Indicated — Kilcumreragh

Kilcumreragh Church (WM031-079----) is depicted on the 1653-9 Down Survey map of Moycashell Barony (NLI, MS 723-4) as a rectangular building with residential or bell-tower at E end. On this map the church stands on the lands of Thomas Geoghegan who is described as an ‘Irish Papist’ and owner of 271 acres of land in ‘Killcrumriagh’. Situated atop low hillock in undulating countryside with post-1700 corn mill of Ballynabarna 110m to NNE and mill race or stream 70m to E. On the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map the glebe land belonging to the church is depicted immediately W of the graveyard and the boundary of the glebe is shown as a dotted outline in the same manner as the graveyard. Kilcumreragh Church is depicted on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map as a rectangular building with mortuary chapel (WM031-079004-) at E end of S wall of church. A second mortuary chapel now covered in ivy aligned NE-SW is depicted standing a few metres W of the church in the NW quadrant of the graveyard (WM031-079001-). Described in 1983 as a square-shaped building (approx. ext. dims. 5m N-S x 5m E-W) to the W of the church represents the remains of a possible mortuary chapel. The W wall has an A-shaped gable wall and stands circa 3 metres high. The top of this wall has fallen in. The side walls stand circa 2 metres high. The structure is well built of medium sized stones. There is a pointed cut stone doorway (H 1.5m) towards the W end of the S wall. There is an iron gate now closing the doorway. Inside there are decorated slabs placed against the walls on either side of the doorway. On W side there is a slab (H 60cm by 30cm) decorated with a human skeleton carrying a scythe, presumably representing death. On the E side of the doorway there is a slab roughly the same size with a death's-head and cross-bones with I H S inscribed on the bottom of the slab. Circa 2 metres E of the doorway there is a large rectangular decorated slab, possibly a graveslab built into the wall of the building circa 1 metre above ground level. This slab measures circa 1.2 metres high by 80 cm wide. It has a heraldic type of decoration, possibly a family coat of arms carved onto its face. It is difficult to make out the motif, as the stone is rather weathered. There is an animal with a long tail or dog/lion? in the centre and above it an arm bearing a sword. Beneath the decoration there is an inscription which I was unable to decipher. The only other feature of note in this building is a small narrow rectangular shaped window in the centre of the W wall. It is covered with ivy, as is much of the W wall. The interior of the structure is overgrown with nettles etc., no other features of note were visible. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 10 January 2018