Church (in ruins) — Askeaton

St. Mary's medieval parish church in Askeaton was described in The Urban Survey of County Limerick as following; 'The remains of the medieval church are located at the east end of the town, off Church St. to the south. They are situated at the east end of the modern Church of Ireland and well have the same around the south chamber. The third floor consist of the east gable and returns of the north and south walls of the chancel, probably of thirteenth century date with a belfry tower built onto the north. The Chancel The east gable, c. 11.8m wide externally and c. 6.5m high and the returns of the north and south walls, c. 11m long and 4.5m high, survive but are heavily overgrown. The masonry is roughly coursed limestone rubble, and there are traces of plaster internally. In the east wall was a tall splayed window, probably twin-light as it is 1.28m in width, with pointed arch; most of the jambs are missing but those surviving are of limestone, chamfered and rebated in thirteenth century fashion. At the west ends of the north and south walls are the east splays of windows with pointed rear arches, possibly lancets; the south wall also has a blocked window, described by Westropp (1904, 115) as 'a trefoil light within an ogee-headed moulding' i.e. an ogee-headed window with double cusps. This has a segmental rear arch, but it is now so overgrown externally that it is impossible to say whether the jambs are still in position. In the north wall is an unsplayed, round headed doorway leading into the tower. The Tower This tower of two, if not three floors, was built onto the north side of the chancel at a later date. It is c.10.7m square externally and c.10m high. The masonry is roughly coursed limestone rubble, with a strong basal batter 1.5m- 1.75m high on the west, north and east sides. Inside the round headed door on the north wall of the chancel is a taller and wider unsplayed doorway, with traces of plank centering, in the south wall of the tower. The ground floor is lit by rectangular loops, splayed externally as well as internally in the west, north and east walls. The first floor has large unsplayed openings, probably windows, but possibly doorways, in the south/ east and west walls; that in the west wall is round headed and now blocked while those in the south and east walls are rectangular. The walls at this possible second floor level are c.1.5m high and featureless with battlements of uncertain date above over an internal ledge. On the west a modern bell-cote has been erected over the battlements. A view in "Pacata Hibernia" shows a two aisled building with tower at the end of the north aisle' (Bradley et. al. 1985, 74-6). Westropp gives the following details on Askeaton Church; ‘A parish in Connello Lower. The fort of Gephthine, ante 900 (Book of Rights). Easgepthine Castle built 1199 (Ann. Innisfallen). Inniasc(ifty) church, near Tomdeely, 1201. Records are very numerous (R.S.A.I, xxxiii., pp. 25, 153, 239) under the names of Iniskifty, Iniskesty, Hinkesny, Hinckescy, Imkesti, Innesci, Tnyskyfty, Hinksti, &c. Bishop Hubert granted the church to Keynsham, c. 1223 (B.B.L., li.). The heirs of Ric. de Clare held it, 1319 (Plea Rolls); Maurice Earl of Desmond held it, 1349 (Close R.), and his descendants made it their chief residence. The church is named Ynyskyftyn, 1302; Asketten, or Ascetiny, 1410; Inskefti, 1418; Atheskettin, 1551 (Fiant, 961); Ennisketten, 1591 (Valor). Fabric - The church is alleged to have been built by the Templars, 1291. The belfry is square below and octagonal above; the east end of the chancel is standing. There was in 1834 a transept, or aisle, opening out of the church by two arches. Monuments and burial-places of the Taylors, of Ballynort and Hollypark, 1728 ; Westropps, of Ballysteen, 1741; Hewsons; Rose, 1755, &c’ (Westropp 1904-5, 392-3). Compiled by: Denis Power Revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 4 October 2018