Knocktopher Church

A square tower and part of the north wall are all that remain of the medieval parish church in Knocktopher. The church was built in the late 12^th century by Matthew FitzGriffin and was once the property of the canons regular of St. Augustine. The majority of the structure was demolished in 1870. The surviving remains however contain a wealth of interesting architectural features, and a number of interesting funerary monuments are located beneath the tower and within the surrounding graveyard.

The tower strikes an unusual profile from the roadside as the square body is topped by an octagonal section with crenellations above. The body of the tower is medieval but the octagonal top is of much later date. On the far side of the tower, as seen from the roadside, are the remains of a fine 12^th century Romanesque doorway that is likely older than the tower itself. The surviving part of the north wall has a 15^th century window that has most of its tracery intact.

Inside the ground floor of the tower is a very interesting double-effigy, dating to the late 14^th century, which now lies on a modern plinth. Most surviving effigies in Ireland depict knights, ladies and ecclesiastics, the figures represented on this monument are civilians. Both are wearing long, pleated gowns with pointed shoes on their feet, their hands raised and lying on their chests, almost as if in prayer, and the woman is wearing an unusual headpiece. Another tombstone standing in the interior of the tower has curious decorative motifs carved on the upper face including zig-zag lines and a spiral. Resting on a corbel stone above and to the side of the effigy the figure of an angel, carved from a single piece of pale stone, can be made out.

The remaining section of the north wall has an eye-catching chest tomb located beneath the window. This dates to 1622 and the front panel features depictions of symbols connected with the passion of Christ.  Two medieval tombstones are mounted on the wall either side of the window opening, one is wedge-shaped and decorated with a floriated cross while the other has a plainer cross and Latin inscription running around the border.

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This national monument is protected in accordance with the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014