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I Location

II General Description

Ruined priory church with a cloister to the S and some remains of monastic buildings. The chancel and parts of the W end of the nave remain. There is Romanesque sculpture on the label inside the window in the S chancel wall, and on a number of loose fragments, possibly jamb stones from the chancel arch.

III Exterior Features

2. Windows

(i) S chancel wall

Round-headed, of one order. Plain

Interior

Plain splay, roll moulding on label with carved label stops. The top of the label is missing.

W label stop: beast head, with large bulbous eyes and undulating lines on brow and muzzle. Integral impost.

E label stop: capital with central upright foliage motif and simple leaves forming volutes on chamfered angles. Integral impost and necking.

(ii) N chancel wall

Round-headed, with plain interior splay.

IV Interior Features

5. Interior Decoration

c. Miscellaneous

(i) Fragment

Re-used fragment embedded in N wall at E end of nave. The fragment is carved with two lateral chevrons arranged point-to-point in low relief, with low-relief foliage decoration in the triangles.

Dimensions

(ii) Fragment

Re-used fragment in N wall at E end of nave. The fragment is carved with lateral chevron in low relief, with low-relief foliage in the triangle. The left side of the surface is undecorated.

VI Loose Sculpture

(i) Capital

Rectangular capital, carved in low relief with bearded human heads on the two angles and (zoomorphic?) interlace decoration between them. No decoration on lateral faces. Dimensions correspond to jamb stones (vi)-(ix)on which it rests.

Dimensions

(ii) Capital

Capital with two bearded angle heads, similar to (i), but very worn and with decoration on face between heads barely visible. No decoration on lateral faces. Dimensions correspond to jamb stones (x)-(xiii) on which it rests.

Dimensions

(iii) Capital

Capital with two bearded angle heads, similar to (i) and (ii), with traces of (foliate?) interlace between the heads. Integral necking for three shafts, corresponding to jamb stones (xiv)—(xvi) on which it rests. It is not possible to measure the depth of the capital.

Dimensions

(iv) Capital

Angle capital with bearded human head on the angle and necking of angle shaft below. No decoration flanking head.

Dimensions

(v) Capital or impost block

Fragment of capital or impost block with faint traces of decoration (?).

Dimensions

(vi—xiii) Jambstones

Jamb-stones (vi)-(xiii) Eight jamb-stones, possibly from first order of chancel arch. Hyphenated lozenges containing rosettes on central face between angle rolls flanked by wedges. L and R faces decorated with narrower hyphenated lozenges containing rosettes, similar to front face. Stones of varying height and depth, and uniform width of 0.35 m. The dimensions correspond to capitals (i) and (ii).

Dimensions

(xiv-xvi) Three sections of pilaster or jamb

Three sections of pilaster or jamb with plain central pilaster and three-quarter angle shafts. Dimensions correspond to capital (iii) at the top and to the base (vxix) on which they rest. Depth measurements were not accessible)

Dimensions

(xvii) Capital

Loose fragment similar to (xiv)-(xvi).

Dimensions

(xviii) Base

Base corresponding to jamb-stones (vi)-(xiii), badly weathered but with traces of central half-lozenge or triangle on face and scrolls or inverted volutes on angles.

Dimensions

(xix) Base

Base similar to (xviii), broken on R side and back, with central half-lozenge or triangle containing traces of foliage decoration, and scrolls or inverted volutes on the angles. (ii) was recorded in 1995, but not found at site 22 August 2001.

Dimensions

(xx) Base

Base of pilaster with angle shafts; central flat vertical band and bulbous bases at the angles, with double torus above bulbous bases. Dimensions correspond to sections of pilaster or jamb (xiv—xvi). Depth measurement not accessible

Dimensions

(xxi) Base

Base of pilaster with angle shafts, similar to (xx); central flat vertical band and bulbous bases at the angles, with two thick and three thin torus mouldings alternating on bulbous bases. Depth measurement not accessible

Dimensions

(xxii) Voussoir

Voussoir with straddling directional chevron.

Dimensions

(xxiii) Fragment

Fragment with faint traces of lateral chevron . Badly damaged.

Dimensions

(xxiv) Fragment

Fragment, possibly a voussoir, with single tooth of frontal chevron, lateral on narrow face, with traces of decoration in the triangle, and frontal on broad face, three rolls separated by wedges. Point of chevron broken.

Dimensions

VII History

A convent of nuns was established here by St Brendan in the 6thc. The Augustinian abbey was possibly founded by Toirrdelbach Ua Conchobar at the instance of St Malachy. The nuns may have become Arroasian soon after Clonard, c.1144. The church was confirmed to the Arroasian canonesses of Clonard in 1195. The church appears to have been shared by Arroasian canons and canonesses until c.1223-4. There is no evidence for nuns after this date and the nuns may have been transferred from Annaghdown to Inishmaine c.1223-4. The jurisdiction had been transferred from Clonard to Kilcreevanty by 1223-4. Dissolved in 1562.

VIII Comments/Opinions

The loose fragments may come from the jambs of the chancel arch. The capitals with angle heads are similar to those at Inchagoill, where the doorway may be by the same workshop. Capitals with human heads at the angles are a common feature in Irish Romanesque; there are other examples at Killeshin, Timahoe, Kilteel, Glendalough, Rahan, Duleek, Kilmore, Dysert O'Dea, Scattery and Inisfallen. The style of the jambs and capitals might indicate a date around the 1150s-1160s; the voussoir (xxii) with straddling directional chevron may be later 12thc. or early 13thc., and is similar to a loose springer (i) with lozenges in Annaghdown Cathedral.

IX Bibliography