The Church at Powerscourt

Church at Powerscourt or Stagonil

John O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints: with special festivals, and the commemorations of holy per-sons, J Duffy, Dublin 1875

Monck Mason Monuments Powerscourt Old Church

Journal of the year Association for the Preservation of the Dead in Ireland, Volume 8 1910

This church is located in the Demesne of Powerscourt in the townland of Churchtown, and is half a mile south of Powerscourt House.

History

This was also known as the church of Stagonil or Teghgumnill or Temple Beccan and was one of thirteen churches appropriated to St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin. The church was originally named after St Beccan, a Celtic Saint, though later was named of the area (i.e. Stagonil or Powerscourt). Stagonil Church was first mentioned in the 1179 Bull in which it was spelt Thehugonaill. It was given as a prebendary parish to the newly built Collegiate Church of St Patrick (St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin) by Archbishop Comyn (1150 – 1212). By 1200 AD it was transferred to the church at Dalkey. The church was recorded in the mid-16^th century as having a manse house with three acres of Glebe land. Powerscourt church remained the parish church of the area into the early 17^th century and the church was abandoned when the 1^st Viscount Powerscourt built a new church in close to the manor house of Powerscourt. Powerscourt Church was roughly 7.62 metres by 4.57 metres and has a graveyard attached, which O’Curry of the Ordinance Survey recorded as being full of 18^th century tombstones in good condition. Today little is visible of the original church.

Later Church

The 17th century church was abandoned when the present Church of Ireland church was built close to the entrance of Powerscourt house in 1859 and when built could house up to 700 people. This church ruin still can be seen today. It can be seen on the left hand side of the road leading up to Powerscourt House.