Kildorrery Church

In centre of graveyard (14587). Ruinous church comprises nave (int. dims.: 16.2m E-W; 6.8m N-S) and chancel (int. dims.: c. 7.15m E-W; 5.3m N-S), built of sandstone rubble. East wall of chancel has entirely fallen; line of stones probably marks inner wall face. South wall survives as low line of rubble. North wall, heavily overgrown on outer face, stands to full height (H c. 2.5m); wall incorporates cut-sandstone fragments. Dividing wall between nave and chancel ivy-clad; side jambs of narrow chancel arch (Wth 2m) survive, now scarcely visible under ivy; stiff-leaf foliated capital of 13th-century type inserted into S jamb; likely to have come from elaborate window surround. Photograph of 1907 (Grove White 1905-25, vol. 3, opp. 282) shows base of springing of arch arising from S jamb. South wall of nave survives to full height, heavily ivy-grown on exterior face. Doorway, towards W end, has chamfered cut-limestone door surround with pointed arch. Sandstone holy water stoup in pointed-arch niche set into E side of doorway. Wide gap towards E end of S wall (Wth 3.4m) probably indicates site of window ope. North wall of nave survives to full height only at E end (L 6m), overgrown and collapsed (H c. 1m) elsewhere. West wall of nave removed, burial plots along line of wall.

Cut-sandstone fragments in N wall of chancel include: D-sectioned string course, which terminates in moulding suggestive of side jamb of window; heavily fluted fragment of possible door jamb; possible base of engaged column; carved head on chamfered fragment; a possible door jamb of later-medieval date. The latter was built into N wall after being retrieved from road contractor who had been taking stones out of the church in mid- to late-19th century (Grove White ibid., 283). Second heavily fluted fragment of door jamb inserted as grave marker in chancel. Windele, who visited church in 1849, noted in N wall a 'square recess, a foot in depth, three feet in length, two feet in height, bordered with a double torus moulding and a foliaged pattern' (ibid., 282); on a later visit he notes 'doorway in north wall of chancel nearly destroyed. Its moulded and floriated stones half gone for grave heads.' Chancel not well keyed in to nave; probably an addition to church although perhaps near-contemporary in date; chancel arch could have originated as E window of first church. Remains of parish church of Kildorrery. A church here listed in Papal Taxation of 1291; reported 'in ruins' in 1591, but 'in repair' in 1615; by 1677 'out of repair since the rebellion of 1641', and still 'in ruins' in 1774 (Brady 1863, vol. 2, 258, 363).