Tristernagh

53 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Tristernagh, from 76 m² to 108,494 m² (10.85 ha, 26.81 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary; 19 neighbouring parcels touch it.

Download the townland: DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its boundary, parcels and buildings; GeoJSON or KML.

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

Source: Tailte Éireann and the Department of Housing (MyPlan), national zoning, CC BY 4.0.

• 4 Sept 2026N/a

  to construct a new dormer bungalow type dwelling house, domestic garage, new domestic vehicular entrance, septic tank and percolation area and all associated ancillary site services

  Permission · Westmeath County Council, 2660466

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

Designated sites

• Special Protection Area: Lough Iron SPA 004046
• Proposed Natural Heritage Area: Lough Iron 000687

Recorded monuments

• WM011-049 Road - road/trackway
  Description

  The remains of a roadway depicted on all editions of the OS 6-inch map as 'Bohereennamarve' meaning 'little road of the dead' and which appears to connect the public road to Templecross church (WM011-051----) and graveyard (WM011-051001-) and onwards to Tristernagh Abbey (WM011-053----). The roadway (approx. Wth. 15m) runs from SW to NE for a distance of c. 1.3km. A small bridge (WM011-052----) at the NE end of the roadway traverses a small stream giving access to Tristernagh Abbey (WM011-053----). An Extent of the priory lands made at Tristernagh Priory on the 8th of October 1540 described the road as following; 'Within the site of the priory (WM011-053----) or manor:—a church, which is the parish church; its belfry is a stone tower. Certain chambers and other buildings necessary for the farmer's use. A curtilage surrounded with a stone wall. All these are situated above a large lake (Lough Iron), broad and deep. The other parts of the site are surrounded with a large bog, except that there is a single straight road (WM011-049----) for entrance' (White 1943, 276). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 21 October 2010

• WM011-050 Barrow - stepped barrow
  Description

  Situated on the summit of a natural hillock in grassland with extensive views of the surrounding area. A medieval roadway annotated as 'Bohereenamarve' runs past the monument 20m to the W, Templecross church (WM011-051----) and graveyard (WM011-051001-) 600m to NE. A small circular-shaped mound that appears to have been landscaped in the post-1700 period when a curving terrace leading to the top was built. The mound is enclosed by a wide berm with traces of a slight bank and narrow deep fosse which seems to have ben re-cut in the post-1700 period possibly when the monument was enclosed by a field boundary. A causewayed entrance feature at N appears to be a post-1700 feature. A spiral step pathway has been cut into the mound from NNE, curving around to the top of the mound. The top of the mound was used as a trigonometrical station by the OS marking the spot height of 277ft. The landscaping of the monument and the deepening of the fosse may have been related to landscaping carried out by the OS when placing their trig. station on top of the mound. The stepped-barrow stands in the centre of a large circular enclosure (approx. diam. 33m) which appears to date from the post-1700 period when the monument was enclosed by a circular field boundary. The larger circular enclosure is clearly visible on aerial photograph taken in 1969 (CUCAP AYR008). The monument could be interpreted as a prehistoric bell-barrow or stepped-barrow which was either landscaped as an ornamental mound or modified by the Ordnance Survey in the 19th century when a trig station was placed on top of the mound. See attached profile of monument surveyed and drawn by the ASI. Compiled by: Frank Coyne and Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 18 August 2017

