Killabban Church (in ruins) — Killabban

Situated on a low rise of ground with good views in all directions with llevelled motte castle (LA026-013001-) 230m to the S. Founded by St Abban in 650 whose feastday is given as the 16th of March (O'Hanlon and O'Leary 1907, vol. 1, 247-49). The burgeses of Killabban gave 60s. yearly for their burgage in 1348. Killabban was defended by The Earl of Kildare in wars against the O'Mordha of Slemargy around 1358. The Borough declined in the late fourteenth century (Bradley et. al. 1986, 37). The church is listed in the ecclesiastical taxation of the diocese in 1302-06 (Cal. doc. Ire., 249). This church was described in the late 19th century as consisting of a 'nave and chancel; nave, 45 feet by 22; chancel, 28 feet by 22. The chancel arch remains; it is 15 feet wide and Norman in style. The entrance-door is in the west gable, it is 3 feet in width, and is round-headed. There is a long lancet window in the east-end, part of the stone casing of which remains, and shows it to have been well-wrought. There appears to be a gable campanile at the west end, but the ruin is so completely covered with luxuriant ivy that it is impossible to trace its archtectural features satisfactorily. The fragments of a stone coffin (LA026-013005-) are scattered about within the walls of the church' (Comerford 1886, vol. 3, 71). The present remains consist of a poorly preserved ivy clad multi-period nave (int. dims. 13.25m E-W; 7.1m N-S; wall T 0.9m) and chancel (int. dims. 9.45m E-W; 6.75m N-S) church, of coursed limestone rubble. The nave appears to pre-date the chancel which was added in the thirteenth century, with later fifteenth/sixteenth-century alterations to the windows of the chancel (Bradley 1986, 37). The original two-light E window, which had granite jambs,was replaced by a single light of moulded and chamfered limestone. The remains of a broken out doorway (Wth 1.85m) are located at the W end of S wall. A second round-headed doorway (Wth 0.95m) with drawbar slot visible in S jamb is located in the centre of the W wall. This doorway was blocked up in the 19th century when a memorial to the Moore family was erected in this entrance. There is no evidence of any window in the N wall of the nave. A possible broken out window may have been located in the gap at the W end of the S wall. The chancel is entered through a wide round-headed chancel arch (Wth 3.9m). There is no evidence of any cut stone in the construction of the chancel arch which is built with thin slabs set on edge forming the round-headed archway. The ground level of the chancel is presently 1m above that of the nave. There is evidence for a blocked up ope or window at the E end of the S wall of the chancel and the remains of an ivy clad window opening in the centre of the S wall of the chancel. There is evidence of a possible blocked up window embrasure at the E end of the N wall of the chancel. The window in the centre of the E gable is now covered in ivy making detailed examination of this window impossible. The dense cover of ivy on all faces of the wall of the nave and chancel church make detailed examination of the fabric of this church impossible. The remains of broken sarcophagus (LA026-013005-) were recorded in the chancel along numerous pieces of medieval cut stone visible in graveyard (LA026-013002-), some used as grave-markers. In 1985 a stone carving of 15th century date consisting of a figure, possibly a soldier, carved in relief was recorded amongst the memorials in the graveyard to the S of the church doorway in the S wall of the chancel (King 1985/6, 492). This carved stone may have been part of the stone coffin described by Comerford in the late 19th century. None of these fragments could be located. 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: 6 December 2010