Church (in ruins) — Churchtown

In centre of graveyard (LI036-024002-). Only W end of church now stands consisting of W gable (Wth 7.4m), W end of N wall (L 10.1m) and W end of S wall (L 8.7m); walls stand to full height except most of S wall which is reduced to a few courses. Built of random rubble limestone; walls partially overgrown with ivy. Interior walls thickly coated with plaster; interior overgrown with elder and nettles. W gable has two central doors, one directly above the other, and there is a window ope in N wall; all three show plaster scars for wooden frames. Inside top of N wall thickened by 45-degree inset. Atop W gable is stump of bellcot. Against outside of W gable are remains of a gabled porch. Area once occupied by E end of church now filled with 18th and 19th century burial vaults, one of these a classical limestone Mausoleum. Flat limestone slab in NW corner of surviving portion of church, has date of 1705. O'Donovan (OSL Vol. 2, 16) considered this ruin 'not more than 150 years old', i.e. remains of late 17th-century C of I church which was replaced by new church on different site in 1777 (Westropp 1904-5, 406). Not enough of structure survives to date it accurately on architectural grounds, though surviving features not incompatible with late-17th century date. However, core of church could be late-medieval though its position outside the medieval town walls (LI036-07001-) make it unlikely location for such a church. Westropp (1904-5, 406) recorded the following details about Newcastle; 'Novo Castro, 1291; Manor mill, worth 6s. 8d., and vicarage, 100s., in 1298 (C.S.P.L, vol. iv., p. 256); church destroyed in war, 1302; castle and manor, Novi castri de O'Conello, 1306 (Plea R., p.841); Stephen de Clynton, parson,1326 (Mem. R., 29, No. 586); church dedicated to St. David, March 1, 1410; in good condition, 1615; Castleno, alias Newcastle, on the stream of Owgarry, 1586 (Peyton, p. 154) Caislen nua, 1579 (A.F.M.). The manor was worth 60s. on death of Maurice, Earl of Desmond, 1358 (Cal. Dublin Cas., p. 256). Fabric - There were two churches, one of late seventeenth century at Churchtown, near St. David's "Well. The I. C. church "is on the site of the other," Order to change churches of Newcastle and Monagay to Newcastle, 1775 (L.M.H., pt. v., p. 176). The modern church was built, 1777, by W., Viscount Courtenay, who granted the site. Monument - Robert, son of Francis Lloyd, of Carnarvon, died 1714. The castle [LI036-067002-) is an alleged templary, founded 1184'. Church ruins described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 208-09) as following; 'This very ruined church to the north-west of the town (LI036-07001-) on high ground is enclosed within a rectangular graveyard. It consisted of a nave and chancel with a two floored porch (?modern) built onto the west end, and it is built of roughly coursed mixed rubble. The chancel which appears to be the earliest part of the church is now only represented by overgrown footings. The north wall of the nave still has internally projecting stone supports for a roof and one splay of a window but is otherwise featureless as is the south wall which is c.2m high above internal ground level. The west gable has evidence for a gallery or loft with a door opening into each level and there is a suggestion of a bellcote above'. See attached ground plan of church taken from Urban Survey of Co. Limerick. Compiled by: Denis Power Revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 20 May 2019