Church in Shrule

Possible remains of a levelled church standing in S quadrant of graveyard (LA032-012005-) associated with the Hartpole family of Shrule Castle (LA032-012001-). Burial ground standing on top of ridge overlooking the River Barrow 40m to the E with Shrule Castle (LA032-012001-) 35m to the SSW. In the late 18th century the site was described as ‘the ancient burial-place of the Hartpole family and its followers for ages. Scattered graves, some green, some russet, denoted the recentness or remoteness of the different interments; and a few broad flag-stones indented with defaced or illegible inscriptions, and covering the remains of the early masters of the domain, just uplifted their mouldering sides from amongst weeds and briars, and thus half disclosed the only objects which could render that cemetery interesting. One melancholy yew tree, spreading wide its straggling branches over the tombs of its former lords and the nave of an ancient chapel (LA032-012004-), (its own hollow trunk proclaiming that it could not long survive) seemed to await, in awful augury, the honor of expiring with the last scion of its hereditary chieftains’ (Barrington 1827, 63). Church was destroyed after 1657 (O'Hanlon and O'Leary 1907, 81, 315-16). Described in the History of the Queen's County as 'There are few ecclesiastical remains at Shrule, but there is a graveyard (LA032-012005-) near Shrule Castle (LA032-012001-). In it are the ruins of an old chapel, and within its nave are the tombs of the Hartpole's and their connexions. Many of the inscriptions there are defaced and illegible (O'Hanlon and O'Leary 1907, 315-16). In the S quadrant of a graveyard are the low grass covered wall footings of the S wall of a building which may be the S wall of a possible church. This wall runs parallel to the S wall of the graveyard and is located 1m N of the graveyard wall. The overgrown condition of the graveyard and the dense cover of vegetation makes it impossible to be certain about the dating and function of this wall. At the W end of the S wall of this structure there is a low curving wall (H 0.5m; wall T 0.45m) of post medieval date. 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 revision: 11 December 2014