Churchfield, Clane

Area

15,863 m² (1.59 ha, 3.92 acres)

Buildings

No building touches it.

Zoning

No zone of a development plan covers it in the national zoning. Outside zoned towns and villages, the county development plan's rural policies apply.

Townland

Clane

Planning applications on this parcel

• 11 Nov 2019Conditional

  demolishing an existing two-storey commercial building, constructing a new two-storey commercial building in lieu and which comprises of a medical centre with car parking, bicycle parking, bin storage and all associated ancillary site-works

  Permission · Kildare County Council, 191258

Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.

Designated sites

No designated site (Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, Natural Heritage Area or proposed one) touches this parcel.

Recorded monuments around it

This parcel is in the zone of notification of 12 recorded monuments.

• KD014-026001 Historic town
  Description

  The town of Clane appears to have developed around the site of the Early Christian monastery of 'Cluain Damh' (KD014-026017-). After the coming of the Normans, the Barony of Otyny (modern Barony of Clane) was granted to Adam de Hereford, who in turn granted it to his brother Richard, and the De Hereford's were probably responsible for the erection of the motte (KD014-026004-) at the S end of the town, near a crossing point (KD014-026008-) of the River Liffey. The town also contains a Franciscan Friary (KD014-026005-) and graveyard (KD014-026012-), and, reputedly, the hospital of St Mary Magdalene (KD014-026015-). The present street pattern is linear, with a main N-S street forking at its S end, with the SE fork heading towards the River Liffey. There are no clear burgage plot patterns and the settlement may have been abandoned before the close of the Middle Ages. The Civil Survey of 1654 noted four castles, no surface trace of which survives. (Bradley et al. 1986, vol. 2, 137-54) In 1997, archaeological monitoring (Excavation Licence No. 97E0345) of some 2km of trenching for Bord Gáis Éireann gas pipe revealed a series of three shallow pits cut into the natural boulder clay, one of which produced a small amount of animal bone, along with 'local ware' potsherds of 13th/14th century date. A Bann flake was found 'south of the present village and north of the motte' (KD014-026004-). (www.excavations.ie) In 2003, archaeological monitoring (Excavation Licence No. 03E1219) of a housing development at Abbeylands at the S end of the town revealed one rim-sherd of blackware, two sherds of medieval pottery and a dressed-stone interpreted as possibly a mullion from the Franciscan Friary (KD014-026005-) c. 100m to the west. (www.excavations.ie) Also in 2003, archaeological testing (Excavation Licence No. 03E1488) at a development site located at Prosperous Road and Millicent Road resulted in 115 sherds of mostly medieval pottery being recovered from the topsoil - Leinster cooking ware, Dublin-type ware, Dublin-type fineware and Dublin-type cooking ware. The post-medieval pottery consisted of possible Merida-type, black-glazed ware, glazed red earthenware and stoneware. In addition, two clay-pipe stems and a clay-pipe bowl were also recovered. (www.excavations.ie) Archaeological monitoring (Excavation Licence No. 03E0904) 'beside the motte' (KD014-026004-) also produced medieval pottery. (www.excavations.ie) Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 10 June 2011

• KD014-026002 Church
  Description

  According to Bradley et al. (1986, vol. 2, 142-44), the former parish church of 'St Michael's' was originally held by the Knights Hospitallers and is first referred to in 1212. Described as a parish church in 1307, by 1615 the chancel was in ruins. Located in a graveyard (KD014-0026011-) which may also occupy the site of the Early Christain monastery 'Cluain Damh' (KD014-026017-). The structure on the site today comprises a possibly 17th century, rectangular, four-storied, battlemented, west-tower (ext. dims. L c. 5.5m NNE-SSW; Wth c. 4.5m) onto which an apsidal church (dims. L c. 26m ESE-WNW; Wth 10m) was built in the late-18th c. The remains were renovated in the 1980's to serve as a community hall. The tower is entered through a modern, pointed-arched doorway in the S wall, but the original, partly blocked, round-arched doorway survives in the W wall. New floors, at different levels to the original, were inserted and the interior was plastered. The tower's windows and battlements date to c. 1800. A 12th/13th century granite font (KD014-026010-) found in the wall of the tower was moved to the church of 'St Michael and All Angels' at Millicent, where its present location is designated KD014-053----. Access from the tower to the church is through a round-arched door. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 10 June 2011

