Site of Church — Clonleigh

This may be the site of the parish church of Clonleigh parish situated on a slight N-facing slope and on the N side of a minor E-W road. No other church site is known within this small parish. According to a Visitation by Thomas Ram, the Protestant bishop of Ferns, in 1615 it was a part of Dunbrody, but nothing of the church remained (Hore 1900-11, vol. 6, 271). The church is depicted as a rectangular structure (dims. c. 15m E-W; c. 8m N-S) on the 1839 ed. of the OS 6-inch map where it is described as the site of a church in gothic lettering. It is mentioned by John O’Donovan writing c. 1840 but it is thought not to have had a graveyard (O’Flanagan 1933, vol. 2, 345). A rectangular structure (dims. c. 20m E-W; c. 8m N-S) defined by low earthen banks (H c. 0.6m) survived into the 1950s (SMR file). It is not now visible at around level in pasture. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Wexford' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1996). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload/revision: 15 August, 2012 Amended: 4 Sep. 2013