Graveyard

The National Monuments Service's description

Graveyard surveyed in 2010 and described as follows; 'The graveyard at Churchill, like many graveyards, has an old medieval burial ground and a modern burial area opened in 1916. The old medieval burial ground also contains several very large overgrown and neglected tombs as well as the upstanding relict and completely ivy covered remains of a Protestant Church [KE028-045----]. There are two entrances into Church Hill Graveyard comprising a wide double gate entrance for vehicular traffic and a single gate for pedestrian access. The large 2m high double gates are set between two taller square capped piers of rubble limestone built to courses with modern forward ribbon cement pointing evident on the NW pier. The haunches on the capping of the SE pier is in need of repair and at least one of its stones is about to fall. The single wide pedestrian gate, suitable for non-able bodied pedestrians is situated circa 4m immediately to the NW. The pedestrian gate is set between two squat square rubble limestone piers with coarse rounded concrete capping and opens freely. Boundary walls around the old medieval section of the graveyard are constructed with rubble limestone built to courses and bedded in mortar and capped with ‘soldiers’. They appear to be in good condition where visible along the roadside or NE section. Otherwise the NE-SW and the SE-NW sections are covered in dense ivy and other growth. The boundary wall around the more modern burial ground section opened in 1916 is also constructed with rubble limestone with coarse concrete rounded capping. Nine named tombs were recorded in Church Hill Graveyard. Seventeen unnamed tombs were recorded in various states of preservation. The majority are constructed with rubble limestone. A total of three hundred and eleven (311) named headstones were recorded in Churchill graveyard. Fifty eight unnamed headstones were recorded throughout the medieval graveyard area at Church Hill' (Dunne 2010, 10-15).

See attached plan and photographs courtesy of Laurence Dunne

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on details provided by Laurence Dunne

Date of upload: 18 May 2022

References

Dunne, L. 2010 Archaeological Survey, Churchill Graveyard, Tralee, Co. Kerry. Unpublished report for The Heritage Office, Kerry County Council (SMR file).