St Marys Church — Bawn

Built with limestone rubble and greywacke. Bellcote at W. Traceried window at E is a mixture of late medieval and nineteenth century work in limestone. S and N traceried windows are all of nineteenth-century limestone, but there are stone human head stop-mouldings on all of them which are late medieval, probably sixteenth-century in date. Another head appears over the apex of the arch of the E window. Church has undivided nave and chancel (ext. dims c. 12.6m E-W, c. 7.7m N-S) and is almost certainly fifteenth or sixteenth century in date, through it has later alterations and additions. The Episcopal Visitation of 1690 records: 'Church not in repair since the wars…' (Leslie 1908, 148-53). (CLAJ 1942, 107). This is a National Monument, in state guardianship: No. 480. The above description is derived from both the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Louth' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1986) and the 'Archaeological Survey of County Louth' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1991). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of revision: 17 July 2007