Ardmulchan Church & Graveyard

Map Reference: N908702 (2908, 2702)



When I visited this site in 1990 I recorded the following observations: ‘a rectangular church with a tower at the west end. The west wall of the tower, stands to full height and has a double bell-cot. The ground floor is almost intact and is vaulted. There are holes for three bell ropes. A mural stairway leads to above the vault. The rest of the ruin is very low. The graveyard has some fine memorials featuring cherubs and one stone has an incised ring-headed cross. There is also a trapezoidal coffin-lid with a floreated cross. From the church there is a very fine upstream view of the Boyne and Boyne Navigation. Dunmoe Castle (N902702) can be clearly seen an the other side of the river. Ardmulchan Motte (N908703) appears as a large low mound on the south but on the north drops steeply towards the river’.



I recall that the church tower was partly covered with ivy. During a more recent visit (March 2009) I found that the tower was now cleared of ivy although the east end of the church was still covered. Several pieces of window-tracery, including some with glazing-bar holes, may be seen within the ruin. Unfortunately I was so intent in photographing the tower that I failed to check for the presence of the gravestones etc mentioned above.





Some of the gravestones noted during the 1990 visit





View of River Boyne and Dunmoe Castle from Ardmulchan