St. Marys Chapel (in ruins)

Situated on a slight S-facing slope. The parish church of Ballygunner is within a subrectangular graveyard (max. dims. c. 60m E-W; c. 35-55m N-S) defined by masonry walls, but a stone-faced scarp (H 1-1.2m) inside the perimeter at S may indicate an older perimeter. The parish was united with Ballynakill parish in 1609 (Mulholland 1980, 43-4), and a new church was built by 1615 (Power 1913, 116). However, the present church was probably built as a C of I chapel-of-ease after that date, although it was abandoned by 1745 when burial commenced within the church. The church is a rectangular structure (ext. dims. 10.8m E-W; 6.05m N-S) with good quoins and walls (T 0.55m) that survive complete with an altered W doorway (Wth 1.55m), which has a brick arch. There is evidence for four (possibly five) round-headed, wooden-framed windows (Wth 1.25m). (Power 1890-91, 481) Mullholland, J. (1980) A checklist of Church of Ireland places of worship in County Waterford, Decies, No. 14, 43-9. Power, Rev. P. (1890-91) The ancient ruined churches of Co. Warterford. JRSAI 20-21, 475-82. Power, Rev. P. (1913) Material condition of the churches of Waterford. WAJ 16, 114-21. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 08 November 2011