• KD014-026003 Bullaun stone
  Description

  A roughly dressed, rectangular limestone slab with a single, deep basin (diam. 0.32m; D. 0.35m), is now cemented on the top of a wall retaining the S bank of a small stream c. 120m to the S of the early monastic site (KD014-026017-). (Bradley et al. 1986, vol. 2, 149) Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 10 June 2011

• KD014-026004 Castle - motte
  Description

  The barony of Otyny (modern Barony of Clane) was granted to Adam de Hereford, who in turn granted it to his brother Richard, and the De Hereford's were probably responsible for the erection of the motte in the late-12th century (Bradley et al. 1986, vol. 2, 141-2). According to Cooke-Trench (1899-1902, 109) there was a local tradition that the top of the monument sank c. 1830 and skeletons were found there. In 1940, Leask described the motte as being surrounded by a concentric bank and ditch and noted a report that it was being dug away (SMR file). It stands on level pasture at the S end of Clane village, where it would have controlled an important crossing point (KD014-026008-) on the River Liffey c. 160m to the E. It is a high, conical, steep-sided, flat-topped mound (H c. 8m; diams. at base c. 47m E-W; c. 41m N-S; diam. at summit c. 14m). The sides are overgrown with mature trees and briar, but disturbance at the NE sector c. 1970 revealed a composition of 'gravel and small boulders and a thick layer of brown earth' (SMR file). At its base at N, a small area is denuded of sod-cover and reveals a banded-composition comprising a narrow layer of small angular, fist-sized stones (H 0.3m) with a layer of clay above (H 0.5m) and a second layer of stones (H 0.5m) above again. A shallow fosse (Wth 3.3m; D 0.7m) girdles the base W-N-SSE, but there is no visible trace of the bank noted by Leask. A holy well (KD014-026009-) lies c. 3m to the W. In 2003, archaeological excavation (Excavation Licence No. 03E0904: www.excavations.ie) in advance of a commercial development revealed two pits of medieval origin immediately S of the motte. One was sub rectangular in shape (dims. L 3m; Wth 2.5m; D1.5m) and waterlogged, and contained charcoal fill and 35 sherds of medieval pottery along with some animal bone. The second was smaller and roughly circular (diam. c. 0.8m) with a single fill containing five sherds of medieval pottery. Several fragments of ditches, truncated by modern activity, were also discovered but none contained medieval material. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 10 June 2011 This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 88/1940).

• KD014-026005 Religious house - Franciscan friars
  Description

  Founded in 1258, probably by Gerald Fitzmaurice, Lord of Offaly, who is traditionally associated with the effigial fragment (KD014-026014-) in the chancel, although the foundation has also been attributed to the Sturton family, the patronage subsequently passing to the Ugayns and later the Rochefords. A general chapter was held here in 1345, and in 1433 an indulgence was granted as the friary was in need of repair: Conlan (1978, 82) suggests that the friary was substantially rebuilt after 1433. In 1540, the dissolution documents noted that the church, chancel and part of the dormitory had been destroyed and the material used to repair the King's Castle (KD005-015----) in Maynooth. (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 245). The remains comprise large portions of the ivy-clad N and S walls and the E gable wall of a nave and chancel structure (nave dims. L c. 26m E-W; Wth 8m. chancel dims. L c. 17m E-W; Wth 8m) of 13th century date, to which a S-aisle (int. dims. L 16.6m E-W; Wth 6.5m) was added in the 15th c. Constructed of roughly coursed limestone blocks without dressed quoins; traces of plaster survive on both the inner and outer wall faces. The E window (probably a series of lancets) is robbed out and the chancel is lit by one lancet in the N wall and four, with traces of a fifth, in the S wall. The inner face of the E gable wall is altered to accommodate a grotto and the altar area is paved and roofed in corrugated iron sheeting. A recess near the E end of the S wall is probably a sedilla. Both the W gable wall and S wall of the nave are levelled, the latter to accommodate the aisle, and the N wall is featureless apart from a round-arched recess. The S aisle is also poorly preserved; its E and W walls are reduced to foundation level, but the S wall contains two lancet windows and the E-splay of a third. (Bradley et al. 1986, vol. 2, 146-48) In 1999, archaeological test-trenching (Excavation Licence No. 99E0386:www.excavations.ie), informed by previous geophysical investigations of a rectangular area (dims. L 40m; Wth 40m) N of the graveyard (KD014-026011-), confirmed the presence and extent of subsurface wall-features and suggested they were associated with the upstanding remains of the friary. Additional walls were also discovered to the S and SW of the graveyard and a number of burials were found outside, to the N, S and W, of the graveyard boundary walls. A gravelled surface uncovered to the SW of the graveyard may be the remains of a road, identified previously in aerial photographs and several areas of burning were also found. A stone-built 'tunnel' with an arched roof, running SW from the SE corner of the graveyard was also discovered (dims. L 8.8m NE-SW; Wth 1.2m; H above fill on floor 0.85m). This structure had been truncated by a modern sewerage pipe, and while not representative of classic souterain construction methods, the excavator suggested it was possibly a passage leading to a souterrain chamber. Sherds of medieval pottery, fragments of roof tiles and fragments of decorated floor tiles, all of which are probably related to the friary, were also found. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 10 June 2011

