Templesenan

Named ‘Templesenan’ on the OS 6-inch maps and situated on an E-W ridge on Scattery Island c. 140m NW from the cathedral (CL067-024008-). A nave and chancel church built as a single structure. The nave (int. dims. 6.55m E-W; 5.22m N-S) is virtually complete but the walls of the chancel (int. dims. 3.1m E-W; 3.3m N-S) are reduced to 1.6m. The chancel arch (Wth 2.1m) had piers with double and triple mouldings and is reduced to the base stones. There was also a central pilaster in the width of the arch. A pointed doorway (Wth 0.8m; H 2m) in the S wall of the nave has Dundry stone, Old Red Sandstone and slate in its arch and drawbar sockets in the E and W jambs. A window in the S wall has sandstone ingoings and some diagonal tooling. The E window (Wth 0.21m; H 0.9m) is also round-headed with a similar mixture of arch stones, decoratively arranged. Its embrasure is flat-arched and probably rebuilt. The E wall has a slight internal plinth and an external base batter but over the window the wall leans out dramatically. Corbels at the W end of the N and S walls supported a gallery. There are external buttresses against the E and W ends of the S wall of the nave and one against the W end of the N wall. According to Ní Ghrádaigh (2006, 26-7) St Senan's was rebuilt at some time in the later Middle Ages, as indicated by the pointed form of the doorway and the segmental rear-arch of the window, but utilizing stones from an earlier building, perhaps from elsewhere on the island. A church-like building known as St Senan’s Bed (CL067-024002-) lies just 1.1m to the W. (Westropp 1897, 285; 1900-02, 170) This is a national monument in state care, no. 10. The following images have been uploaded: CL067-024002-_01.jpg Aerial view of Templesenan with St Senan's bed immediately to W. CL067-024002-_02.jpg Ground shot of Templesenan and St Senan's bed. Compiled by: Michael Moore and Mary Tunney Date of upload: 7 September 2016 This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 1/1971).

Templesenan on Scattery Island is a small single-cell church, likely built in the 10th to 12th century, associated with the early Christian monastic settlement on the island. Its simple nave and chancel layout reflects a typical Irish early medieval church style, and it is situated near the larger cathedral, indicating its role in the religious landscape of the area.