Achonry (Church Hill), Sligo

I Location

Site Location
Achonry
National Grid Reference
7G 60 14
County
Sligo
Dedication
not confirmed
Type of building/monument
Church (ruin)

II General Description

Only the W end of the church and a short section of the adjacent N and S walls still stand. A rectangular splayed window, probably late medieval, survives in the S wall and this incorporates a 12thc. voussoir. The ruin is on a small hill and stands a few metres NE of a souterrain.

IV Interior Features

5. Interior Decoration

c. Miscellaenous

(i) Reset voussoir, S window
re-set voussoir.

re-set voussoir.

re-set voussoir, detail.

re-set voussoir, detail.

Reused voussoir.

Reused voussoir.

Dimensions
h. 0.20 m
w. at bottom 0.15 m
w. at top 0.18 m

Interior

A voussoir from a 12thc. arch has been reused as part of the masonry of the left splay. The voussoir is shallow-carved with a row of beading, followed by a row of zig-zag with beads in the triangles, and then a band of cable moulding. Of coarse red sandstone.

VII History

Gwynn and Hadcock record that there was an early Irish monastery at Achonry, founded in the 7thc. by St Finian of Clonard. However, this does not refer to Church Hill, but to another site in Achonry which is now dominated by a modern cathedral, where a loose stone with a 12th century beast head has recently (2003) been discovered.

VIII Comments/Opinions

The fragment may have been from an earlier structure on the site. No other 12thc. material is visible. The site is very overgrown and is currently used for cattle and horses.

IX Bibliography

  • A. Gwynn and R.N. Hadcock, Medieval Religious Houses in Ireland. London 1970, 28, 58, 60. (no reference to Church Hill)