Mortlestown Church (in ruins) — Mortlestown (mortlestown Par.)

Roughly centrally placed in a irregularly shaped graveyard (TS076-027003-), on an E-facing slope in gently undulating terrain. As depicted on the 2nd (1901-05) ed. OS 6-inch map, only the S wall survives (L c. 20m; max. H 0.6m) above ground level, heavily overgrown with grass, and there is no evidence of returns. On the 1st (1840) ed. OS 6-inch map the church appears quite intact. It is described in the OS Letters (O'Flanagan 1930, vol. 2, 122-3) as measuring 'sixty three feet seven inches in length [19.4m] by twenty one feet seven inches in breadth [6.6m] inside. The walls are entire; the sidewalls are sixteen feet high [4.8m] and two feet seven inches [0.8m] thick. There is still remaining on the west gable a belfry and a window of quadrangular form and masonwork inside; it is narrow outside, where it is constructed of chiselled limestone and is curvilineally pointed at top. On south wall eighteen feet [5.48m] from west gable, there is placed a pointed doorway of chiselled limestone, which is seven feet four inches [2.2m] in height by three feet nine inches [1.1m] in breadth; and near the east gable a window, quadrangular and constructed of masonwork inside and built (pointed and ) of chiselled limestone outside. Near it to the west there is a breach at the ground on the wall running through it to some height. There are two small windows placed beside each other, or rather one window divided into two compartments by masonwork, on the east gable. The whole window is quadrangular inside, where it is constructed of masonwork. Two flag stones are placed across at top, on which rests a segmental arch filled up with masonwork, itself being a similar work. On the outside the two small windows, or compartments of the one, are pointed and constructed of chiselled limestone. On the north sidewall near west gable there is a large breach where there was a doorway opposite the doorway on the south one'. However, according to Power (1908, 34) the 'church ruin which survived till a few years since was vandalically demolished by the late parish priest of Cahir'. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011