St Peters Church (in ruins)

St Peter's church might be the parish church of Ferns and it is at the N edge of a small D-shaped graveyard (dims. c. 30m E-W; c. 25m N-S) defined by masonry walls. It is situated on a slight bluff overlooking a NW-SE stream c. 100m to the SW with the Cathedral (WX015-003002-) c. 250m to the SW. This is a nave (int. dims. 10.8m E-W; 7.15m N-S) and chancel (int. dims. 6.1m E-W; 5.6m N-S) church that is complete except for the W wall and portions of other walls of the nave. Investigations at the time of its conservation uncovered the original W wall showing that the nave was longer (int. dim. c. 14.6m) (Anon. 1910-1, 5-6). The church has a plain rounded chancel arch (Wth 5m) and two lancet windows at the E end of the chancel. There are small niches in the N, E and S chancel walls. A lancet window in the S wall of chancel has a round-headed embrasure in a green stone decorated with chevrons, probably taken from Clone church (WX015-023001-) c. 2.7km to the SSW. (Harbison 1975, 247) This is a National Monument in state ownership: No. 133. 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: 30 April, 2012