross and shaft atop calvary with inscription and date 1577. At W end of N aisle is stone font removed here from near Aglish, in Muskerry; octagonal base, shaft and font, with plain panels; possibly late 14th/15th century in date (see Roe 1968, 13). During 1776 renovations at entrance to choir 'a row of graves' were found 'consisting of brick coffins (if they can be so called), exactly suited to the shape of the bodies they contained' (Caulfield ibid, 34): similar discovery made in 1894 at E end of choir when 'three coffin-shaped structures of masonry' were found side by side' (Fleming 1894, 129). Cloyne founded by Colman mac Lenine in sixth century; not chosen as see at Rathbreasail (1111 AD) but had a bishop by mid-twelfth century; dean and chapter first mentioned in 1126 and first Norman bishop was Nicholas of Effingham (1284-1321) (Gwynn and Hadcock 1988, 65). See united with Cork for most of 15th, 16th and 17th centuries; separate bishopric 1678 to 1835, then once more united to Cork and Ross (Fallow 1894, 42). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 2: East and South Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1994). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009