Historic Buildings Record · Northern Ireland
Graveyard
Benagh Upper, Newry, Mourne and Down, Northern Ireland
The record
- Designation
- Record only (not listed)
- Grade
- Record Only
- Type
- Graveyard
- Date of construction
- 1650 - 1699
- Address
- Graveyard, Benagh Rd, Kilkeel, Newry, Co Down, BT34 2JE
- Townland
- Benagh Upper
- Council
- Newry, Mourne and Down
- Country
- Northern Ireland
- Coordinates
- 54.06558, -6.09960
- Date of survey
- 09 July 1998
- HB reference
- HB16/05/014
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesUniversity Library, Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamUniversity Library, Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamUniversity Library, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1636 "Vltoniae Orientalis Pars" (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
The Department's description
Exterior description and setting
Disused graveyard on low hill on east side of road. Delineated along road by granite wall, with access via gate and stone steps up from road. Bounded on remaining sides by field hedges. Random rubble foundation walls of a small building near to which are three headstones - two upstanding and one collapsed. The former are of slate, and date to 1871 and 1878. The latter of limestone but is now illegible. Grass overgrowth obscures any other stones which may survive.
Historical information
Said to be the site of a church founded by St Thuan in 6th century AD. In ruins by 1622. The oldest gravestone (not now in evidence) is said to date to 1781.
Site depicted as ‘grave yard’ in 1834 OS 6” map; also shows a small rectangular roofless structure (possibly the old church). 1859 map shows ‘school house’ abutting its north-east corner. According to the 1861 Valuation, this belonged to the Church Education Society and measured 14yd x 6yd x 1storey. It was still in use as a school in the earlier part of the present century.
Sources:
1. PRONI – OS 6/3/55/1-3 (Down sheet 55); VAL 2B/3/81A, p.50.
2. EHS Scheduled Monument SMR Down 55:38
Secondary Sources:
1. R.S.J. Clarke (n.d.) Gravestone inscriptions, vol.10: Barony of Mourne, p.53.
Criteria for listing: architectural interest
Not listed
Criteria for listing: historic interest
Not listed
Evaluation
This site appears to be of some antiquity as the alleged site of a Patrician church. It is scheduled as an archaeological monument.
Nearby in the register
- 355 Newry RoadHouseunder 1 mi
- Lisnacree HouseCountry Houseunder 1 mi
- Milestoneunder 1 mi
- 328 Newry RoadHouseunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.