Saint Gobnet's Church (ruin)

Near E end of graveyard (CO058-034003-); ruins of Ballyvourney parish church, known as Teampall Ghobnatan (O hEaluighthe 1952, 55) which, according to tradition, stands on site of St Gobnet's convent (O'Kelly 1952, 18). Church consists of nave (19.2m E-W; 9.25m N-S) with chancel (8.55m E-W; 6.55m N-S) added at E end; walls stand to full height, except upper part of E gable of chancel which has fallen. Nave entered by doorway, W of centre in S wall; only one stone of door jamb survives. Nave lit by simple slit window near W end of S wall and by pair of opposite windows, with cusped round-headed lights, near E end of N and S walls. On external face of lintel over latter window in S wall is a human figure, carved in false relief, which may possibly be a sheela-na-gig (CO058-034008-). In centre of W gable, c. 2m above present ground level, is lintelled doorway, facing inwards, as is slit window overhead; these imply former presence of structure against outside of W gable but only low wall, enclosing rectangular area, stands here now. This could be remains of 'steeple' which Smith (1750, vol. 1, 185) refers to as 'ready to fall with age'; by mid 19th century, this 'was a mere heap of stones' (O hEaluighthe ibid.). At E end of N wall of nave is shallow recess covered by segmental arch; opposite in S wall is small wall press. On W face of E gable of nave very worn carved human head projects; this was probably once voussoir in 12th-century Romanesque arch of earlier church; head known locally as 'an gadaidhe dubh' (Henry 1952, 41-2; O'Kelly 1952,37-8). Slightly off-centre, bluntly-pointed chancel arch; O'Kelly (1952, 37) noted jambs of chancel arch 'built of carefully squared blocks of brown sandstone set with such close joints that they bear the stamp of 12th century work'. Chancel lit by single-light windows in S and E walls, both showing signs of repair; present lintel over window light in E wall is reused head of twin ogee-headed light. Quoin at NE angle of nave inscribed with pattern 'which seems to be a Greek cross, but inscribed in a square frame' (Henry ibid.); this stone is unlikely to be in its original position and was probably part of fabric of Romanesque church (O'Kelly 1952, 29). Interior now filled with 18th-, 19th- and 20th-century burials. Church is part of pilgrimage route, with five stations located about ruin; in connection with this a number of electric lights have been affixed to walls of church. In 1993 PVC-windowed lean-to built against external face of N wall of nave, to accommodate donated set of stations of the cross.