• WM011-051 Church
  Description

  In centre of graveyard (WM011-051001-). The church was described in 1826 as following; ‘Near the entrance to the demesne of Tristernagh, stands the Chapel of Templecross, now in ruins. This building, in the time of the historian of Westmeath, was in good repair, and divine service was then performed within its walls. In this chapel is the sepulchral vault of the Piers family’ (WM011-051003-) (Brewer 1826, 240). This chapel was described by Sir Henry Piers in 1682 as following; ‘a small but well-built chapel, now in good repair, wherein hangeth one small bell, which had the good fortune to the escape the fury and rapine of the late war. The church is called Templecross. In this chapel, in the late Bishop of Meath’s days, were ordained at one time eleven or more deacons, and at another time six or seven. This place supplieth the defect of our mother church at Kilbixy, now out of repair’ (Vallancey 1786, 73; Woods 1907, 307). This church was modified in the late 16th or early 17th century by Sir Henry Piers. The inscription on his armorial plaque states that it was Henry 'who by a holy instinct erected this tomb after he had renovated the sacred edifice and constructed the adjoining road (WM011-049---)' (ibid.). Present remains consist of an ivy-clad single cell church (ext. dims. 12.9m E-W; 6.65m N-S) with a residential priests tower at W end. The first story of the residential tower is carried on a barrel-vaulted arch springing over the W end of the ground floor of the church. Unusually the vault is carried on a cut stone relieving arch on the E wall of the tower which creates an open undercroft space inside the ground floor of the church. There is good evidence for wicker centring on the underside of the vault as well as traces of plaster finish over the wicker centring. The absence of the E wall of the residential tower creates an undivided space for the ground floor of the church. The walls of the church stand to full height on all sides and are built with coursed rubble with well dressed quoins. The residential tower is wider than the main body of the church with the church doorway located in the S wall of the tower. The tower is built with coursed rubble with long and short alternating roughly hammer dressed quoins. The church is entered through a pointed stone doorway (Wth 1m; H 2m) consisting of rough hammer-dressed jamb stones with concave chamfer located at W end of S wall. The doorway stands inside a flat headed embrasure. Directly opposite this entrance in the N wall of the church there is a second cut stone pointed doorway (H 1m). The church was lit by two windows in the N and S walls with a window in the centre of the E wall. The E window consists of an ivy covered twin light ogee-headed opening. The window has punch dressed limestone jambs with concave chamfer and external hood moulding. A glazing groove is visible running up along the middle of the window jambs with a beam hole either side of the window embrasure to accommodate a wooden drawbar to secure the window shutters. A broken out window was located in the centre of the N wall of the church. A second single light flat-headed cut stone limestone window with external hood moulding now covered in ivy is located off centre to E in N wall of church. Directly beneath this window on the internal face there is an ogee-headed wall cupboard or aumbry (dims. H 0.85m x Wth 0.55m x D 0.5m) made from rough hammer dressed stones similar to the S doorway. An ivy-clad flat-headed window with hood moulding opposite the N window can be seen off centre to E in S wall. Two diamond-shaped bar holes are present on the head and sill of the N and S windows. Beneath the S window on the internal face of this wall are the remains of a piscina (dims. H 0.8m x Wth 0.65m x D 0.4m) with cut stone pointed arch. The rough hammer dressed chamfered jambs of the piscina have a pyramidal shaped chamfer stop. The drainage channel for water run off is clearly visible in the back wall of the piscina. The head of this arch appears to cut across the base of the window embrasure located directly above it. A second window has been partially blocked up by a 17th century armorial plaque (WM011-051003-) and chest tomb (WM011-051004-) which is located off centre to W in S wall. Immediately W of this chest tomb are the remains of a flat-headed aumbry or wall cupboard. A large segmental relieving arch which supports the mural stairs in the W wall recess is located in NW angle of W wall. Inside this recess there are the possible remains of a blocked up aumbry in N wall. A small wall cupboard or aumbry is located in S wall of this recess. A pointed cut stone doorway (H 1.65m; Wth 0.75m) located off centre to S in W wall of church leads to a mural stairs which gives access to first floor of residential tower (ext. dims. 5.2m E-W; 7.3m N-S; wall T 1.3m). Beam holes on the inside of the doorway show evidence for internal drawbar. Directly inside the doorway there is an aumbry (H 0.85m; D 0.65m; Wth 0.65m) or wall cupboard in the W wall. The narrow mural stairs rises steeply to first floor level where it turns into a spiral stairs to give access to a destroyed second floor or wall walk level. The mural stairs is roofed with flat overlapping slabs creating a corbelled roof. The poorly preserved first floor of the tower is now covered in vegetation and ivy making detailed examination impossible. Most of the N wall has collapsed at first floor level. A large broken out opening in the centre of the E wall of the tower gave access to a loft or roof space over the W end of the church. An earlier site report described the line of the church roof which was visible in the E wall of the tower at first floor level. This feature is no longer visible as this wall is now covered in ivy. An earlier site description from 1981 also recorded the presence of a broken out opening which may have been a window located in the centre of the S wall. A long narrow ogee-headed limestone window was located off centre to the S in the W wall of the tower. The jambs of this window possessed glazing grooves and the opening was protected by an external hood moulding. This window is no longer visible as the wall is covered with ivy. A small poorly preserved window with hood moulding above was located off centre to E in S wall. The earlier site report described the presence of a ruinous fireplace in the centre of the W wall with chimney shaft rising from the top of the fireplace which projects into the room, the fireplace and chimney structure are possibly a later inserted feature. This fireplace is now covered in vegetation making examination impossible. The architectural evidence suggests that this tower was renovated when the fireplace and chimney stack were inserted into the W end of the church by Sir Henry Piers (SMR File 17/06/1981). Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 13 July 2015

