Kill of the Grange

Situated on a low rise, in a green area, NE of Kill Abbey road. National Monument No. 207. Early Christian church site of Clonkeen (Kill of the Grange) founded by St Fintan in the 6th century. The regal visitation of 1615 recorded that of the church of Clonkene, alias Grange (Kill of the Grange), and that of Dalkey (DU023-023002-), had their rectories appertained to the church of the Holy Trinity (Christ Church DU018-020270-) and that Owen Ellis was curate of both; the churches were in repair, but their chancels were in ruins.

Originally built as a single-cell rectangular-shaped pre-Norman church (int. dims L 7.7m x Wth 5m, wall T 0.8m) with antae at both gable end, a chancel was added onto the E end of the single-cell church converting it into a medieval nave and chancel parish church with double bellcote added to the apex of the W gable during this period. This multi-period church stands in the centre of a roughly rectangular shaped graveyard (DU023-015002-) enclosed by a post-1700 stone wall (Wakeman 1891, 702; Ball 1902, 251-2, Turner 1983, 40-41). The church survives to gable height with a double bellcote over the W gable. Built of coursed granite blocks, which tend to be larger in the later addition. The side walls of the nave extend beyond the face of the gables forming antae. The church is entered through a lintelled doorway which has been reconstructed. There is a later entrance through a round arched doorway inserted into the W end of the S wall. The interior is lit by a narrow rectangular ope in the W gable and slit opes on the side walls. There are bar holes present on the jambs. A chancel with a round chancel arch was added to the E gable. There is moulding at the base of the S side. Interior is lit by a round arched ope with hollow-chamfered jambs containing bar holes and a stepped embrasure (int. dims. L 6.25m, x Wth 5.25m, wall T 0.55m). A fragment of a possible cross-slab (DU023-015012-) has been reused as a corner-stone to the top of the N angle of the antae on the SW angle of the church.

The church was visited in 1896 when it was described as follows; 'In plan it is simply an oblong quadrangle, measuring, externally, 82 feet 9 inches [25.2m] in length, by 21 feet 10 inches [6.6m] in breadth. The terminations of the side walls, as in many other early Irish churches, extend about 11 inches [0.28m] beyond the face of the gables, forming plain, well-defined pilasters. The walls, which are 2 feet 11 inches [0.89m] in thickness at base, are composed of roughly-hammered stones of medium size, laid in somewhat irregular courses. The original doorway, which occupies a position in the west gable, measures, at present, but 4 feet 8 inches [1.42m] in height, but, no doubt, its lower portion is buried for some distance in the church-yard soil. The breadth at top is 2 feet 6 inches [0.76m]; the width at present at base 8 feet 2 inches [2.5m]. Unfortunately, the original lintel is gone, its place being filled by a rudely-fashioned stone.

As was usual with very many of our old Irish churches, a time arrived when the original square-headed western entrance just described became out of fashion. It was succeeded by a pointed doorway broken through the south side wall at a little distance from the western gable. This entrance measures at present from ground to spring of the arch 2 feet 9 inches [0.83m]; its width is 8 feet 8 inches [2.64m]. A window, about 8 feet [2.4m] in height, with semicircular top cut out of a single stone should be observed as an original feature; it occurs near the eastern end of the building in the southern wall.

The architectural history of this most instructive church is curiously illustrated by the presence of a chancel, which is evidently an addition, made, as we may presume, at a time when the original structure was already old and out of fashion. As this chancel contains an eastern window characteristic of twelfth, or, at latest, of thirteenth-century work, we are forced to attribute to the nave, at least a very considerable degree of antiquity. It will be observed at once that the chancel side walls do not bond into the masonry of the original church. When the extension was made it became necessary to establish a choir arch, a feat easily accomplished by hewing a passage through what had been the eastern gable, which gap was then lined with field stones, so as to form a semicircular arch of the rudest description' (Wakeman 1896, 404-05).

Church recently described by Ó Carragáin (2010) as follows; 'Internal dimensions: 4.98 X 7.74m = 38.55 m sq. This church with antae has been extensively rebuilt and none of its original apertures survives, except possibly for one or two of the jamb stones of its doorway. The lintels of early round-headed windows may

be reused in late windows at the east ends of the side walls'.

The church is located within a complex which includes a graveyard (DU023-015002-), a holly well (DU023-015003-) a bullaun stone (DU023-015007-), two graveslabs (DU023-015005-, DU023-015006-), a stone font (DU023-015009), the base of a stone cross (DU023-015008-), and two crosses (DU023-015004) from the former laneway into the graveyard which are now in the care of the OPW in Trim, county Meath.