Liathmore Churches facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Liathmore Churches |
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Teampaill an Liath Mór
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Foundations of a round tower
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 Liathmore Churches
Location in Ireland
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| 52°40′14″N 7°40′07″W / 52.670556°N 7.668611°W | |
| Location | Liath, Two-Mile Borris, County Tipperary |
| Country | Ireland |
| Denomination | Church of Ireland |
| Previous denomination | Catholic |
| History | |
| Founded | 12th century |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | inactive |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | stone |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Cashel and Emly |
The Liathmore Churches are two old churches from the Middle Ages. They are located in County Tipperary, Ireland, and are protected as a National Monument.
Contents
Exploring the Liathmore Churches
Where are the Liathmore Churches?
The Liathmore Churches are found about 2.8 kilometers (1.8 miles) east of a place called Two-Mile Borris.
A Look Back in Time: History of the Churches
A monastery was started here by Saint Mochoemog, who lived a very long time ago (he died in 655 AD).
At this site, you can see two churches and the base of what used to be an Irish round tower.
- The smaller church is the older one. It was built during the early medieval period.
- The larger church was started in the 12th century, which is considered the late medieval period. This church also has several old tombs inside.
What the Buildings Look Like
The larger church has a special stone carving called a sheela-na-gig. You can find it on the left side of a Romanesque doorway.
The main part of the larger church, called the nave, is about 12.6 meters (41 feet 4 inches) long and 5.7 meters (18 feet 8 inches) wide. The chancel, which is the area near the altar, is about 8.2 meters (26 feet 9 inches) long and 4.9 meters (16 feet 2 inches) wide. This church was originally built as one big room.
The Mystery of the Round Tower
You can also see the circular foundation of an Irish round tower. These towers were common in Ireland long ago.
It's a bit of a mystery because there are no old records or stories about a tower ever being here. This makes people think that the tower must have fallen down and its stones were taken away sometime before the year 1500. The base of the tower is about 4.7 meters (15 feet 6 inches) across.
Images for kids
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Liathmore Round tower from above
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Liathmore sheela na gig