• WM011-051001 Graveyard
  Description

  In pasture on low rise of ground with good views in all directions. Tristernagh abbey (WM011-053---) located 570m to ENE. Sub-circular shaped area (diam. c. 50m E-W; 48m N-S) enclosed by an earth and stone bank which is revetted with a later post-medieval stone wall with entrance gate and stile at SE. Church ruin (WM011-051---) stands in the centre, with base of cross (WM011-051002-) in SW quadrant. The graveyard contains memorials mainly dating from the 18th century onwards. Depicted as a small circular-shaped graveyard known as ‘Templecross Burying Ground’ on 1838 ed. OS 6-inch map. The circular-shaped graveyard may indicate presence of Early Christian ecclesiastical enclosure (WM011-051005-). This curving boundary is clearly visible on aerial photograph taken by Cambridge University in 1969 (CUCAP AYR009). Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 13 July 2015

• WM011-051002 Cross
  Description

  Only the base of a cross survives standing in SW quadrant of graveyard (WM011-051001-). Unable to locate cross base described in 1981 as the broken base of a cross standing SW of church (WM011-051----) on a low mound. The rectangular shaped limestone base (dims. 1.05m x 1.13m) with bevelled edge has a central rectangular shaped socket (dims. 0.27m x 0.17m x D 0.1m) on its upper surface which supported the shaft of a cross (SMR File 18/06/1981). Depicted on 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map as ‘Site of Cross’ in W quadrant of graveyard. Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 13 July 2015

• WM011-051003 Armorial plaque
  Description

  In pasture on low rise of ground with good views in all directions. Tristernagh abbey (WM011-053---) located 570m to ENE. Tristernagh House was the residence of the Piers family in the 17th century. Sub-circular shaped graveyard (WM011-051001-) with church ruin (WM011-051---) in centre, with base of cross (WM011-051002-) in SW quadrant. Armorial plaque with latin inscription commemorating Sir Henry Piers and dated 1620 has been inserted into and blocked up original window embrasure located off centre to W in S wall of church. The plaque contains the armorial shield of Sir Henry Piers along with winged cherubs and a Latin inscription. Beneath the armorial plaque are the remains of a 17th century chest tomb (WM011-051004-). In 1826 it was recorded that inside ‘this chapel is the sepulchral vault of the Piers family. An altar monument, bearing the family arms, commemorates the first Sir Henry Piers’ (Brewer 1826, 240). The plaque was described in the Annals of Westmeath (Woods 1907, 305) as following: ‘At the top of the tomb are the Piers arms, together with a quotation from Psalm lxxxvii: - “Misericordias Domini in Aeternum Cantabo”. It bears the date 1620. As already stated he died in 1623. The inscription is in Latin, of which the following is a translation –“Beneath this stone is buried Lord Henry Piers, of renowned piety, sprung of an illustrious stock, who repaired the house of Tristernagh, an hospitable native, who by a holy instinct erected this tomb after he had renovated the sacred edifice and constructed the adjoining road (WM011-049----), commending the rest to Christ. His soul, thou reader, assist by your prayers’’. On the lower panel of the monument is the following: - “William Piers, father of Henry Piers, a very brave and liberal Chief, whose mother was Anne Holt, descended of a noble family; his wife was Jane, daughter of Thomas John (Jones), Chancellor of this kingdom, and of Margaret Purdon, born in a high rank of life”. Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 13 July 2015

