Church (in Ruins) Grave Yard — Ballymacwilliam

In centre of graveyard (OF011-005002-), are the poorly preserved ruins of a small rectangular church (ext. dims. 8.3m E-W, 15.5m N-S; wall T 0.85m) with featureless rubble built walls only standing to a height of 2-3m. Near W end of S wall is a small doorway with pointed arch with date of 1460 cut into it. No remains of windows. Probably late medieval parish church. Described by Comerford in 1883 as 'The old parochial church still survives in ruins: portions of the four walls remaining' (Comerford 1883, 324). By the middle of the 16th century this church was a chapel of ease or a sinecure chapel. The church ruins were described in 1943 by O. Davies as 'The ruins are roughly 18 yds. (16.45m) long by 9 yards (8.2m) wide, highest wall being about 12 ft. (3.65m). These walls are 4ft. (1.2m) thick' (ITA Survey 1943). The church was surveyed and described by J.F. Reynolds in 1981 as 'The ruin of a small rectangular church built of limestone rubble and measuring 15.5m east-west by 8.3m north-south. The west wall remains to a height of 3m-3.5m while parts of the north and south walls remain to a height of 2m-2.5m. Only fragments of the east wall remain. Near the west end of the south wall is a small pointed doorway, built of well dressed limestone blocks. No remains of windows exist. The interior of the church is filled with tombstones' (ASI fieldnotes 1981). There is a recumbent late medieval graveslab (OF011-005003-) at the base of the W wall of the church. This church is indicated on the Down Survey (1655-6) map of the region, associated with Ballybrittan castle (OF011-006----) which is 1.6km to the southwest of the church (Loeber 1988. Vol. 1, 33-4). Although referred to as a parochial church by Rev. Comerford in his history of the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin, by the middle of the 16th century this building was a chapel of ease or a sinecure chapel associated with the parochial church of Ballyburley (OF004-013----) which is 3.2km to the northwest of Ballymacwilliam (Fitzpatrick and O'Brien 1998, 129, 163). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Offaly' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 23 May 2011