Discover Arles: Church, cemetery and walking route

There are two distinctive ways to discover Arles: explore the history of the Church of the Sacred Heart and its cemetery, or follow the Slieve Margy Way, which passes through the church grounds on its way into the village. This gives you a choice of different focuses: architectural history, gravestones or a circular walk through Arles.

A limestone church at a site with a long history

A chapel already stood at the site of the Church of the Sacred Heart in 1686. The present-day church is a notable example of dressed local limestone. Local craftsmen worked the stone, connecting the building’s material with the work of the community. If you are interested in architecture, you can pay particular attention to the building material and how it was worked, rather than seeing the church simply as a name on a list of places.

The church and cemetery offer different historical points of interest. The chapel of 1686 is part of the site’s history; the limestone and the work of local craftsmen define the description of today’s Church of the Sacred Heart. You can consider these as separate interests during a stay in Arles. You do not have to conflate the history of the church building with the burial sites to take an interest in both.

The cemetery and the Grace Mausoleum

The cemetery in Arles is located on the grounds of Sacred Heart Church in Arles, County Laois. Its gravestones date from the 18th through to the 21st century. This broad time span also makes the cemetery interesting to travellers interested in different periods: the gravestones cover several centuries, without any one building or family having to represent them all.

The cemetery includes the Grace family mausoleum. The present-day mausoleum was built in 1818 to replace an original mausoleum erected in 1687. It stands on the site of the southern wing of Arles church. The cemetery has concrete and asphalt paths; access is via a gravel entrance and a gate. These specific features help you understand the cemetery as a distinct part of the area’s history.

Explore Arles on foot along the Slieve Margy Way

The Slieve Margy Way passes through Arles and crosses the church grounds on its way into the village. It is a circular route that can be started in either direction. This offers a different way to experience the area from exploring the church and cemetery: you can discover Arles as part of a walking route and choose where to begin your circuit. Being able to go in either direction gives you a practical option when planning your walk.

Choosing a holiday rental and a place to stay

If you are including Arles in your trip mainly to visit the Church of the Sacred Heart, the cemetery or the Slieve Margy Way, looking for a holiday rental in Arles is a suitable way to choose where to stay. This lets you select your base according to what you want to discover in Arles, without treating its different attractions or experiences as interchangeable.

Other places: Rathsallagh, Mountmellick, Ballyhenry, Mountrath, Stradbally, Emo, Abbeyleix and Rathdowney.

For the broader travel overview: County Laois.