Temple Cronan
Encyclopedia
Temple Cronan is a ruined medieval oratory
or chapel built over a holy well
in the Burren
, County Clare
, Ireland
; the current buildings apparently date from the 12th and 15th centuries, although they may partly incorporate earlier buildings. Temple Cronan is located in the parish
of Carran
, eight miles from Corofin and about sixteen miles from Ennis, Ireland.
temple. Archaeological evidence shows that the building had a window on the eastern wall as well as a small "Cyclopean" doorway
on the west side of the building, which is currently blocked by rubble. More conventional archaeologists see a 12th century building, perhaps replacing one founded by one of the two much earlier Saint Cronan
s, one of Roscrea
, who died in 640, and Cronan Mochua
, who died in 637. There are Romanesque
carved stone human
and animal heads at irregular points along the wall as decoration, several apparently not in their original location. Some parts of an older construction, such as part of a doorway, may have been reused in 12th century construction. In the twelfth century Temple Cronan was a site for pilgrimage
s. The building was most likely renovated again in the fifteenth century as is evidenced by a pointed door opening.
s at its corners, has fallen apart, but the side walls and gable
s are still erect. The lower walls are made of limestone blocks. The original door on the west side of the oratory is blocked by rubble, and the current entrance to the oratory is located on the north wall. This door, probably constructed in the fifteenth century during the second renovation, is topped by a carved stone head. It is likely that much of the building material was obtained from a nearby quarry. The building consists on a one-roomed oratory
, with two tomb shrines, constructed of two slabs of stone, on the east side of the building, probably built in the twelfth century and possibly the destination of pilgrims traveling to the Temple Cronan. To the south of the site is a holy well
called Tobar Chronain, most likely named after St. Cronan. To the north there are ruins of several secular buildings, which most likely fulfilled non-religious duties for the monastery. Also to the north of the monastery is a quarry. It is from this quarry that much of the construction material used to build Temple Cronan and the other nearby buildings was gathered. In the northwest corner of the area, there is the remains of a large stone high cross
"of considerable height" and its pedestal, which probably marked the boundaries of the Temple Cronan grounds.
Oratory (worship)
An oratory is a Christian room for prayer, from the Latin orare, to pray.-Catholic church:In the Roman Catholic Church, an oratory is a structure other than a parish church, set aside by ecclesiastical authority for prayer and the celebration of Mass...
or chapel built over a holy well
Holy well
A holy well, or sacred spring, is a small body of water emerging from underground and revered either in a Pagan or Christian context, often both. Holy wells were frequently pagan sacred sites that later became Christianized. The term 'holy well' is commonly employed to refer to any water source of...
in the Burren
The Burren
The Burren is a karst-landscape region or alvar in northwest County Clare, in Ireland. It is one of the largest karst landscapes in Europe. The region measures approximately 250 square kilometres and is enclosed roughly within the circle made by the villages Ballyvaughan, Kinvara, Tubber, Corofin,...
, County Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
; the current buildings apparently date from the 12th and 15th centuries, although they may partly incorporate earlier buildings. Temple Cronan is located in the parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of Carran
Carran
Carran is a village in County Clare, Ireland, bounded on the northwest by County Galway and on the south by Kilinaboy, Slieve Carron, one of the highest points in the Burren lies just north of the village,the area is renowned for its walking trails and spectacular views over the Burren...
, eight miles from Corofin and about sixteen miles from Ennis, Ireland.
History
Based on archaeological evidence, it has been concluded that Temple Cronan was built to serve as a paganPaganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
temple. Archaeological evidence shows that the building had a window on the eastern wall as well as a small "Cyclopean" doorway
Cyclopean masonry
Cyclopean masonry is a type of stonework found in Mycenaean architecture, built with huge limestone boulders, roughly fitted together with minimal clearance between adjacent stones and no use of mortar...
on the west side of the building, which is currently blocked by rubble. More conventional archaeologists see a 12th century building, perhaps replacing one founded by one of the two much earlier Saint Cronan
Saint Cronan
Saint Crónán was the abbot-bishop and patron of the diocese of Roscrea , Ireland. He is not to be confused with his contemporary Saint Crónán Mochua of Tuamgraney ....
s, one of Roscrea
Roscrea
Roscrea is a small heritage town in North Tipperary, Ireland. The town has a population of 4,910. Its main industries include meat processing and pharmaceuticals. It is a civil parish in the historical barony of Ikerrin...
, who died in 640, and Cronan Mochua
Cronan Mochua
Mo Chua or Crónán mac Bécáin was the founder of Balla, whose diocese was subsequently merged into that of Tuam, Ireland. He is not to be confused with his contemporary Crónán of Roscrea ....
, who died in 637. There are Romanesque
Romanesque art
Romanesque art refers to the art of Western Europe from approximately 1000 AD to the rise of the Gothic style in the 13th century, or later, depending on region. The preceding period is increasingly known as the Pre-Romanesque...
carved stone human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
and animal heads at irregular points along the wall as decoration, several apparently not in their original location. Some parts of an older construction, such as part of a doorway, may have been reused in 12th century construction. In the twelfth century Temple Cronan was a site for pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
s. The building was most likely renovated again in the fifteenth century as is evidenced by a pointed door opening.
Construction and building features
The oratory itself is a rectangular building 6.65 meters long and 3.91 meters wide. Because of its age, the high pitched roof, decorated with corbelCorbel
In architecture a corbel is a piece of stone jutting out of a wall to carry any superincumbent weight. A piece of timber projecting in the same way was called a "tassel" or a "bragger". The technique of corbelling, where rows of corbels deeply keyed inside a wall support a projecting wall or...
s at its corners, has fallen apart, but the side walls and gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
s are still erect. The lower walls are made of limestone blocks. The original door on the west side of the oratory is blocked by rubble, and the current entrance to the oratory is located on the north wall. This door, probably constructed in the fifteenth century during the second renovation, is topped by a carved stone head. It is likely that much of the building material was obtained from a nearby quarry. The building consists on a one-roomed oratory
Oratory (worship)
An oratory is a Christian room for prayer, from the Latin orare, to pray.-Catholic church:In the Roman Catholic Church, an oratory is a structure other than a parish church, set aside by ecclesiastical authority for prayer and the celebration of Mass...
, with two tomb shrines, constructed of two slabs of stone, on the east side of the building, probably built in the twelfth century and possibly the destination of pilgrims traveling to the Temple Cronan. To the south of the site is a holy well
Water well
A water well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, boring or drilling to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The well water is drawn by an electric submersible pump, a trash pump, a vertical turbine pump, a handpump or a mechanical pump...
called Tobar Chronain, most likely named after St. Cronan. To the north there are ruins of several secular buildings, which most likely fulfilled non-religious duties for the monastery. Also to the north of the monastery is a quarry. It is from this quarry that much of the construction material used to build Temple Cronan and the other nearby buildings was gathered. In the northwest corner of the area, there is the remains of a large stone high cross
High cross
A high cross or standing cross is a free-standing Christian cross made of stone and often richly decorated. There was a unique Early Medieval tradition in Ireland and Britain of raising large sculpted stone crosses, usually outdoors...
"of considerable height" and its pedestal, which probably marked the boundaries of the Temple Cronan grounds.