St Bridgets Chruch (in ruins) — Bregorteen

According to a Visitation by Thomas Ram, the Protestant bishop of Ferns, in 1615 Richard Hore was the curate of Kilbride de Glan, and while the church was in repair the chancel was in ruins (Hore 1900-11, vol. 6, 270). The church is marked as a rectangular structure described in gothic lettering as 'St. Bridget's Church (in ruins)' on the 1839 and 1924 eds of the OS 6-inch map. It is depicted as within a triangular enclosure on the earlier (dims c. 60m E-W; c. 35m N-S) and later (dims c. 40m E-W; c. 25m N-S) eds of the OS 6-inch map. This is the parish church of Kilbrideglynn described by John O'Donovan writing c. 1840 as consisting of the foundations of a structure ’53 feet in length and 20 feet in breadth’ (dims c. 16m x c. 6m) (O'Flanagan 1933, vol. 2, 361). It is situated on a slight plateau with a small SW-NE stream, one of the headwaters of the Polehore Pill, c. 40m to the E. The enclosure and foundations were removed c. 1970, and no features are visible at ground level in pasture. Archaeological testing (13E0019) c. 80-100m N of the site of the parish church of Kilbrideglynn (WX036-039001-) uncovered the top of the fosse (Wth c. 25m) of a large enclosure filled with a homogenous grey which produced no datable material. The fosse curves around the church NW-NE and if it joined the curve of the road E and S of the church would delimit an ecclesiastical enclosure (diam. c. 100m). (McLoughlin 2013; excavations.ie 2013:499) 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: 5 November, 2012 Amended: 4 Sep. 2013, 24 November 2020