Graveyard

The National Monuments Service's description

On N side of road, 500m NNW of Castlelyons village; roughly square graveyard (L c. 70m) enclosed by stone wall along roadside to S, tree-lined field fence to N and E and by recent stone wall to W bordering new extension. At centre, ruins of C of I church incorporating earlier remains (CO045-00103-). Large Barrymore mausoleum, anonymously built about 1747 (Craig 1982, 322), stands on site of chancel of medieval church; rectangular stone-bult structure with hipped roof, E elevation has pedimented brick-built breakfront; circular interior empty except for classical monument against W wall commemorating James Barry, Earl of Barrymore, carved in 1753 by Sheehan and Houghton of Dublin (Potterton 1974, 79). To rear, external flight of steps leads down to crypt now used as store. To S of church is second smaller mausoleum with hipped roof belonging to Peard family. Large collection of 18th and 19th century headstones and chest tombs to S of church; according to O Buachalla and Henchion (1966) there are '271 inscribed headstones, the majority of which are over a century old'. Two headstones date to 1689 (Thomas and Jesyp families); two early chest tombs date to 1681 (Vowel family) and 1683 (Peard family); this is one of earliest groups of such monuments in Co. Cork. Inscriptions on Barrymore, Peard, Jesyp and Vowel memorials listed by Hopkins (1892-4), further inscriptions listed by O Buachalla and Henchion (1966).

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 2: East and South Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1994). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009