Sheepstown Church

On a low rise with ground falling away in all directions, in undulating terrain, surrounded by pasture. The church is enclosed by small roughly circular graveyard (KK031-015002-) bounded by modern wall, which is within a slightly larger circular enclosure (KK031-015003-). According to Carrigan (1905, vol. 4, 9), ‘Its patron is St. Muicin or Muicceen (Latine, Mochinus), of Maighin, Bishop, whose festival was celebrated here on the 4th March’, he goes on to says that the church belonged to the Priory of Kells before the Dissolution of the Monasteries. An undivided 12th-century Romanesque church (ext. dims. 14m E-W; 6.6m N-S; int. dims. 12.43m E-W; 5.14m N-S; W gable wall T 0.85m) built of large and small blocks roughly coursed, the quoins at all four angles have a vertical roll-moulding at the angle. The quoins at the NW angle are surmounted by a stone which projects westward, this very worn stone, which appears to have been carved, has been interpreted rather enigmatically by Carrigan (ibid.) as a “clock-stone”, however, it may simply be a decorative terminal for the roof coping stones or could even be ex situ as the gable stones above it appear to be later repair work. Much of the E gable is leaning outward, in order to arrest its collapse two externally buttresses were built, presumably in the late 19th century (visible in a photograph in Carrigan 1905, vol. 4, 8). Put-log holes are visible internally and externally in the upper portion of the E gable. The church was entered through a round-headed doorway with cut-stone voussoirs rising from projecting plain imposts, chamfered towards the base. The doorway tapers towards the top (Wth at base 0.99m; Wth below imposts 0.88m; total H 2.32m; H to base of imposts 1.74m) and the cut-stone jambs have a vertical roll-moulding at the angle. There is a narrow pointed doorway (Wth 0.56m; H 2.12m) with crude voussoirs towards the E end of the S wall, the head and W side of which are completely rebuilt, however, rather than being a completely later insert, it is possible that the E jambs, particularly the lower jambs with vertical roll-moulding, are part of an original S doorway which led into a sacristy. The doorway has an internal rebate, with draw-bar hole on the E side. The church was lit by a single-light window (H 1.7m; Wth 0.22m) in the E gable, which has an external rebate and chamfer. The window head, though possibly round appears to be slightly pointed, and although rebated and chamfered externally, it may be a later insert. The pointed segmental head of the embrasure, with its crude voussoirs, differs in form from the embrasure surround, suggesting it may also be a later insert, and that perhaps the apex of the W gable is a later rebuild. The window at the E end of the S wall has been entirely rebuilt, including the very crude, worn head, which is triangular with a rough external rebate. This window head was found lying about and was placed in its present position in 1935 during repair works (OPW correspondence and field notes). W of the inserted doorway in the S wall there is evidence of another window, though only the E side of the splay of the embrasure survives. This window is mentioned in the OS Letters (1839) (O’Flanagan 1930, vol. 2, 38) as being, ‘five feet eight inches [1.73m] from the ground, three feet ten [1.17m] high and two feet one [0.63m] wide (high?) on the inside of which the rectilineal pointed arch made one foot [0.3m], one stone of which (forming its half) only remains. The outside is entirely broken but its breadth could not have been more than three inches [0.075m]’. The N wall is largely collapsed, however, there is evidence of a window at the E end of the wall, though only the lower W side of the embrasure survives. A portion of cloister arcading (KK031-015006-) from Jerpoint Abbey (KK028-062005-), which lies 6.5km to the NE, had been brought to the graveyard as a grave-marker (Manning 1975, 118-9; OPW correspondence and field notes). It is currently fixed on top of the reduced N wall of the church, at the W end.

(National Monument no. 73)