Historic Buildings Record · Northern Ireland
Brice Memorial
Forthill, Mid and East Antrim, Northern Ireland
The record
- Designation
- Record only (not listed)
- Grade
- Record Only
- Type
- Mausoleum
- Date of listing
- 23 October 1979
- Date of delisting
- 8 October 2001
- Date of construction
- 1720 - 1739
- Address
- Brice Memorial, Old Graveyard, Ballycarry, Larne, Co Antrim
- Townland
- Forthill
- Council
- Mid and East Antrim
- Country
- Northern Ireland
- Coordinates
- 54.77013, -5.75031
- Date of survey
- 29 July 1998
- HB reference
- HB06/05/002 B
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1690 "Scotland below the Tay." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
The Department's description
Exterior description and setting
A stone memorial slab set in the north wall of the ruined church of Templecorran. Of rectangular shape with angled top; constructed of red sandstone; carved with armorial bearings in relief, to the upper portion, with inscription below; set in a moulded sandstone frame. Ground in front enclosed by plain spiked railings on sandstone plinth containing a concreted area.
Setting: the memorial is situated within the walls of a ruined church dating from the 17th century at least, situated within Templecorran graveyard, in a rural area on the southern edge of the village.
Historical information
Erected to the memory of the Reverend Edward Brice (died 1636), who is interred in the south transept of the now ruined church. The inscription is as follows, “Near this lyeth the body of that faithful and emenent servant of God, Mr Edward Brice, who began preaching the Gospel in this parish 1613, continuing with quiet success until 1636, in which he dyed aged 67, and left 2 sons and 2 daughters. His son Robert Brice Esq., after acquiring a fortune, dyed in Dublin 22nd November 1676, aged 63, and left 3 sons and 3 daughters. His eldest son Randall Brice Esq. dyed in Dublin a member of parliament for Lisburn, the 8th September 1697, aged 67, and left 2 sons and 2 daughters”. In 1613 Edward Brice was the first Presbyterian clergyman ever to preach in Ireland which he did within the walls of this church. The inscription gives his descendants for four generations so it cannot have been erected before 1720.
The memorial is sited within the area of a scheduled monument, no. ANT47:10.
References - Primary Sources
1. Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland: Parishes of County Antrim X, Vol 26 (Belfast, 1994), pp 85, 97, 101, 107, 112, 117, 118.
Secondary Sources
1. D.A. Chart, Ed., A Preliminary Survey of Ancient Monuments of Northern Ireland (HMSO, Belfast, 1940), p 39.
Criteria for listing: architectural interest
Not listed
Criteria for listing: historic interest
Not listed
Evaluation
This is a monument in the conventional armorial style of such memorial slabs, embellished with heraldic ornamentation, which is sited in an historic church ruin of special significance for the person commemorated. It is of considerable local interest as the memorial is of a local figure of historic interest, who had a pioneering role in a significant religious development.
However this is not considered to be a building or structure and it is therefore not appropriate to maintain it as a listed building.
Nearby in the register
- Horsborough MausoleumMausoleumunder 1 mi
- Old GraveyardGraveyardunder 1 mi
- Orr MemorialMausoleumunder 1 mi
- St John’s Church of Ireland ChurchChurchunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.