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 north-east 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
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
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
Designations
National Monument of Ireland
Official nameRathmore Church
Reference no.289

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 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]

gollark: ... probably, but I don't know *how*
gollark: How strange. MBS under PotatOS doing `mbs download` appears to only receive events for two or three of the files.
gollark: Weird. `mbs install` on SC under PotatOS freezes.
gollark: Or occasionally which doesn't.
gollark: To do stuff which makes sense at the time?

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".
  7. p. 120
  8. https://www.libraryireland.com/topog/R/Rathmore-Lune-Meath.php
  9. "Rathmore Church, Meath".
  10. Past, Ed Hannon-Visions of the (20 February 2016). "Rathmore Church, Meath, Ireland".
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