Loughcrew Church

Map Reference: N566762 (2566, 2762)



St Oliver Plunkett's Family Church, near Loughcrew House, has a large residential tower at the west end. It is four storeys high including the attic. There is good pecked decoration at the doorway. A broad stairway rises to first floor level and a narrow mural stairway in the east wall rises to the second floor. At the south-east corner a spiral stairway rises to roof level where there is a bell-cote. There are a number of large windows as well as small slits, some of which are blocked. There is a blocked fireplace in the south wall at the first floor.



The church is rectangular about 20m long with a south transept. There are large round-headed windows in the north and south walls. In the east wall is a large round-headed window flanked by two small square-headed windows. The transept has a two-light south window outside of which is a fine coat-of-arms. There are a number of 18th century memorials in the churchyard and a good burial vault to the south of the church.



About 100m west of the church is a very fine motte with a single tree on top. There is some slight damage on the north-east edge but otherwise it is in good condition. It stands at one edge of a low terrace which stretches towards the church.