Church (in Ruins) — Mainham

On the level S-end of a low, narrow, N-S pasture ridge, c. 100m to the NE, upslope, of a fine motte and bailey (KD014-007----) and a small enclosure (KD014-007003-). A possible medieval village (KD014-007002-) may also have been located in the vicinity. Stands to the E of centre in a graveyard (KD014-006002-). A simple rectangular church (int. dims. L 19.1m E-W; Wth 6m) is fortified by a poorly preserved, single-storied, rectangular tower (int dims. Wth 3.4m E-W; traceable L 2.5m N-S) abutting the W gable wall, and by a second, later, well-preserved, two-storied, rectangular tower (int. dims. L 4.4m E-W; Wth 3.06m N-S) attached to the SE corner. Restoration of the church in 1985 resulted in rebuilding and repointing which altered/obscured original features and a low concrete plinth (Wth 0.3m; av. H 0.15m) abuts the base of each wall, except for part of the S wall of the church. The church is built of small, roughly coursed, undressed limestone blocks and flags (av. wall T 1.12m). It is entered through a fine, round-arched, granite doorway (Wth 1.43m; H 2.35m) with chamfered jambs, towards the W end of the S wall. A second, opposing doorway (Wth 1.45m) in the N wall is blocked up and its top is robbed-out. Embrasures show that the church was lit to E of centre by two windows in the S wall and a third in the N wall, all of which are blocked-up. A small rectangular ope (dims. L 0.26m; Wth 0.26m) occurs to the E of the window embrasure in the N wall and a narrow loop (Wth 0.15m; H 0.42m) pierces the N wall at its E end. This loop has an externally splaying embrasure suggesting the former presence of an external structure of which no visible trace survives. Both gable walls have been rebuilt without windows. The W gable wall is featureless but the E gable wall contains the S side of a blocked loop-embrasure at its N end, and a doorway (Wth 1m), with a robbed-out top, at the S end giving access down two steps (D 0.26m) to a later fortified tower, standing off-line, to the SE of the church. The tower itself has three, small, projecting corner towers; the ones on the NE and SE corners being solid, while the third, slightly larger one on the SW corner contains a spiral stairs with cap-house. The ground floor is lit by a fine single light, ogee-headed, limestone window with hood-moulding in the S wall. The window sill is chamfered while the inner faces of the jambs have scotia moulding. A blocked window embrasure in the E wall contains a 19th century headstone. Opposing beam-slot holes in the N and S walls mark first-floor level, but the floor has been removed. A small, plain, square-headed doorway (Wth 0.55m; H1.4m) in the SW corner gives access to the stairs which are lit by plain loops looking S at ground and first-floor level and by a loop looking W between the two floor levels. First-floor level is accessed through a plain, square-headed doorway (Wth 0.48m; H 1.6m) off the stairs, and is lit by a plain rectangular window in the S wall. At the top of the stairs a small caphouse contains a plain doorway (Wth 0.43m; H 1.6m) which opens to the E allowing access to a narrow wall-walk (Wth 0.8-1.12m) and rebuilt parapets capped with concrete. Abutting the W gable wall of the church, the N wall and part of the W wall of an older tower survive. The N wall contains the lower courses of the springing of a barrel vault with two large corbel stones below, and there is a fine double-splayed loop in the W wall. The scar-line of a possible doorway (Wth c. 1m) between the tower and church is visible only on the outer face of the W gable wall of the church. A low wall (H 0.75-1.1m; Wth 0.8m) abutting the S wall of the church encloses a rectangular area (int. dims. L 8.65m E-W; Wth 4.7m N-S) containing 19th century graves and a cross-inscribed stone (KD014-006003-). Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 10 June 2011