Killelton Church (in ruins) — Killelton (corkaguiny By.)

National Monument No. 593. Killelton Church and graveyard/Cill Eilthín: Situated on the lower N slopes of Gearhane mountain, overlooking Tralee Bay, this site consists of a rectangular enclosure, within which are the remains of a small oratory and 2 rectangular buildings. Oratory: The rectangular drystone oratory is located in the E sector of the enclosure. Hickson (1886, 499) has suggested that the Eccia de Glen... in the Papal Taxation List (1302-7) for the deanery of Offerba (Cal. doc. Ire. V, 295) may refer to this oratory, listed under the name Eccia de Gleann-faisi. The building is in poor condition with the N, S and W walls considerably distorted and bulging, and the SE quoin joggled out of position by a tree. The walls are built mainly of rubble, but roughly coursed, dressed sandstone blocks are used in much of the interior. The N wall survives to a maximum height of 1.95m above the exterior, the lower .86m consisting of a plinth which projects c. 0.3m and dies into the external wall face at the NW corner. The remaining walls stand to a height of .9 to 1.2m, but the external face of the W wall is largely defaced. They vary considerably in width but the E and W gables are 1.1m thick where best preserved. The interior measures 4.87m E-W x 3.7m and 3.15m in width at the W and E ends respectively. The doorway, now lacking its lintelled head, is located in the centre of the W wall and stands to a maximum height of 1.4m. The ingoings are constructed of well-dressed sandstone blocks, now very distorted, but the opening was c. 0.6m in width. A draw bar socket preserved on the S ingoing leads to a small rectangular niche which opens onto the inner face of the wall. The splayed E window, .8m above the ground level on the interior, also lacks its head and is defaced externally. The ope survives to a maximum height of .74m and is .45m wide on the interior. The ingoings are constructed of neatly-dressed blocks and the sill plunges to the interior. Restoration work carried out by the OPW in 1984 has considerably improved the condition of the oratory and revealed a greater height of the walls. It has also revealed that a large blocked-up opening, of unknown function, existed at the S end of the E wall. The blocking masonry has been removed and the opening measures .85m in width and lies .37m above the internal floor level. During the restoration work, 2 fragments of a decorated quernstone were found, decorated face down, near the centre of the N wall, about 1.7m above ground level. Also found at the site was a holed stone similar to the pivot stones over the doorway at Gallarus Oratory (KE042-071004-). (Information: Grellan Rourke, OPW). See attached photograph courtesy of Amanda Clarke The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 852. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 8 August 2013 This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 1/1983).