Drumachose Old Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Situated parallel to Broad Road and aligning east-west, this large medieval church is roofless and in a ruined condition. To the north the remains of the old coach road and a direct view to the south facade of Drenagh House. An archaeological remains known as the ‘Grey Stone’ aligns in the foreground. The church surrounded by graves and trees is on a prominence 12 metres approximately higher than the main road.

Both gables are surviving, that to the west ruinous at high level, that to the east largely intact. The south wall is mainly gone to exterior ground level which is a metre and a half to two metres above the interior floor. The north wall remains with large gaps.

The east gable has a large lancet window with the remains of cut sandstone jambs. Below is a slight batter in the wall. An Ordnance Survey bench mark is near the south corner. The north elevation is in rough ashlar. The bottom of a window is visible near the east gable, a small incised cross can be found on the face of a stone nearby. The remains of the entrance door is further along near the west gable. No trace of the door remains and the arrangement of stone suggests that this may have been deliberately removed to another location. The west gable also has a lancet window smaller than the east, again with the remains of cut sandstone. Ground level rises sharply across the gable and little of note remains of the south elevation.

Historical information

Reputed to have been built on the site of an earlier foundation in the 13th century. Patron St Cainnech born in the neighbourhood. Mentioned in 1206: ‘ Malpeter McCalmain corab of St Cannich of Keenaught’ (Historic Monuments records). Used until the plantation when settlers thought church in too isolated a position and built a new church in their settlement of Newtown Limavady. Cromwell said to have blasted the south wall with his cannons. (O. S. Memoirs). A cannon ball weighing 30 lbs was found nearby. Maintenance of the church required of McCausland family since ownership of the demesne, they caused the main road to be re-routed to the other side of the church in the 1860s and planted ivy for protection. Lack of ashlar work on the three sides not pointing towards Drenagh noticeable - did they beautify the building by adding this in the 1860s? - There is no record.

Reverend TH Mullan in his book 'Limavady and the Roe Valley' (1983) records that from 1197 to 1315 the 'manor or the Roo' was held by the Normans. John de Courcey marched with an army to Creeve or Salmon Leap, where he erected a castle (Mullan identifies this spot as Ballycastle near Aghanloo Old Church (ref HB02/11/013). The Norman Manor flourished until the invasion of Robert the Bruce in 1315. The present church, believed to date from the 13th century, is thus likely to be a Norman construction. This may explain its unusually large size.

This is a Scheduled Monument Ref: LDY10:1

References:
Ordnance Survey Memoirs Vol. 9
Historic Monuments Records: LDY:10:1
Reverend T H Mullan, Limavady and the Roe Valley (1983) p. 8.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A very large medieval church, in a prominent position with a number of interesting features remaining. Of interest historically and architecturally and for its connection with the Drenagh Estate.