• KD014-026007 Tomb - table tomb
  Description

  In a graveyard (KD014-026011-), built against a free-standing stone wall outside the E end of the former 'St. Michael's' parish church (KD014-026002-). The limestone table-tomb of William Wogan of Rathcoffey, d. 1616. (Bradley et al. 1986, vol. 2, 144-5) Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 10 June 2011

• KD014-026009 Ritual site - holy well
  Description

  According to the OSL (Herity 2002, 42 (128)), 'This was formerly frequented as a holy well. Jackson (1978-80, 147) mentions a late 19th century reference that a procession and pattern were held at the well up to the late 1830's, but comments that, since Sunday was a day of devotion, patterns were not usually held at 'Sunday's' wells. The well lies in level pasture c. 3m to the W of Clane motte (KD014-026004-). It is enclosed in a concrete-roofed, rectangular structure (L 1.8m; Wth 0.8m; H 1m) of concrete blocks, open at the N end, from which a pipe draws water off for domestic use. This spring may once have fed the outer fosse of the adjoining motte? Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 10 June 2011

• KD014-026010 Font
  Description

  Found in the wall of the church tower (KD014-026002-) in Clane village, but moved to the church of 'St Michael and All Angles', Millicent - see KD014-054----. (Bradley et al. 1986, vol. 2, 145) Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 10 June 2011

• KD014-026011 Graveyard
  Description

  Located on the highest ground in the centre of the present village of Clane and probably occupying the site of the Early Christain monastery of 'Cluain Damh' (KD014-026017-). A D-shaped area (diam. c. 50m E-W) with a straight W side (L c. 50m N-S), its curving form may reflect the line of an earlier, monastic enclosure. Contains St Micheal's parish church (KD014-026002-) and a 17th century Wogan tomb (KD014-026007-). (Bradley et al. 1986, vol. 2, 142-43) Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 10 June 2011

• KD014-026012 Graveyard
  Description

  An almost square area (dims. L c. 60m N-S; Wth c. 60m E-W) located between the Early Christian monastic foundation of 'Cluain Damh' (KD014-026017-) c. 160m to the NNW and a motte (KD014-026004-) c. 180m to the SSW and containing 'Clane Abbey' (KD014-026005-), a 13th century Franciscan Friary. Burials are concentrated to the S of the friary ruins. In 1999, archaeological test-trenching (Excavation Licence No. 99E0386: www.excavations.ie), informed by previous geophysical investigations of a rectangular area (dims. L 40m; Wth 40m) N of the graveyard (KD014-026011-), confirmed the presence and extent of subsurface wall-features and suggested they were associated with the upstanding remains of the friary. Additional walls were also discovered to the S and SW of the graveyard and a number of burials were found outside, to the N, S and W, of the graveyard boundary walls. A gravelled surface, uncovered to the SW of the graveyard, may be the remains of a road (or street?), identified previously from aerial photographs. A stone-built 'tunnel' with an arched roof, running SW from the SE corner of the graveyard was also discovered (dims. L 8.8m NE-SW; Wth 1.2m; H above fill on floor 0.85m). This structure had been truncated by a modern sewerage pipe, and while not representative of classic souterrain construction methods, the excavator suggested it was possibly a passage leading to a souterrain chamber. Sherds of medieval pottery, fragments of roof tiles and fragments of decorated floor tiles, all of which were probably related to the friary, were also found. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 10 June 2011

And 2 more.

Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Works at or in relation to a recorded monument need two months' written notice to the National Monuments Service (National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, section 12).

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Registered freehold land, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. A parcel is the land of a title, not an address. The owner's name is in the Land Registry of Tailte Éireann: a copy of the folio can be ordered on landdirect.ie, for a fee.