Ballynaclogh Church (in ruins) — Ballynaclogh

Medieval parish church ruins of Ballynaclogh (Baile Na Cloiche/ town of the stone building) also known as Weyperous in the diocese of Killaloe, Barony of Ormond Upper, stands in the E half of a rectangular-shaped graveyard (TN027-003006-), immediately SE of a 19th century Protestant church (NIAH Reg. No. 22402701) built in 1802 with a gift of £500 from the Board of First Fruits (Erck 1820, 111). Thirteenth century castle (TN027-003001-) of Weyperous stands 120m to the W, Ballynaclogh Bridge (TN027-003005-) traversing the Nenagh River 115m to SSW. Mill depicted on the 1840 ed. OSi 6-inch map 300m to the W of the church may be the site of the medieval mill (TN027-002----) mentioned in the 1654-56 Civil Survey of County Tipperary. According to Gleeson (1943, 129) the manor name of Weyperous was derived from the vernacular name of 'gué pierreux' or 'stony ford' given to this manor by Norman settlers in the early 13th century. Medieval nave and chancel church of Ballynclogh listed in the ecclesiastical taxation of the Diocese of Killaloe in 1306 where it is referred to as 'Church de Vado petroso' [Church of the stony ford] when it was valued at 3 marks per annum and the the tithe was valued at 4s. per annum (CDI, vol. 5, 301). In 1418, Odo [Hugh] O'Hogan, clerk, of the diocese of Killaloe, who was of noble birth and had studied canon law for three years, was given a papal dispensation, as he was the son of a priest and an unmarried woman, was assigned to the rectory of 'Balynacloiche', which was vacant due to the death of 'Roderick Olonyrgayn' (O'Lonergan) (Cal. papal letters, Vol VII, 76, 91). In 1424 a papal letter was sent to the prior of Monaincha (TN018-001001-) in the diocese of killaloe, which mandated the appropriation to the Cistercian abbey of Holycross (TN047-030001-) in the diocese of Cashel, the rectory, value not exceeding 6 marks, of the parish church of Ballynaclogh (de Vadopetroso), commonly called 'Balynychloly', the cure of which is exercised by a perpetual vicar' (Cal. papal letters, Vol VII, 367-8) and whose resources are said to be insufficient for maintenance and hospitality' (Gleeson and Costello 1943, 8). In 1541 the Extents of Irish Monastic Possessions, listed the church as 'Ballynymclogher in Ormond in Okynedy's country. Value, 30s.' (White 1943, 344). In 1541 King Henry VIII granted a 21 year lease of monastic lands to John Sherlock of Waterford which included the rectory of 'Ballaghnymcloghir [Ballynaclogh] in Ordmond' (Nicholls 1994, 59). The Civil Survey of 1654-56 recorded that 'Rory Kennedy of Ballynaclohy and Donogh Kenedy of the same' were in 1640 the owners of the four ploughlands of Ballynaclogh which contained 'the stump of an Irreparable Castle [TN027-003001-] with a Church & one mill [TN027-002----], ye river of Geagh [Nenagh River] running through it' (Simington 1934, 259). Medieval parish church ruins described in 1840 as follows; ‘The old Church of Ballynaclogh is situated on level ground in a townland of the same name. It is divided into nave and choir and its walls are in good preservation. The choir measures on the inside twenty three feet [7m] in length and twenty feet [6m] in breadth and the nave fifty eight feet [17.7m] in length and twenty six feet [7.9m] in breadth. The east window forms a round arch on the inside, where it measures eight feet [2.4m] in height and four feet ten inches [1.47m] in width; on the outside it is constructed of smoothly chiselled lime stone in the pointed style, five feet six inches [1.67m] from the ground and measures five feet nine inches [1.75m] in height and one foot nine inches [0.53m] in width. It was divided into two parts by a stone mullion, which is now destroyed. At the distance of five feet four inches [1.62m] from the east gable, the south wall of the choir has a small window which is constructed of cut limestone, round headed inside, but pointed on the outside. It measures on the inside six feet seven inches [2m] in height and three feet four inches [1m] in width, and on the outside four feet six inches [1.37m] in height and seven and a half inches [0.2m] in width. Nearly opposite this the north wall of the choir contains another window placed at the distance of six feet [1.8m] from the east gable; it is constructed of cut lime stone on both sides; round headed on the inside and rectangular on the outside; on the former side it is six feet eight inches [2m] in height and three feet eight inches [1.1m] in width, and on the latter three feet nine and a half inches [1.15m] in height and eight inches in width. The choir arch is semi-circular and constructed of cut limestone; it measures nine feet nine inches [2.97m] in height and eleven feet six inches [3.5m] in width. So far the choir. Let us now go into the nave: At the distance of four feet six inches [1.37m] from the middle gable, the south wall of the nave has on it a window which is round headed on the inside and pointed on the outside, measuring on the former side seven feet five inches [2.26m] in height and three feet nine inches [1.14m] and on the latter five feet two and a half inches [1.58m] in height and eight inches [0.2m] in width. This window is constructed of cut lime stone on both sides. There is another window on the north wall directly opposite this; it is entirely disfigured on the inside but its outer part mains constructed of hammered stones in a rectangular form measuring five feet [1.5m] in height and six inches [0.15m] in width. The doorway, which is pointed and formed of cut lime stone, is on the south wall at the distance of sixteen feet six inches [5m] from the west gable. It has been recently repaired on the outside, where it measures six feet two inches [1.87m] in height and three feet eight inches [1.1m] in width; its top is destroyed on the inside, where its breadth (width) is four feet nine inches [1.44m]. The west gable seems to be surmounted with a small belfry, but it is so clothed in strong, dense, luxuriant ivy, that its form could not be seen. The sane plant conceals the windows, if there be any. The side walls of this Church are four feet three [1.3m] inches thick and about twelve feet high and built of large and some small limestones, not quarried, but found on the surface of the fields, cemented with lime and sand mortar. There is a large grave yard much in use attached to this old Church, and immediately to the north west of it there is a handsome modern Church’ (O’Flanagan 1930, 14-15). Ballynaclogh church ruins described in 1943 as follows; 'a fairly well preserved old church ruin. It is rectangular divided into choir and nave by a wall in which is a semi-circular arch, dressed with cut sandstone, measuring bout 12ft. [4m] wide by 12ft. [4m] high. The choir measures about 22ft. [6.7m] x 18ft. [5.5m]. The E. window about 2ft. [0.6m] x 8ft. [2.4m] has a rectangular cusped head of limestone and was divided into two lights by a mullion which is missing. It is round arched on the inside. There is only one other window in this portion of the church - a small single light window, similar in style to the E. window and placed near the E. gable in the S. wall. The nave is about 6ft. [1.8m] wider than the choir and about 56ft. [17m] long, near the east end of it are two small windows similar to the one in the choir opposite one another. The doorway is pointed and in the S wall 2/3rd of the way from the choir-arch. Opposite the door is a narrow gap where the wall is broken down to ground level. The walls are about 3ft. [0.9m] thick and though thickly coated with ivy are in fairly good condition. The gables are high and pointed and there seems to be a small belfry on the west one. The graveyard attached is a mixed one the church being situated in the Catholic portion' (ITA Survey). Church ruins described in 1951-2 as follows; 'The Church is now (and was also in O'Donovan's time) very heavily smothered in ivy so that one at first would suspect an early church w