St. Owens Church — Ballymore

The early 19th century Church of Ireland church ruins dedicated to St. Owen stands on the site of the medieval nave and chancel church of Ballymore Lough Sewdy which was dedicated to St. Mary. The terrier of the 1656 Down Survey map of Ballymore parish states that 'on the lands of Balllimore stands the ruins of an old abby (WM024-034----) and a ruined church there is also a towne' (NLI MS 723-4). The date at which the parish church changed its dedication to St. Owen is not clear. In 1826 it was recorded that the 'parish church has been lately repaired and enlarged' (Brewer 1826, 247). In 1867 it was recorded that the 'old church was torn down and uprooted, and a Protestant house of worship erected on its site' (Cogan 1867, 493). The church is located 200m north of the village of Ballymore (WM024-178----) and 450m north of a castle (WM024-182----) or Augustiniam priory (WM024-034----). The remains of a 17th century bastioned fort (WM024-004001-) and Anglo-Norman motte (WM024-004----) are 325m and 625m to the northeast. In 1306 the ecclesiastical taxation of Ireland valued the church of ‘Loxeuedi’ [Loughsewdy now called Ballymore, co. Westmeath] at 40 marks yearly (Cal. doc. Ire. 258). In 1423 there is a reference to parish church of St. Mary of Lochseudy (Costello 1909, 60). In 1428 there is a reference to 'the resignation which John Ochaynean has made of his rectory of St. Mary's Loch Seydi [Lough Sewdy], in the diocese of Meath' (Cal. papal letters 9, 20). In 1440 there is a reference to 'Johh Macmurchertaid' who was 'by papal authority to hold another benfice even with chure, the parish church of St. Mary, Lochssydi [Lough Sewdy] alias Ballymore (Villa Magna) in the diocese of Meath, value not exceeding 60 marks sterling, void by the death without the Roman court of Andrew Ochaassy' (Cal papal letters 9, 96). The parish church of Ballymore was united to the bishopric of Meath in 1538 (Gwynn & Hadcock 1970, 160). In 1539 the rectory of Loughseudie is valued at £16 yearly (Costello 1909, 86). In 1545 it was chosen by Henry VIII to be the new cathedral church of the diocese of Meath (18th Report Deputy Keeper Public Records IreIand, 147 no. 6797). It is not known whether the church ever functioned as a cathedral or not but its selection indicates that the church was a prominent one within the diocese (Bradley et. al,. 1985, 68). In 1549 the crown declared, ‘Richard Walshe, late parson of Loughsewdy, attainted’ (Nicholls 1994, 131). In 1593 the crown granted lands to Terence or Tirlagh O Byrne including, ‘Holliwood’s acre in Ballimoore, in said co., parcel of the lands of the church of Ballimoore’ (Nicholls 1994, 223). Church ruins depicted on the 1656 Down Survey map of Ballymore parish (NLI MS 723-4). This church was described in 1691 by George Story as 'A little to the right of the Town [Ballymore] as you go to Athlone, stood a pretty Church upon a rising ground; about a hundred and twenty yards from which there lies a spot of ground about six acres, which is almost an island, by reason of a great Lough to the East, North, and North-East; and on the North-West there is Bogg; a small neck of land running from the Church on the South-West, prevents it from being altogether an island' (Story 1693, 87-8). No surface remains visible of the medieval church of Ballymore. Present remains consist of the ruins of a 19th century Church of Ireland church dedicated to St. Owen which was probably built on the site of an earlier church standing on top of low rise of ground in centre of graveyard (WM024-005001-), with good views in all directions. A small early 17th century mortuary chapel or mausoleum (WM024-005002-) located in E quadrant of graveyard is located 25m E of Church of Ireland ruins. The 19th century ruins were described by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage as a ‘detached Church of Ireland church, built c.1827, comprising three-bay hall to the east and a three-stage tower on square plan to the west end having crow-stepped parapets and corner pinnacles. Now out of use as roofless’ (www.buildingsofireland.ie). This church was built on the site of the 17th century church built by Bishop Anthony Dopping and his parishioners who rebuilt the chancel of the medieval church of Ballymore. Bishop Doppings visitation book of 1682-5 recorded that the 'church and chancel [as] ruined, chancel stones used in Cromwell's time to build Loxeudy Castle' (Ellison 1975, 11). In 1682 Sir Henry Piers recorded that in Ballymore there ‘is now a church built on the old foundation in repair except only the east end’ (Vallancey 1786, 79). A new church was constructed probably on the site of the medieval church with the aid of the Board of First Fruits in 1827. In 1980 a fragment of an ogee-headed window belonging to the medieval church of Ballymore was recorded lying on the surface of a grave close to the mortuary chapel (SMR File 02/10/1980). The location of this architectural fragment within the graveyard could not be located. An aerial photograph of the church and graveyard (WM024-005001-) clearly shows the roadway (WM024-004002-) depicted in Story's 1691 sketch running as a linear feature through the field to the east of the church and graveyard (CUCAP BDU 64). See attached sketch plan of village showing Ballymore church, Athlone road, a cluster of houses and the 'round castle' (WM024-182----) along with the 'Fort of Ballymore' (WM024-004001-) c. 1691 taken from Story's An impartial history of the wars of Ireland, with a continuation thereof. Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 20 August 2014