Ruins — Monasterboice

The South Church, according to Macalister (1946, 20), is older and more important than the North church (LH021-062003-) and was clearly the parish church in later medieval times. It is built mainly of greywacke with some sandstone (int. dims. 10.95m E-W; 5.65m N-S), has opposing doorways with reveals, and the remains of one window. It originally consisted of a divided nave and chancel but the chancel arch is almost completely destroyed and blocked up. There are no above-ground remains of the chancel. The earliest phase was a simple rectangular church with a lintelled west doorway dating from about the eleventh century. In a second phase, probably twelfth century, the west doorway was blocked, new doorways were opened in the north and south walls and a chancel, no longer extant, was added at the east end. Illustrations as late as 1866 show the chancel arch still standing. Finally in about the fifteenth century the south wall, which had started to lean outwards dramatically, was partially and clumsily rebuilt and a new window inserted. In the west wall are four stones with a longitudinal groove in each, which have been reused as quoins at each side. These are from an early stone shrine. This is a National Monument, in state ownership: No. 94. The above description is derived from 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. Revised by: Con Manning Date of revision: 11 May 2016