Unofficial guide. Not the National Monuments Service, the OPW, Fáilte Ireland or the landowner. Disclaimer
At a glance
- TypeChurch
What to look for
- Graveyard
Picked out from the Archaeological Survey description below.
Can you visit?
- No source says it is open to the public.Most monuments in Ireland stand on private farmland.
- Ask the landowner before crossing fields, close gates, leave the stones as you find them.Visiting responsibly
History and description
On a S-facing slope, with good views to the SW and NE. Described in the OS Letters (1839), as, ‘a little Church …called by the natives Teampall Geal, i.e., White Church, but the farmer on whose farm it stood had just rooted up the last stones of the foundation when we visited the place a few days ago. It measured thirty six feet sixteen [inches?] [11.4m].
Full archaeological record 187 words
On a S-facing slope, with good views to the SW and NE. Described in the OS Letters (1839), as, ‘a little Church …called by the natives Teampall Geal, i.e., White Church, but the farmer on whose farm it stood had just rooted up the last stones of the foundation when we visited the place a few days ago. It measured thirty six feet sixteen [inches?] [11.4m]. There is a small graveyard still in use at this place’ (O’Flanagan 1930, vol. 2, 89-90 (29)). According to Carrigan (1905, vol. 3, 323-4), the church, ‘was dedicated to St. James, the Apostle, (July 25). The east gable is standing to a height of 4ft. [1.2m], but all the other walls have been uprooted from the foundations. It was a small church’.
The ruinous church (int. dims. c. 14m E-W x 7m N-S) built of roughly coursed limestone rubble (max. H 1.2m), occupies the SW corner of the graveyard (KK027-038002-). It comprises the wall-footings of the E and W gables and their returns, and the E end of the N wall, all of which are overlain with earth and collapsed masonry.
Archaeological Survey of Ireland, National Monuments Service (CC BY 4.0) · Compiled by Jean Farrelly · Updated 3 April 2023. It describes the site as it was when surveyed.
Folklore and traditions
More ancient churches nearby

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Church · Newtown (Baker) · Kilkenny · 3.0 km away
National MonumentSt. Mary's Church
Church · Callan South · Kilkenny · 4.3 km away
National MonumentKilree monastic site
Church · Kilree (Kells By.) · Kilkenny · 4.7 km away
Tullamaine Church
Church · Tullamaine (Ashbrook) · Kilkenny · 5.1 km away

St. Kieran's Church
Church · Glebe (Kells By.) · Kilkenny · 5.1 km away
Danganmore Church ruin
Church · Danganmore · Kilkenny · 5.3 km away
Also recorded nearby
Named sites within 5 km with only a short entry in the Archaeological Survey.
- St Leonard's WellRitual site - holy well · Dunnamaggan East · 3.7 km · official record
- Dunnamaggan ChurchChurch · Dunnamaggan East · 3.9 km · official record
Visitors' notes
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Around White Church
Other heritage nearby
- Well of the VirginHoly well · 0.1 km
- Caherlesk CastleCastle · 0.8 km
- Ballytobin CastleCastle · 1.6 km
- St. James's WellHoly well · 2.2 km
- Well of the RagsHoly well · 2.3 km
- Newtown Erly CastleCastle · 2.9 km
Recorded within 5 km
- 15 castlesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 10 holy wellsArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 7 ancient churchesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 5 ringfortsArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 1 abbey or friaryArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 1 high crossArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 1 round towerArchaeological Survey of Ireland
Walks and trails
- South Kilkenny Cycle LoopRoad Cycling Trail · 43.2 km · nearest point 5.0 km
- Castlemorris - Fern LoopWalking Trail · 2.4 km · nearest point 7.0 km
- Castlemorris - Holly LoopWalking Trail · 4.8 km · nearest point 7.0 km
Outdoors, towns and places to stay
- CastlemorrisForests · 9.0 km
- Coill an FhaltaighForests · 12 km
- Garryricken Nature ReserveNature reserves · 5.9 km
- Kyleadohir Nature ReserveNature reserves · 7.9 km
- CallanWalled towns · 4.3 km
- ThomastownWalled towns · 13 km
- Clomanatagh CastleHistoric stays · 25 km
Other attractions nearby
- Kilree High CrossHistoric Houses and Castle · 4.7 km
- Kells PrioryHistoric Houses and Castle · 5.2 km
- Edmund Rice Heritage CentreHistoric Houses and Castle · 5.3 km
- Gáirdín an GhortaGardens · 7.4 km
What's on nearby
- Pa Sheehy The Magic We Found Tour2026-11-05 · 16 km
- Kilkenomics2026-11-06 · 16 km
- Kilkenomics2026-11-07 · 16 km


