Church (in Ruins) — Coolbunnia

Situated on a gentle NW-facing slope. The early ecclesiastical church and parish church of Faithlegg is within a rectangular graveyard (dims. c. 60m E-W; c. 30m N-S) defined by stone-faced earthen banks at E and S and masonry walls at W and N. The nave (ext. dims. 13.15m E-W; 6.5m N-S; H 3.5m) and chancel (ext. dims. 6.65m E-W; 5.2m N-S) survive almost complete, except the N chancel wall (H 1m). There is a 13th-century pointed doorway of Dundry stone in the W gable with a double bellcote above. The doorway in the N nave wall, five elliptical-headed windows, and a window at loft level in the W gable, are probably 16th-century insertions. A round arch (Wth 1.15m), which was the original doorway of an earlier church, leads to the chancel which has a small lancet window of Dundry stone in the E gable. The original steep pitch of the roof can be seen in the W face of the chancel wall. The font is circular (ext. diam. 0.67m; H 0.32m), and has seven outer vertical ribs and two notches to secure the cover. It is now in the adjacent RC church just to the N, and a bullaun stone (dims. 1.05m x 0.55m) with a single basin (diam. 0.42m; D 0.1m) is in the outer face of the N wall of the chancel. A second bullaun stone (dims. 0.82m x 0.61m) with a single basin (diam. 0.33m; D 0.12m) is in the outer face of the graveyard wall at W. A motte (WA010-004----) and tower house site (WA010-005----) are c. 240m to the S, and the site of Tobershonock Well is c. 80m to the N. (Power 1890-91, JRSAI, 481-2) The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Waterford' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 10 November 2010 Compiled by: Michael Moore