The Corpus of ROMANESQUE SCULPTURE in Britain & Ireland
St Maolcethair/St Malkedar (now)
Ruined church
Nave and chancel church, roofless. Nave 8.28 m x 9.4 m with antae and steeply pitched
gables. The nave was originally barrel-vaulted, with a step pitched stone roof over.
The barrel vault of the nave was not keyed into the gable walls, which are smoothly
finished above the remaining curve of the vault. Some purlin holes in the gables
suggest the use of timber supports for the vault. The lower courses of a corbelled
stone roof remain. The original narrow barrel vaulted altar recess was replaced by
the present chancel probably c.1200. The chancel measures 5.72 x 5.1 m. externally,
and also retains evidence of the springing of a corbelled vault. Evidence of the
original chancel can be seen in the remains of small splayed windows to N and S and a
section of barrel vaulting immediately E of the chancel arch. The nave has a
decorated W doorway and chancel arch and internal wall arcades, as well as carved
heads on the antae and decorated finials. There is a decorated E window in the
chancel.