Colman Church (in ruins) — Colman (hennessy)

On a gentle E-facing slope in undulating pasture. There are earthworks (TS070-086003-) to the E and SE and a small enclosure (TS070-086002-) immediately to the N of the graveyard and another (TS070-085----) c. 30m to the N. Ó Cearbhaill (2007, 233-235) has traced records for this church back to 1200 when it was called 'Kilskeht' and it makes several other appearances in the Register of the Hospital of St. John the Baptist without the New Gate, Dublin and the Papal Taxation records in the early 14th century. In the 15th and early 16th century it appears in the Calandar of Ormond Deeds as 'Colinan' and 'Calaman' respectively but from 1539-40 onwards it is recorded under various spellings of Colman (ibid.) .The church (ext. diam. 8.9m x 20.7m) is orientated E–W within a sub-rectangular graveyard. It is constructed of limestone rubble, roughly coursed (wall T 1.12m; H of S wall 2.8m above int. ground level) with roughly cut irregular limestone quoins, which are quite broken and sqawled. Several put-log holes (dims. H 0.17-0.2m; Wth 0.15-0.2m) carry through the thickness of the wall. There is a base-batter (H 0.8m; Wth 0.3m) on the N wall. The church was entered through a doorway, now broken out, W of centre in the S wall, all that remains is the draw-bar hole (L 0.82m; Wth 0.15m; H 0.17m) in the wall on the E side. Some gable coping survives at the NE angle and at the base of this coping on the N wall there is a carved head. This head is quite worn and the top appears to be broken off, two eyes can be made out and a possible straight incised mouth, the head tapers towards the chin. In the N wall at the E end of the church the W side of a window splay survives and a gap in the wall opposite suggest there was also a window in the S wall. There is a large gap (Wth 4.6m) in the N wall opposite the doorway opening in the S wall and also gaps in the E and W gable where windows were located. Apart from the carved head, no architectural features survive. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 September 2011