Ardtole Church ( 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]
Dating to the 15th century, it has been in ruins since at least 1657 when it was described as "only old walls". [6] 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 [7]
The site also contains a stone-built souterrain. [8]
Ardtole Church ( 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]
Dating to the 15th century, it has been in ruins since at least 1657 when it was described as "only old walls". [6] 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 [7]
The site also contains a stone-built souterrain. [8]