Church (in Ruins) — Scurlockstown (deece Lower By.)

Situated at the S end of a small N-S ridge overlooking the point where a W-E stretch of the River Boyne turns N c. 170m to the N. A church at Scurlag is listed in the ecclesiastical taxation (1302-06) of Pope Nicholas IV (Cal. doc. Ire., 5, 256). Ussher (1622) describes the church as reasonably well repaired but the chancel was ruinous (Erlington 1847-64, 1, lxxxiv). According to the Dopping visitation (1682-5) the church and chancel had been ruined since 1641 (Ellison 1972, 9). The parish church of Scurlockstown is within a subrectangular graveyard (dims c. 53m NE-SW; c. 32m NW-SE) defined by masonry walls. According to Wilde (1850, 88) the chancel arch was rounded and there was a trefoil E window. The walls (Wth 0.8-0.85m; H 1.3-2m) of a nave (int. dims 10.35m E-W; 6.35m N-S) and chancel (int. dims 7.7m E-W; 4.4m N-S) are conserved but no features are evident, except the gaps for opposing doorways in the N (Wth 1.2m) and S (Wth 1.2m) nave walls. A gap at W (Wth 1.2m) is probably modern. The piers of the chancel arch (Wth 1.7m) are plain. Wilde (ibid.) mentions a cross in the graveyard and a disc-headed cross (span 0.52m; T 0.13-0.16m) is almost buried (visible H 0.3m) c. 15m S of the SW angle of the church. The octagonal base (dim. 0.5m; H 0.2m) of a font with cordons at top and bottom and dowel-holes to secure the stem is in the graveyard together with the octagonal stem (dim. 0.33m; H 0.34m) that has a cordon at the waist and matching dowel-holes. The motte (ME037-009----) is c. 120m to the N. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Meath' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1987). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of revision: 10 March 2015