Banagher Old Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A stonebuilt roofless structure consisting of nave and chancel orientating E/W with entrance door in west gable.

The west gable has a central doorway which is narrow with inclined sides and trabeated head with large stone lintol. Surrounding the doorway is a plain moulded architrave with straight sides, much eroded and placed a wide distance from the door jamb and head. The gable wall is built of random rubble sandstone, well weathered, the triangular part of the gable is missing. The north wall of the nave has no openings. It has similar stonework to west gable and wall heightis the same.

The north wall of the chancel is set back from line of nave and its height drops to a cill level halfway along. There may have been a window at this location. The stonework of the chancel wall is remarkable for its ashlar character.

The east gable is much reduced in height with little or no evidence of an east window. Each corner has a ¾ engaged shaft with moulded base and capital. Shafts are broken in parts and there is much erosion of mouldings. These shafts may be remnants reinstated in restoration work. (For examples of corner shafts see illustrations in PL LII of Early Christian Architecture in Ireland by Margaret Stokes). The south wall of the chancel has one window opening, narrow and round headed with battered jambs and a triple roll architrave all round. A smaller but wider round headed window adorns the south wall of the nave, with straight jambs and plain wide band architrave. The cill is horned into wall. The stonework of the chancel south wall matches that of the north wall while the nave south wall is built of random rubble. The setbacks where the chancel narrows has good well formed quoins. There is a well worn shallow step at the threshold of the west door.

A gravel path encompasses the ruins with a random rubble retaining wall to the side of the graveyard on E, S and W. The ruins crown a small knoll atop a sandstone ridge and enjoys a pleasing
setting. To the N is a farmhouse and beyond it a most unfortunately sited extensive sand quarry.

Historical information

It is suggested that the nave is 12th cent. with the chancel being added in the 13th cent. with further alterations in the 15th cent. yet the external engaged shafts were used in other locations in the eleventh century. It is further suggested that Banagher Church was a replacement for the old church of Templemoyle, a mile or less to the N E. Again if there was a monastery on this site, the nave could well be the church or chapel of that settlement. It is suggested that St O’Heney was the abbot founder of the monastery. The church probably became a parochial one in the 13th cent. In the 14th cent. it was visited in 1397 by Archbishop Colton on his visitation to the Diocese of Derry. In 1622 the Church was recorded in ruins but parish clerks and church wardens were recorded for the years 1661, 1686 and 1691. Thereafter the church in Dungiven was used. (New church built in Dungiven 1710).
Excavations were carried out within the church in 1950s and the ruins made presentable. S.M. No. LDY 30-29

References

Primary Sources
1. O.S. Map 1830 Londonderry sh. 30
2. O.S. Memoirs of Ireland, Parishes of Co Londonderry X, 1833-4, 1838
Ed by Angelique Day and Patrick McWilliams QUB pp 39-42
3. Map of Archbishop John Colton’s Journey, 1937 – V:J A 1853
4. HMSO Monuments of Northern Ireland. DOE NI p. 125 – 126

Secondary Sources
1. Leslie, Clergy of Derry and Raphoe p. 121
2. John McCloskey, Statistical Reports of Six Derry Parishes 1821 p. 75 – 76.
3. Stokes, Early Christian Architecture in Ireland PL LII
4. Lacey, Siege City, p 55 (Route of Archbishop Colton).
5. Mitchell, The Land of the Roe p. 32 – 35.
6. Munn, Notes on the Place Names of the Parishes and Townlands of the County of Londonderry pp. 72, 73 and 76.
7. De Breffny, The Churches and Abbeys of Ireland, p. 22, 23

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A most interesting example of an early mediaeval church building with subsequent 13th and 15th cent. additions and alterations in a beautiful secluded setting in the townland of Magheramore. Of very significant historical and social interest both pre and post Plantation times.