Chapel — Castletown (moycashel By.)

In the W quadrant of a graveyard (WM032-014002-). The remains of a 17th century chapel (int. dims. 4.7m E-W; 3.9m N-S; wall T 0.7m), the walls of which are covered with heavily-clad ivy making detailed examination impossible. The chapel is entered through a doorway (Wth 0.9m) located close to the SW angle of the S wall (H 2.3m). The remains of a draw-bar socket (dims. Wth 0.15m x H 0.2m) can be seen inside the doorway in the E splay of the embrasure. The door surround is constructed with cut, dressed limestone jambs which is covered with heavily-clad ivy and has a round-headed arch with cut, dressed limestone voussoirs. Rough punch dressing is visible on the soffits of the voussoirs. There is a central window in the E gable with a narrow, round-headed light (H 0.9m; Wth 0.27m) with dressed, chamfered limestone jambs with eight iron bar holes visible. There is no evidence of any other window opening in the N, S and W walls of the chapel. In the E gable there is a small square-headed wall-cupboard/aumbry (Wth 0.38m x H 0.31m x D 0.33m) in the SE angle and a second similar aumbry (Wth 0.45m x H 0.4m x D 0.3m) in the NE angle. A walled burial enclosure which contains broken table-top tombs of post-1700 date has been built onto the E gable of the chapel. This monument was surveyed by ASI in 1987 and described as a chapel with an inscription beside the doorway whic reads “THIS CHAPPEL WAS ERECTED BY JAMES WYER IN REMEMBRANCE OF HIS SON DANIEL WYER IN THE YEAR 1671” (SMR File). This inscription is not visible today due the heavy cover of ivy on the walls of the chapel. An earlier report dating from 1981 recorded a different version of the inscription which was read as; ‘THIS CHAPPEL WAS ERECTED FOR JAMES WYER ESQR IN REMEMBRANCE OF HIS SON DANIEL WYER IN THE YEAR 1671' (SMR File). The chapel was described by Cogan (1867, 417) as following; 'There is a mortuary chapel in the cemetery (WM032-014002-), which measures fifteen feet four inches [4.67m] by ten feet nine inches [3.27m]'. On a slab is: " This chappell was erected for James Wyer, Esq., in remembrance of his son, Daniel Wyer, in the year 1671." Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 5 March 2013