St Marys Church

Located at the S edge of a level landscape and at the crest of a S-facing slope down to the W-E Nanny River, which is c. 150m distant. The church of the ‘vill de Kent’ is listed in the ecclesiastical taxation (1302-06) of Pope Nicholas IV (Cal. doc. Ire. 5, 253). Ussher (1622) describers the church as ruined and the chancel as indifferently repaired (Erlington 1847-64, lxii). Dopping (1682-5) says the church was unrepaired since 1641 and it was not enclosed (Ellison 1971, 36). The present Church of Ireland church was built c. 1750 when it became the head of Union with the parishes of Danestown and Ballymagarvey (Lewis 1837, 2, 38). It is within a subrectangular graveyard (dims c. 55m N-S; c. 38m E-W at N c. 45m E-W at S) defined by masonry walls, but there is no evidence of an earlier structure. The mid-14th century effigy of Sir Thomas de Tuite (dims 1.66m x 0.65-0.78m; T 0.1m) carved in low relief with a Latin inscription in gothic lettering along the long sides (Moore 1891; FitzGerald 1912) is displayed in the present church. The inscription has been read by Hunt (1974, 206-7, Pl. 113) as: HIC JACET THOMAS DE TUIT MILES QUONDAM DOMINUS DE KENTSISTON QUI OBIIT SECUNDO DIE JUNII ANO DOMINI MILESIMO CCC SEXUAGESIMO TERCIO (Here lies Thomas de Tuite, Knight, once lord of Kentstown, who died on the second day of June 1363). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Meath' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1987). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of revision: 22 January 2015

St Mary's Church in Kentstown was likely built in the early 14th century, as evidenced by its listing in the ecclesiastical taxation of 1302–06. Dedicated to St Mary, it reflects the medieval rural church tradition and served as the parish church for the village of Kent.