Church in ruins — Grange (bargy By., Kilmore Ed)

Situated on a level, low-lying landscape, with the slight valley of a small S-N stream c. 140m to the E. The parish church of Kilmore, probably of early origin, is within a large rectangular graveyard (dims c. 80m ENE-WSW; c. 55m NNW-SSE) defined by masonry walls. The practice of leaving a wooden cross at one of three bushes on the approach roads to the graveyard to commemorate each funeral is still continued (Anon 1972, 4). An aerial photograph (CUCAP: AVK 66) shows the cropmark of a circular ecclesiastical enclosure (diam. c. 90m) defined by a narrow fosse feature, which is only visible SE-SW of the church in the field on the S side of the E-W public road. The enclosure probably does not include the W and N parts of the graveyard, but would extend into the field to the E. The nave (ext. dims. 10.7m E-W; c. 6.5m N-S), which was extended at the W end (total L 21.7), and the later chancel (ext. dims. 8.05m E-W; 5.73m N-S) have walls surviving to a height of c. 2.5m, except the W wall of the nave, the N wall of the chancel and the W end of the N wall of the nave (L c. 8m), which area all reduced or removed. The nave has few features visible, apart from a round headed doorway (Wth 0.95m; H 1.75m) of undressed stone with a projecting stoup inside towards the E end of the S wall. There are also two corbels on the N and S walls towards the E end, perhaps for a rood loft. The inner face of the original nave walls have a brick skin or have been plastered, so perhaps other features are hidden. The chancel (int. dims 6.95m E-W; 4.35m N-S) has a two-light ogee-headed E window (each light: Wth 0.36m; H 1.28m) in Old Red Sandstone with glazing-grooves, but the sill is a granite stone. There are two windows, the easternmost blocked and the other rectangular (Wth 0.29m; H 0.79m) with glazing-grooves in the chamfered granite surround, in the S wall. There is a rounded chancel arch (Wth 1.5m; H 1.7m) to the nave. The Whitty memorial (max. Wth 1.9m, H 2.36m) against the N nave wall is made of limestone and consists of a base with an inscribed plaque over it, which is surmounted by an armorial crest showing the Whitty and Stafford arms. The plaque commemorates in Latin Walter Whitty of Ballyteige (WX052-018001-), who died in 1630, and his wife, Helena, the daughter of Hammond Stafford of Ballyconor (WX048-033001-), who died in 1646. It was erected in 1647 by their son, Richard, and his second wife, Catherine, daughter of Oliver Eustace of Ballynunry (Co. Kilkenny?), and the plaque also commemorates Richard’s first wife, Catherine, daughter of Philip Devereux of Ballmagir (WX046-052001-), who also died in 1646 (Whitty 1872). Beneath the Latin inscription is a prayer in English. Nearby is a rectangular graveslab (dims 1.92m x 0.73m; T 0.2m) that is broken at the base, and has two chamfered edges. It has an incised ringed cross with a simple one-step Calvary on its upper surface. There is a prayer in English with the date 1659, and initial letters – P.FzN.M.R. - that have been identified as commemorating Patrick FitzNicholl of Ballyharty (WX052-024----) and his wife, Mary or Margaret Rossiter of Rathmaknee (WX042-029001-) (Ranson 1949). The graveslab was discovered in 1949 three feet (c. 1m) below present ground level at what is probably the original ground level, and a tomb structure collapsed beneath it. The site of St Patrick's Well (WX052-003----), where patterns were held on St Joseph's day, 19th March (O'Flanagan 1933, vol. 2, 197), lies c. 270m to the ESE. Archaeological testing (11E0314) in the field immediately E of the graveyard identified the fosse of the ecclesiastical enclosure (Wth 3m) extending N-S (L 57) 23m from the graveyard wall. It also uncovered evidence of settlement features including pits and a ploughed out burnt mound as well as what may be numerous drains associated with a field system. Prehistoric and medieval pottery was recovered as well as struck flints. (Stafford 2011; excavations.ie 2011:624) 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: 18 February 2014 Amended: 23 November 2020