• WM011-051004 Tomb - chest tomb
  Description

  In pasture on low rise of ground with good views in all directions. Tristernagh abbey (WM011-053---) located 570m to ENE. Sub-circular shaped graveyard (WM011-051001-) with church ruin (WM011-051---) in centre, with base of cross (WM011-051002-) in SW quadrant. 17th century armorial plaque (WM011-051003-) has been inserted into and blocked up original window embrasure located off centre to W in S wall of church. Beneath the armorial plaque are the remains of a 17th century chest tomb bearing an inscription which reads as following: ‘Hereunder lyeth the bodies of Gerald Farrell who deceased anno domini and Elizabeth Tankard alias Farrell his wife who departed this life the 12th day of August 1636, being foster father & foster mother unto Henry Piers son and heir to Sir William Piers, Knight’. Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 13 July 2015

• WM011-051005 Ecclesiastical enclosure
  Description

  In pasture on low rise of ground with good views in all directions. Tristernagh abbey (WM011-053---) located 570m to ENE. Sub-circular shaped area (diam. c. 50m E-W; 48m N-S) enclosed by an earth and stone bank which is revetted with a later post-medieval stone wall with entrance gate and stile at SE. Church ruin (WM011-051---) stands in the centre, with base of cross (WM011-051002-) in SW quadrant. Depicted as a small circular-shaped graveyard known as ‘Templecross Burying Ground’ on 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map. The circular-shaped graveyard may indicate presence of Early Christian ecclesiastical enclosure (Swan 1988, 13). This curving boundary is clearly visible on aerial photograph taken by Cambridge University in 1969 (CUCAP AYR009). Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 13 July 2015

Architectural heritage

• Templecross Grave Yard, graveyard/cemetery, 1550–1880 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached ruins of late medieval church on rectangular plan with two-stage tower (with barrel vaulted basement) attached to west end, built c.1575, set in later graveyard with mainly nineteenth century grave markers. Now disused. Tomb of Lord Henry Piers set into south wall of chapel interior, dated 1620, consisting of a rectangular limestone tablet in moulded classical frame with raised Latin inscription, armorial crest and carved angels heads. Graveyard entered to the south through cast-iron gates with adjacent cut stone stile. Site surrounded by rubble stone wall on polygonal plan. Located to the west of the remains of Tristernagh Abbey.

Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. Buildings: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. 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).

Radon

About 1 in 10 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home

Landslides

Susceptibility low, low (inferred), on the 1:50,000 map.

Terrain model

No LiDAR survey of the Office of Public Works covers the centre of the townland of Tristernagh.

Flooding

The flood maps of the Office of Public Works: floodinfo.ie.

Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency; Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland; both CC BY 4.0. LiDAR: contains Irish Public Sector Data (Geological Survey Ireland & the Office of Public Works) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.

• Tristernagh, Ballynacargy6 sales

Name

Tristernagh · Triostarnach

Area

640,156 m² (64.02 ha, 158.19 acres)

Civil parish

Kilbixy, and its townlands

Barony

Moygoish

Electoral division

Kilbixy, the unit of the census

Census 2022

Kilbixy electoral division: 621 people in 239 households; 63% of households own their home; 30% of homes were built since 2001; 9% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 1% were holiday homes.

Neighbouring townlands

Ballyhoreen, Ballynacroghy or Gallowstown, Grange, Tristernagh Demesne

Placenames

Tristernagh on logainm.ie, the Placenames Database of Ireland

Townlands, civil parishes, baronies and electoral divisions, National Statutory Boundaries, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. Census 2022, Small Area Population Statistics by electoral division, Central Statistics Office, CC BY 4.0. A townland is the smallest land division of Ireland, and the unit of a rural address; old registers such as the 1901 and 1911 censuses file it under its civil parish and barony.