St. Marys Church (in Ruins)

National Monument in state ownership No. 135. Situated on a gentle E-facing slope overlooking the Glen of the Downs. A nave and chancel church (dims. 12.85m E-W; 6.55m N-S) of uncoursed rubble with a bellcote at the W end. The door at the W has dressed and chamfered granite jambs, but the arch does not survive. A simple flat-arched window occurs in the gable above the door. There are string courses in the W gable at the level of the top of the walls and the top of the window. The E window has a shallow arch and there are opposing flat-arched windows in the N and S walls at the E end of the church. A small wall niche occurs on each wall at the S end. A modern internal buttress stands against the S wall; the building was restored in 1906. A small granite stoup or font with a circular basin lies in the W end of the church. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Wicklow' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 17 December 2008