Castlelyons Friary

On W side of Castlelyons village, ruins of Carmelite friary founded in 1309 by John de Barry (Gwynn and Hadcock 1988, 288). Consists of nave (int.: 19.5m E-W; 7.5m N-S), choir and chancel (int.: 16.5m E-W; 7.5m N-S), separated by 3-storey tower (int.: 3.6m E-W; 7.5m N-S); E and W range of domestic buildings around cloister to S; S range entirely gone (Windele 1898, 61). Only part of chancel which stands above foundation level is NE corner. Ingoing only part of E window which survives, indicating eitherthat window was of unusual height and width or, more probably, that E window was multi-light, which is likely to be a 13th century feature. Nave walls stand to near full height but upper part of W gable gone. Central door in W wall has pointed arch over door; jambs and arch rebated in five plain orders, hood-moulding also rebated in three orders. Directly above is twin-light ogee-headed window. Blocked door near W end of N wall of nave.Two windows each in N and S walls. Piscina near E end of S wall; shallow recess covered by rounded arch opposite in N wall. Restored chest tombs in NE and SE corners. Pointed archway, with plain jambs, leads into area undertower, covered by groined vault of which only northern third survives. Spiral stone stairway rises full height of tower in NW corner. Only W and Swalls of 1st and 2nd floor compartments survive. At 1st floor level wide shallow recesses in both walls, with rounded arches, frame lintelled window embrasures. Central lintelled window embrasures at 2nd floor level. Wallwalk intact atop both walls. Cloister entered by ground floor doorway in S wall of tower; pointed arch over door. Garth defined by low wall (H c.0.3m) showing signs of rebuilding, with three modern columns representing cloister arcading. Both W and E ranges two storey. Both ranges have opposite doors at N ends of E and W walls, pointed arches over doors in E range, lintelled in W range. E range has fireplace, missing lintel and breast, in W wall and three lintelled window embrasures at ground and 1st floor levels in E wall. Third ground floor doorway in SW corner. W range also has third door at ground level, near S end of E wall. Single ground floor window in W wall. First floor entered at NE corner from stairs rising from door in W line of ambulatory. Parts of two window embrasures survive in E and W walls. Door at W end of S wall probably led to garderobe at SW corner of range. With possible exception of NE corner of chancel alldetails of 15th/16th century date. Power (1918, 208) noted three recumbent grave slabs in choir, one with 'long graceful cross', second 'carrying the unmistakable insignia of a blacksmith', third bearing worn inscription with date 1614. There are now thirteen slabs on floor of choir; six rectangular, one rectangular with pointed end, and six tapering with a wide and narrowend. All are very worn but have foliated crosses and probably vary from14th to 17th century in date. This structure shows many signs of repair by Office of Public Works; it is National Monument No. 411.