Ardtole Church
Ruined church in County Down, Northern Ireland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ardtole Church (from Irish Ard Tuathail, meaning 'Tuathal’s height'; Ulster Scots: Ardtole Kirk)[1] is a 15th-century ruined church standing on a hilltop overlooking the Irish Sea and the Isle of Man, 0.75 miles (1.2 km) north-east of the town of Ardglass in County Down, Northern Ireland, at grid ref: J564382.[2] It was formerly the parish church of Ardglass and is dedicated to St Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors.[3][4][2][5]
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History
This location was probably a pre-Christian sacred site.[6] The present ruins date to the 15th century, it has been in ruins since at least 1657 when it was described as "only old walls".[7] The church and graveyard are set in a very prominent position at the North end of a ridge. The graveyard is a substantial earthwork, now rectangular in plan, 52m E-W x 42m N-S. The East gable of the church stands to the original height, while the West gable is reduced to foundations. A cross slab of Early Christian type from the site is now built into the gable of the porch of the Catholic church in Chapeltown nearby [8]
The site also contains a stone-built souterrain.[9]
Architecture
Ardtole Church is a roofless medieval church located northeast of Ardglass in County Down, Northern Ireland. According to the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, the church measures approximately 19 metres by 7 metres. It is constructed of local stone with thick walls and contains architectural elements such as lancet window remnants and a pointed-arch east window, consistent with late medieval Gothic design.[10]
