Church drawings mystery solved
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| Image: National Library of Ireland. |
Thanks to Eugene Brennan, our suspicions that the architectural drawings of an arch at a church in Kilcullen related to the ruined church at Old Kilcullen are proved correct, writes Brian Byrne.
He noted first that in Grose's Antiquities of Ireland, published in 1795 (pp. 27-28, Vol. II) there was mention of the church in Old Kilcullen having 'a curious arch standing in it, ... the interior circle of which is divided into lozenges ...'
He then drew our attention to this engraving of the church and round tower by J Greig, from a drawing by George Petrie for the publication Excursions Through Ireland. The engraving was created in 1820. The details of a chancel arch are clear even though the church was already in ruins.
It is believed that St John's Church in Yellow Bog was built in replacement for the Old Kilcullen one.
