Straboe Church (in Ruins) — Straboe

Situated on a low rise of ground on the demesne lands of Shaen House with good views in all directions. Shaen Castle (LA008-013001-) is 1km to the NNE. The N and W walls of this multi-period church were rebuilt in the 19th century when the interior of the church was converted into the private burial place of the Kemmis family of Shaen House. The demesne wall around the church was built in 1810 by the Kemmis family and the W gabel of the church may have been rebuilt at this time. The medieval nave and chancel church is marked on the 1563 map of Leix and Offaly (Hore 1863, f.p. 345). The poor condition of this church was described in the early 1900s as consisting of only 'one ivy-capped gable [which] stands beside the public road, with a few fragments of side-walls' (O'Hanlon & O Leary 1907, 321). In the 1302-06 Ecclesiastical Taxation of Ireland, the church of 'Strobe' [Straboe] is valued at 3 marks (Cal. doc. Ire. vol. 5, 251). The medieval church originally consisted of a nave (int. dims. 7.2m E-W; 5.7m N-S; wall T 0.85m) and chancel (int. dims. 4.55m E-W; 5.15m N-S; wall T 0.64m) church, built of limestone, with a round-headed chancel arch (Wth 1.4m; Wall T 0.9m) of 17th century date, which appears to have replaced an earlier wider chancel arch (Wth 1.6m) of 15th / 16th century date. The chamfered and punch dressed cut stone voussoirs of this earlier chancel arch can be seen lying on the ground at the W end of the nave. The chancel arch was blocked up in the 19th century when a brick-vaulted crypt was inserted into the floor of the chancel. The chancel arch has been opened up during a recent graveyard clean up scheme. The chancel was lit by an unlgazed single light (Wth 0.18m) ogee-headed sandstone window set into a square-headed embrasure (Wth 1m) placed high in the centre of the E gable. A doorway was inserted into the centre of the N wall of the chancel in the 19th century when the brick vaulted crypt was inserted into the floor of the chancel. At this time the N wall of the nave and chancel was rebuilt and the chancel arch was blocked up turning the chancel into a private burial place of the Kemmis family. It is possible that the S wall of the chancel may have been also rebuilt or refaced during this period. There is no opening or any architectural feature in the S wall of the chancel. A rebuilt doorway (Wth 1m) of 19th century date is located at the W end of the N wall of the nave giving access to the interior of the church. There are no window openings in the rebuilt N and W walls of the nave. A square-headed unglazed twin light mullioned window of 17th century date is located at the E end of the S wall of the nave. The mullion of this window no longer survives and the chamfered limestone jambs have iron grill holes visible. This window was inserted in the first half of the 17th century and does not appear to be contemporaneous with the earlier ogee-headed sandstone window in the E wall. Memorials dating from the 18th and 19th century are located in the graveyard (LA013-005002-) to the S and E of the church. The line of the Portlaoise Water Supply Improvement pipeline was excavated by Thaddeus Breen under licence no. 96E313 along the side of the road opposite the church. Two pits were found, containing animal bone, charcoal and slag. Some brick was present in one pit, suggesting a late date. No trace of any enclosing ditch was found. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Laois' (Dublin Stationery Office, 1995) compiled by P. David Sweetman, Olive Alcock and Bernie Moran. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled by Caimin O'Brien Date of upload/revision: 06 December 2010