Bovevagh Church (Ruins of)

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A church ruin, built of random rubble stonework, enclosing a simple rectangular space measuring 16.5 metres long by 6 metres and the long axis orientated east/west. The ruinous walls are approximately 2.7 metres high all round from the present gravel floor, with breaks in height at several points. The slopes of the gables are just distinguishable. The entrance door is on the south wall towards the west. It has a roughly semi-circular head externally and is segmented within. Towards the east end there is the remains of a small window with splayed reveals. Between the door and windows there are 2 breaks in the wall and it is difficult to know whether these may have been window insertions of the post plantation period.

The remains of the west gable show the lower part of a wide window opening with splayed jambs and cill. The north wall may have had a window towards the east end as there is a break in it with one side showing a splayed jamb. Half the east wall is collapsed but a part splayed jamb remains indicating a former narrow east window probably dating from pre-plantation period. On this wall is a small square deepset recess towards the NE corner and low down near the gravel floor. Higher up on this portion of wall there is a slightly larger shallow recess.

Externally the ruined walls have a pronounced batter from approx. 600mm above floor level. This batter extends from the south door returning on the east gable and along the north wall. While the stonework is random rubble there is a marked rectangular shape to many of them which in places given an impression of coursing.

At the south door some of the jamb stones externally and internally are squared to the springing. There is a bold rebate against which a heavy door frame may have been fixed. On each jamb are recesses to allow a wooden beam or bar to be inserted to secure the door.

On the north wall opposite the doorway is a recessed plaque the former inscription no longer being decipherable. The O.S.M. records the inscription on a tablet on the S wall, no longer there, as “Reverendus Gulielmus Wilson, hujus ecclesiae nuper rector hic infra sepultus”. Within the walls of the ruin are 2 grave slabs, one at the east end and the other at the west end. That at the west end is interesting in that it records that Edward Augustus Edwards, his wife and mother, who resided in the Straw house who have been buried here or in the graveyard shortly after the abandonment of the church in 1823. (see historical info)

The ruins are set in a small hill oak surrounded on all sides by a small graveyard with the ground falling from west to east and near the confluence of the Bovevagh and Altahullion burns. On the north side of the graveyard the ground is retained by a high stone wall where the hilloak drops precipitously to the Bovevagh burn. The approach to the church ruin is a narrow inclined laneway from the Bovevagh Road and rises steeply to the gateway and stone piers at the graveyard. From there the path winds to the south door in a series of broad steps cutting through the ground with random rubble walls on either side. There is a wrought iron gate to the graveyard.

The graveyard is full of headstones, grave slabs and at the S W corner of the ruin and a little beyond it a stone built tomb rather similar to that of Maurice O’Heney’s at Banagher Old Church. Approx. 2.7 metres by 1.5 built of random rubble with squared stones at quoins and rising to 700mm high with stone pitched roof resting on stone fill within. The tomb contains a long cavity for the incumbents remain about 600/700mm high by 500 wide and roofed with flat stones. Much of the roof is ruinous with only a few flat stone roofing slabs remaining. The graveyard boundary has a straggly hedge and trees.

Historical information

An Early Christian and mediaeval site said to have been founded in 557 by St Columcille with St Adamnan as patron though local tradition has St Ringan and St Aidan son of Fintan as associated with the site. The oratory (wooden) was buried down in c1100. There is no trace of an Early Christian monastery. The foundation of the present ruins is uncertain but may date from the 12th century. Erenaghs are recorded till the 16th/17th century.

In 1600, Bovevagh, Church of St Eugene, had a rector, Bernard McConnolly, erenagh John McConnolly. In 1622 the church of Bovevagh is described as ruinous and unrepaired.

In 1768 the church is described as in pretty good repair, however in 1806 was in ruin and in 1820 no longer useful and the new church was to be built immediately (See HB02/04/003).

At the S W corner of the church and outside its walls is a tomb which hold the remains of the founder or patron saint. Its stonework is similar to that of the church. The O.S.M. states “a round aperture at the east end seems to have been intended to give a view of the remains of the saint”. At present there is a larger aperture at the west end where stones have been removed.

The First Historic Buildings Survey 1-9-1970 describes the building as “Walls built of mostly sandstone boulders. A door and a window opening remain in a fair state of preservation. The graveyard is overgrown – an armorial stone in the body of the church is dated 1726 and is in memory of Richard Nicol, rector of the church”. This stone could not be identified unless it is the undecipherable plaque on the N wall. However the O.S.M. describes a tablet in the south wall. A font referred in the O.S.M. could not be identified.

The church ruin and site is an Historic Monument in the State Care. S M No. LDY 24:11. There is reputed to be a well near the old church.

References

Primary Sources
1. Ordnance Survey Map 1st Edition 1832, Co Londonderry sheet no 24

Secondary Sources
1. A Gwynn, R.N. Hadcock; Mediaeval Religious Ireland p.375
2. Leslie; Clergy Derry and Raphoe p.125, 126
3. O.S. Memoirs of Ireland; Parishes of Londonderry VII 1834-5 Vol. 25 p.5, 6
4. Ballinascreen Historical Society; Statistical Reports of Six Derry Parishes 1821 p. 75, 84
5. DOE NI; Historic Monuments of Northern Ireland p.126, 127
6. A Rowan; North West Ulster p.148

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Well kept interesting church ruins of pre and post Plantation periods illustrating the simple plan form of early churches. It has interesting detail around the south doorway and good constructional detail exemplified in the lower wall batter.