Faughanvale Old Church

Map Reference: C579209 (2579, 4209)



Tradition says that Faughanvale is the site of a 7th century monastery. It may have been founded by St Canice, who is better known as the patron saint of Kilkenny. He died at Aghaboe in 600. The ruin is of a rectangular medieval church, measuring about 18m by 5m internally. The gables stand to full height and there are remains of a north porch. The rest of the walls are very low. During a recent visit (2009) it was found that the ruin is almost completely covered with ivy. This obscures most of the architectural detail.



The east window

From an earlier visit (1985) it is known that there is a small pointed window in the west gable and a good round-headed window in the east gable. The ivy now completely obscures the west window and partly obscures the east window. This window is composed of fine sandstone blocks and has a good exterior hood-mould. It is finely splayed on the inside. The church has good sandstone quoins and the west gable has two buttresses.



Detail of the NE corner

This end of the church may have been rebuilt. The graveyard has very many plain gravestones. Some of these have simple inscriptions which date from the 18th century.



A selection of gravestones



The following images of the east window were taken in 1985