Kilnaughtin Church (in ruins) — Carhoona

Kilnaughtin Church (Cill Neachtain, Neachtan's Church) ruins in NW quadrant of graveyard (KE003-008001-). Kilnaughtin medieval parish church, also known as the Church of Mhagh an Iúir (Plain of the Yew-Tree) stands in the townland of Carhoona (Na Ceathrúna), parish of Kilnaughtin (Magh an Iubhair), diocese of Ardfert, barony of ​Iraghticonnor (Oireacht Uí Chonchúir). According to the Ordnance Survey Letters the placename Cill Neachtain; 'signifies Church of Saint Neachtain, to whom a Holy Well called Tobar Naghtin, situated in the Townland of Cockhill is dedicated, but I could gather nothing to prove which of the many Saints of that name mentioned in the Irish Calendar he was.” “The old church called Kilnaghtin is situated in the Glebe of the Parish about a mile and a half to the west of the village of Tarbert….there can be no doubt that the present building occupies the site of a more ancient Church' (OSL; O'Donovan 1983, 13). Medieval church ruins now standing in W quadrant of Glebe Land, the boundary of which is depicted on the 1841 ed. OSi 6-inch map. Tobernaughtin holy well (KE003-018----) lies 370m to SSE. According to Culhane (1969), 'Magh an Iubhair, [was] the ancient name of the parish of Kilnaughtin [Tarbert]. The form given by Mícheál Óg Ó Longáin in some of his manuscripts is ‘paróiste Mháinníreach’, which seems to be a corruption of the name'. In 1302 the Ecclesiastical Taxation of the Diocese of Ardfert valued the Church of 'Mac Inwyr' [Mhagh an Iúir] at 20s per annum with the tithe valued at 2s. (Cal. doc. Ire., Vol. 5, 297). In 1597 Queen Elizabeth granted George Isham of Brianstowns, co. Wexford lands which included the 'advowson of the churches' which included Kilnaghtin' which was the 'possessions of Gerald, earl of Desmond, attainted, in Co. Kerry and Desmond' (Nicholls 1994). In 1604 Theobald Burke Baron of Castleconnell, Limerick was regranted his lands from James I which included the advowsons of the rectories, vicarages, churches and parishes of 'Killanghtine' (Erck 1846, 123). In 1607, King James I granted Sir James Fullerton, privy councillor lands which included the rectory of 'Kilnaghtin (Cal. pat. rolls Ire., Jas I, 109). In 1613, King James I granted James Ware lands which included the advowson and right of patronage of 'Killnaghtin' which was 'parcel of the estate of Gerald, late earl of Desmond' (ibid., 257). In 1615 the Royal Visitation of the Diocese of Ardfert recorded the following details; 'Autho [Anthony] Stoughton tenet rectoriam. Vicar of Kilnaghten and Galley. John Memor minister able to catechise. Valoris 4 libri. Church and chancell well' (Murphy 1915, 185). Smith (1756, 70) recorded that 'Kilnaghtin, is one third vicarial, the church in repair. Patron, Anthony Stoughton, Esq.; Proxy 5s.' and that the impropriation of Kilnaghtin rectory which formerly belonged to the dissolved religious houses was granted to 'Samuel Raymond, Esq.' (Smith 1756, 72). Church ruins described in 1841 as follows; 'Its walls are in good preservation and evidently not more than four centuries old, but there can be no doubt that the present building occupies the site of a more ancient church. It measures on the inside eighty-five feet nine inches [26m] in length and twenty feet [6m] in breadth, and its walls, which are of considerable height, are three feet four inches [1m] in thickness, and built of hammered stones cemented with lime and sand mortar. It was not divided into nave and choir like the generality of churches of its age and extent, but a part of the western end, seventeen feet [5.2m] in length, is separated from the rest by a gable which does not look as old as the east or west ones. The east window is of considerable size and formed of cut limestone in the pointed style. The other windows are also of cut stone and some pointed and others quadrangular, but not worthy of minute description. The doorway is on the south side and formed of cut stone in the plain pointed style' (O'Donovan 1983, 13). Kilnaughtin church ruins described by Toal (1995, no. 930) as follows; 'This is a long rectangular church, measuring externally c 28m x 8m, with 1m thick walls constructed of hammered stones with lime-and-sand mortar. This church was not divided into nave and choir like many of its contemporaries of the 15th century. However, a section of its W end is separated from the rest by a gable which does not appear to be contemporary with the E and W ones. The doorway is on the S side and is formed of cut limestone in the pointed style. A holy water stoup can be seen to the right on the inside of the door. The windows are both pointed and rectangular in style. The E window is formed of cut limestone in the pointed style and measures 0.7m in width externally and 1.3m internally. '. In 2010 a graveyard survey carried out by Laurence Dunne recorded the following details: 'Kilnaughtin Church stands to full height with only the apex courses and the weather coping of the gables missing. The battered walls are constructed of local random rubble sandstone and shale flagstones built to courses and bedded in a gritty lime mortar. Dressed limestone was used for all openings, quoins and other featured masonry. The medieval parish church is a simple rectangular structure similar in scale, thickness of walls, stylistically and architecturally similar to Aghavallen [KE002-058----] and Carrigafoyle churches [KE002-043001-], including gallery or loft at the western end, double entry intra mural stoups inside the south entrance doorway and many other shared features. Internally the side elevations also feature a very finely dressed chamfered limestone corbel course that contiguously project along the uppermost level at the east end of the south and north elevations. The corbel course carried the wall plate onto which the roof timbers were fixed. This feature is similar to Killeen Cowpark Church [LI011-065001-] in Limerick (Leask 1985, 86-7). The east gable is centrally pierced by a substantial ogee headed twin-lit 15th or possibly 16th century window whose mullion has disappeared. Externally the east window features a hood moulding whose terminals are completed in a wonderful flourish depicting a vine leaf motif. Internally the east area of the church has a large ugly concreted area with steps up to it. A rectangular shelf slab projects from the north-east corner near a small possible aumbry on the north elevation. Opposite on the south wall and now unfortunately level with the modern raised concreted area is a cinquefoil piscina. The western end of the church had a 5.5m loft or gallery as is evidenced internally from the support corbels, beam holes, larger upper windows and intra mural cupboards. The west gable has a narrow flat lintelled rectangular slit window set within a stepped straight sided embrasure. A reused dressed limestone is built into the base of the north side of the embrasure and has a hemisphere cut from its base. The fenestration arrangement of the church consists of eight windows, five on the south elevation and three on the north. One window on the south gable is much larger and robbed out and may have had twin lights. At the west end the upper level windows are taller than the lower and interestingly also have a simple horizontal projecting stone or drip-flag over some of the head of the windows and also an aperture under the sills to let water out. Splayed embrasures have sloping bases to channel out the water. Many embrasures also feature shutter sockets. The main doorway is situated on the south elevation towards the west end. The pointed doorway is constructed of dressed limestone and has a projecting hood or canopy of undressed flagstone over it. On the interior right hand angle of the doorway is a neat double entry bi-partite stoup, 600mm x 380mm x 400mm. The bottom stone of which forms the basin while the uppermost has two pointed arched entry apertures, 140mm wide x 130mm high with chamfered outer e