Noughaval 1.53

Noughaval or Nohoval is a civil parish in County Clare, Ireland.NameThe name of the parish means "new acquisition" or "new settlement".GeographyLocationThe parish lies on the southern boundary of the Barony of Burren. It is to the north of Kilfenora. It is 4by and covers.DescriptionThe land is mostly rocky limestone pasture, with little land suitable for cultivation. It slopes up to an altitude of in the north of the parish. Lough Aleenaun lies in the east.AntiquitiesThe old church was in fair condition in 1897, with a nave and a choir surrounded by a cemetery. There is a holy well nearby dedicated to Saint Colman MacDuach.Parts of the church may date to the early medieval period, and it may have been the site of a monastic settlement. This is indicated by the remains of outbuildings and the shape of some field walls. The nave shows early medieval masonry.The parish contains several souterrains built of limestone flags, either hiding places or storage rooms. There are many cahers, or stone forts, now ruined. The parish has several cromlechs. There is an exceptionally large cromlech at Ballyganner. The table stone is almost 40by in dimensions, supported by upright flagstones and rising about above the ground.A stone pillar near the church is said to be a market cross, and some lines drawn on were used as measures of length. The shaft is octagonal and stands on a stepped dais.