Collegiate Church of St Peter and St Paul (Kilmallock)
{{short description|Medieval church in County Limerick, Ireland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Use Irish English|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox church
| name = Collegiate Church of St Peter and St Paul, Kilmallock
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| native_name =Eaglais Choláisteach Naoimh Peadar agus Pól, Cill Mocheallóg
| native_name_lang = ga
| image = Kilmallock Collegiate Church - geograph.org.uk - 1391962.jpg
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| pushpin map = Ireland
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| coordinates = {{coord|52.401037|-8.574547|display=inline,title}}
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| location = Orr Street, Kilmallock, County Limerick
| country = Ireland
| denomination = Church of Ireland
| previous denomination = Pre-Reformation Catholic
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| dedication = Saint Peter and Saint Paul
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| functional status = inactive
| embedded = {{Infobox designation list
| designation1 =National Monument of Ireland
| designation1_number = 408
| designation1_offname = Collegiate Church of SS Peter & Paul
}}
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| years built = 1241
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| length = {{Convert|40|m|abbr=on}}
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| width nave = {{Convert|9|m|abbr=on}}
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| floor count = 1
| diocese = Limerick, Ardfert and Aghadoe
}}
The Collegiate Church of St Peter and St Paul is a medieval collegiate church and a National Monument in Kilmallock, Ireland.{{cite web|url=http://irishantiquities.bravehost.com/limerick/kilmallock/kilmallock_collegiate.html|title=Kilmallock Collegiate Church|website=irishantiquities.bravehost.com}}{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/proceedingsroya13acadgoog|quote=Collegiate (Kilmallock.|title=Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. Science|year=1905|publisher=The Academy|via=Internet Archive}}{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1_Y9AAAAcAAJ&q=Collegiate++%28Kilmallock&pg=PA560|title=Limerick; Its History and Antiquities, Ecclesiastical, Civil, and Military: From the Earliest Ages, with Copious Historical, Archaeological, Topographical, and Genealogical Notes|first=Maurice|last=Lenihan|date=31 October 1866|publisher=Hodges, Smith|via=Google Books}}{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QIBnAAAAMAAJ&q=Kilmallock|title=Calendar of State Papers, Domestic Series, of the Reign of Charles II: 1660-[1685]|first1=Great Britain Public Record|last1=Office|first2=Mary Anne Everett|last2=Green|first3=Francis Henry Blackburne|last3=Daniell|first4=Francis|last4=Bickley|date=31 October 2017|publisher=H.M. Stationery Office|via=Google Books}} The church is believed to have been built on the site of an ancient monastery.
Location
The church is located on the south bank of the River Loobagh, to the north of Kilmallock's main street.{{cite web|url=https://www.bravoyourcity.com/story/collegiate-church-of-saints-peter-paul|title=Collegiate Church of Saints Peter & Paul|first=Kerry Lee & Oisin|last=Joyce|website=www.bravoyourcity.com}}
History
The church was completed by 1241, on what was probably the site of an earlier monastery,{{cite web|url=http://visitballyhoura.com/index.php/2012/03/12/collegiate-church-kilmallock/|title=Collegiate Church, Kilmallock - Visit Ballyhoura|website=visitballyhoura.com|access-date=2017-10-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215123953/http://visitballyhoura.com/index.php/2012/03/12/collegiate-church-kilmallock/|archive-date=2018-12-15|url-status=dead}} founded by Mocheallóg c. AD 600. A round tower has its foundations here. It was dedicated to Peter and Paul in 1410.{{cite web|url=http://www.limerickdioceseheritage.org/Kilmallock/CRKilmallock.htm|title=Churches of Killmallock|website=www.limerickdioceseheritage.org}}
The nave and transept were substantially altered in 1420 by Maurice Fitzgerald.{{cite web| url = http://www.megalithicireland.com/Kilmallock%20Collegiate%20Church,%20Limerick.html| title = Kilmallock Collegiate Church, Limerick}} It became a collegiate church in the 15th century.{{cite book |last=Meehan |first=Cary |date=2004 |title=Sacred Ireland |url= |location=Somerset |publisher=Gothic Image Publications |page=438|isbn=0 906362 43 1 |access-date=}}
Carved tombs from the 16th century are visible in the south transept.{{fact|date=December 2021}}
The building was partly destroyed by Cromwell and was roofless since 1657 according to Samuel Lewis.{{fact|date=December 2021}}
The church remained in use by the local Church of Ireland until a 1935 fire.{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=2620352|title=Find A Grave: Collegiate Church of Ss. Peter and Paul|website=www.findagrave.com}}
Church
In the northwest corner of the nave is a tower which incorporates the stump of a round tower from the early monastery. The church which is dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul consisted of a nave and chancel with a south transept.
It has three aisles, a chancel and a north transept. There is a fine 13th century doorway in the south wall. The chancel has five lancet windows.{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FF1aAAAAYAAJ&q=Church+of+St+Peter+and+St+Paul+%28Kilmallock&pg=PT507|title=The Antiquities of England and Wales Displayed: Being a Grand Repository of Elegance, Taste and Entertainment : Containing ... Descriptions of All the Most Remarkable Elegant and Magnificent Ruins and Ancient Buildings ... Embellished and Illustrated with a New and Elegant Collection of Picturesque Views and Representations ... to which are Added, Various Historical Descriptions, and Many Picturesque Views of the Principal Seats of the Nobility and Gentry : as Also a Display of Remarkable Antiquities ... of Scotland and Ireland ... &c. : Comprising Everything of Importance in the Works of Leland, Maitland ... &c. : and ... Every Article Worthy of Notice in that ... Work Published by Captain Grose ... with an ... Account of Doomsday-book ...|first=Henry|last=Boswell|date=31 October 1795|publisher=Alex. Hogg|via=Google Books}}
File:Ceiling Detail, Collegiate Church of SS Peter Paul, Killmallock, Co. Limerick.JPG|ceiling
File:Arches, Collegiate Church, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick..JPG|Arches
File:Kilmallock Collegiate Church Doorway S 2007 08 08.jpg|Doorway with arch
File:Kilmallock Collegiate Church (3) - geograph.org.uk - 1391973.jpg|
File:High Cross and Arches, Collegiate Church, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick..JPG|