Rathmore Church

Rathmore Church is a ruined medieval church and National Monument in County Meath, Ireland.[1][2] It was constructed by the prominent Plunkett living nearby at Rathmore Castle. A modern church 0.5 km to the northeast serving the area was constructed in 1844.[3] Archer and Smith describe it as similar in purpose to other churches constructed at Killeen and Dunsany.[4]

Rathmore Church
Cill an Rátha Mhóir
Rathmore Church is located in Ireland
Rathmore Church
Rathmore Church
53.643173°N 6.872316°W / 53.643173; -6.872316
LocationRathmore, Athboy, County Meath
CountryIreland
DenominationChurch of Ireland
Previous denominationPre-Reformation Catholic
History
Founder(s)Thomas Fitz-Christopher Plunket
DedicationLorcán Ua Tuathail (St Lawrence)
Architecture
Heritage designation
Official nameRathmore Church
Reference no.289
Years built1470s
Closedlate 17th century
Specifications
Length26 m (85 ft)
Width7 m (23 ft)
Nave width7 m (23 ft)
Floor area175 m2 (1,880 sq ft)
Spire height12 m (39 ft)
Materialssandstone, mortar
Administration
DioceseMeath

Location

Rathmore Church is located 3.5 km (2.2 mi) northeast of Athboy, to the west of Jamestown Bog.[5]

History

Thomas Fitz-Christopher Plunket was a lawyer and judge of the mid-15th century, serving as Lord Chief Justice of Ireland in 1461 and 1463. He was married to Marion Cruise (Mary Anne Cruys) and died in 1471; the couple are buried together at Rathmore, Marion's hereditary family seat.[6]

Lieutenant-General Thomas Bligh (d. 1775) of the 20th Regiment of Foot has a monumental tablet in the church. He fought at Dettingen, Val, Fontneay, and Melle. He was also commander of the British troops at Cherbourg.[7][8]

The baptismal font was stolen in April 2013 but recovered in May of that year.[9]

Church

Rathmore Church is a nave and chancel church with a three-storey sacristy and a tall bell tower. Features include a piscina, sedilia, carved heads and labyrinth stone. The effigy of Thomas Fitz-Christopher Plunket is in good condition; he wears armour and a dog sleeps at his feet. Marion's is badly damaged.[9][10]

References
  1. "Tom Cruise's Irish Ancestry - Overview - Eneclann".
  2. Hiberionacum, Vox (15 May 2013). "On the Theft of a Decorated Medieval Font from Rathmore Church, Co. Meath".
  3. Christine Casey; Alistair John Rowan (1993). North Leinster: The Counties of Longford, Louth, Meath and Westmeath. Penguin. pp. 457–8. ISBN 978-0-14-071085-4.
  4. Archer, Lucy; Smith, Edwin (1999). Architecture in Britain and Ireland : 600-1500 (1. publ. ed.). London: Harvill Press. p. 410. ISBN 9781860467011.
  5. "Rathmore Church « The Irish Aesthete".
  6. "Ireland In Ruins: Old Rathmore Church Co Meath". 8 March 2013.
  7. p. 120
  8. "Rathmore (Meath) - Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837)".
  9. "Rathmore Church, Meath".
  10. Past, Ed Hannon-Visions of the (20 February 2016). "Rathmore Church, Meath, Ireland".
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.