Survey Data

Reg No

12314059


Rating

National


Categories of Special Interest

Archaeological, Architectural, Artistic, Historical, Social


Original Use

Church/chapel


Date

1455 - 1465


Coordinates

241450, 143762


Date Recorded

15/06/2004


Date Updated

--/--/--


Description

Detached seven-bay double-height rubble stone medieval parish church, built 1460, possibly incorporating fabric of earlier church, c.1250, comprising three-bay double-height nave with four-bay double-height chancel to east having single-bay double-height lower vestry to south, and single-bay three-stage tower, c.1250, to west on a square plan. Completed, 1530, with three-bay double-height side aisles added to north and to south. Renovated, pre-1837, with chancel converted to use as Church of Ireland church. Closed, pre-1973. Now disused with nave and side aisles now in ruins. Pitched slate roof to chancel (pitched slate roof to vestry) with clay ridge tiles, cut-stone coping to gables, and cast-iron rainwater goods on squared rubble limestone eaves having cut-limestone corbels. Pitched roofs to remainder now gone with roof to tower not visible behind parapet. Random rubble limestone walls (traces of unpainted roughcast over to vestry having sections of red brick irregular bond construction to gable) with slight plinth batter, cut-limestone stringcourse over, dressed stone quoins to corners, cut-limestone coping to gables having remains of cross finials to apexes, and Irish battlemented parapet to tower on cut-stone stringcourse. Pointed-arch window openings to chancel with cut-limestone surrounds having chamfered reveals, hood mouldings over, Y-mullions forming bipartite elliptical-headed arrangement having pierced oval over to arch (now boarded-up). Pointed-arch window opening to east with cut-limestone surround having chamfered reveals, hood moulding over supporting squared limestone voussoirs, Y-mullions and tracery forming five-part trefoil-headed arrangement having pierced quatrefoils over to arch (now boarded-up with remains of fixed-pane fittings surviving having leaded panels). Pointed-arch window opening to vestry with cut-limestone surround having chamfered reveals, hood moulding over, Y-mullions and tracery forming tripartite elliptical-headed arrangement having overlights (now boarded-up). Paired trefoil-headed window openings to first stage to tower with quatrefoil opening over, cut-limestone surround having chamfered reveals, and no fittings surviving. Square-headed window openings to remainder with cut-limestone surrounds having chamfered reveals, and no fittings surviving. Square-headed window openings to side aisles with cut-limestone surrounds having chamfered reveals, hood mouldings over, Y-mullions and tracery forming bipartite ogee-headed (south) and cinquefoil-headed (north) arrangement, and no fittings surviving. Pointed-arch window openings to west and to east elevations with cut-limestone surrounds having chamfered reveals, hood mouldings supporting squared limestone voussoirs, Y-mullions and tracery forming bipartite (west) and tripartite (east) elliptical- (south) and cinquefoil-headed (north) arrangements having overlights, and no fittings surviving. Pointed-arch door opening into chancel with cut-limestone step, cut-limestone surround having chamfered reveals, and wrought iron gate retaining Gothic-style timber overpanel. Interior to nave with pointed-arch arcade on limestone ashlar octagonal piers having moulded capping, and limestone ashlar soffits having chamfered reveals. Set back from road in own grounds. (ii) Graveyard to site with various cut-stone markers, pre-1530-post-1977. (iii) Gateway, c.1800, to west comprising pair of limestone ashlar piers with frieze between courses supporting carved cornices having cut-limestone capping, wrought iron double gates having cast-iron finials, sections of wrought iron flanking railings on limestone ashlar chamfered plinth having cast-iron finials, limestone ashlar outer piers with friezes between courses supporting carved cornices having cut-limestone capping, and random rubble stone boundary wall to perimeter of site.

Appraisal

A substantial ecclesiastical composition representing an artefact of national significance in the architectural heritage of Callan. Continuing a long-standing presence on site with origins in a thirteenth-century complex developed by Hugh de Mapilton (n. d.) the church also boasts historic associations with the Comerford family: redeveloped in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries the church forms an important element of the archaeological heritage of County Kilkenny. Now disused and surviving as a reminder of the once-prosperous Church of Ireland community in the locality the church makes a strong visual impact in the townscape: occupying an important central site the building is identified by the stout tower punctuating the skyline. An attendant graveyard enhancing the picturesque setting value of the site includes a range of cut-stone markers of artistic design merit (including one attributed to the early sixteenth-century sculptor, Rory O'Tunney (n. d.)) while the gateway exhibiting fine stone work together with early iron ware makes a pleasing contribution to the visual appeal of the street scene.