Old Graveyard.

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

This graveyard contains the site of the former church of S.S. Peter & Paul. There is little evidence of the wallsteads of the former building. There is a short length of low stone wall parallel to the former road line and some 7 metres in from it. It is conjectured that the building had its long axis parallel to the road and one of the monuments on the site may have been the position of the altar which may have been on the long wall.

The graveyard is a collection of headstones, table slabs and broken monuments bounded by a wall on the car park side (former road has been converted to car park) with some ditches and ledges forming the other boundaries. Access is by a pair of gates set in square piers with ramped and stepped access to the graveyard with random rubble walls on either side.

The graveyard is covered with grass and mown. There are 3 Maltese crosses, 2 on either side of the entrance ramp and the other near the short length of wall. There is a reference to Maltese crosses on the gables of the former church and also at Gortnahey (The 2 churches were similar according to the OSM). The other item of note is a memorial to 3 priests; it consists of white marble slabs in both faces, in the profile of a jar with the names inscribed and surrounds of concrete with simple cross on top in same material. The priests were native of Ballymoney/Muldonagh, they were

Patrick McFeely 1800 – 63 Brothers
Dionysius McFeely 1820 –62
Michael McGill 1816 – 57

In the field to the south of the graveyard is a standing stone of irregular shape (LDY 24:2), almost coming to a point, about 1.5 metres high and close nearby is reputed to be a well which was the source of water for a pre National School in the vicinity.

Historical information

The O.S.Memoirs describes the former church: “was erected in 1826 by subscription and cost 120 pounds. It is on the same plan as the other, (Gortnahey More) but is something less, measuring but 48 by 21. It contains no pews and would accommodate about 160 persons”. (See HB02/04/004).

The building was extended in the later 19th century and had stabling accommodation on the west and south sides.

The Maltese crosses on the site may be from the former gables. Old church demolished in 1924 by a contractor Charles Colgan.

References:

Primary Sources
1. O.S. map 1st edition 1832 Co Londonderry sheet no 24
2. O.S. map 1903 1st edition Co Londonderry sheet no 50-7
3. O.S. Memoirs of Ireland Vol. 25 Parishes of Co Londonderry VII p.3

Secondary Sources
1. P Donnelly “The Parish of Banagher” 1996 p.78, 85
2. J McCluskey “Statistical Reports of Six Derry Parishes” 1821 p.89

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

An interesting graveyard, kept reasonably well, and the site of a late pre Emancipation church and well worth keeping in good order.