Nuns' Chapel

Situated on the low-lying flood plains of the river Shannon in undulating countryside. Nuns Chapel which consists of a small divided nave and chancel church (ext. dims. Nave 12.89m E-W; 7.82m N-S; wall T 0.9m; Chancel 5.35m by 5.2m) built with roughly coursed limestone blocks. The church was reconstructed in 1865 from the grass covered rubble which lay scattered over the surface of the graveyard. The Chancel arch , W doorway and partial round headed window are the only features which were reconstructed. The chancel arch consists of a triple ordered round headed arch with hood moulding over with animal headed terminals. The Romanesque decorative features consist of chevrons, beading and animal masks etc. The W doorway is a tripled ordered doorway with hood moulding over with animal headed terminals. Decorative features include chevrons, animal masks and foliage. Founded by Dervorgilla in 1167 (Brady 1960, 4-7). Church is situated in centre of large square shaped enclosure defined by a dry stone wall constructed in places with large cyclopean masonry with arch of nunnery (10m N-S; 7.5m E-W) located to the S and incorporated into the wall of the enclosure with possible medieval buildings attached to the S and N end of E wall of enclosure (pers. comm. King). The wall footings of another building are located to the NW of the Nun's chapel. (Cooke 1875 374-8; Monahan 1886, 53; Anon 1907, 336-7; Westropp 1907; 300-5; Macalister 1910, 26-7; O'Flanagan 1933, vol. 1, 67-8; Molloy 1950, 12; Brady 1960, 4-7; Hadcock 1964, 126; Langan Vol. 1, 76; Stalley 1971, 1-3; Weir 1980, 57-61; Manning 1994, 33)