Indicated — Inchcleraun

On the E shore of Inchleraun, c. 15m to the SSW an ecclesiastical enclosure (LF021-048001-). This is one of six churches on the island, four of which are located within the enclosure, see ‘Templedermot’ (LF021-48002-) c. 100m to the NNE , ‘Templemore’ (LF021-048004-) c. 95m to the NE, ‘Templemurry’ (LA021-048006-) c. 120m to the NNE, and the Church of the Dead (LF021-048003-) c. 120m to the N. The sixth church ‘Clogas’ (LF021-046----) is c. 450m to the NW. Bigger (1900, 79-80) identified this church as 'The Women's Church', suggesting that it may have been 'the Church of Saint Mary or the church for the women of the settlement, and entirely devoted to their use'. It comprises an undivided church (ext. dims. 12.6m E-W; 8m N-S; wall T 0.85m) constructed of very large, roughly coursed limestone blocks. None of the walls survive to their original height. Traces of a blocked-up doorway are visible at the W end of the N wall. It accessed a small square-shaped structure (int. dims. 2.84m N-S; 2.84m E-W) that was built against the NW corner. Hills (1860, 338) noted another structure off the W gable and referred to it as ‘a western porch or other external building'. There is no trace of a doorway between it and the W gable. No architectural features survive though Hills (ibid.) recorded two windows, one in the W gable and the remains of one in the N wall. An architectural fragment, decorated with Romanesque ornament, has been incorporated into the E gable. The fragment is a hood-moulding terminal decorated with the head of a mythical beast and dates from the 13th century. An altar at the E end of the church was placed there by the Board of Works (Bigger 1900, 79). Decorated jambstones dating to the early 13th century, possibly from a window, are incorporated into it. A cross-slab (LF021-048009-) was located close to this church (ibid., 80-81). Carved stone inventory No. 2955 represents a Romanesque sandstone label stop (H 0.25m x Wth 0.11m x D 0.11m) set into the wall over the right side of the altar in Teampall na Mban. Label stop for the right hand side of a round headed arch. The stop is carved in the shape of a beast head with a section of a pelletted hood mould springing from its head. Stone ID No. 2957 represents a voussoir (H 0.34m x Wth 0.69m x D 0.32m) carved on the arris with a roll and fillet flanked by two keels. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Revised by: caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 20 February 2023