Graveyard

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Small private graveyard set within a mature planted enclosure on the E side of Coalpit Road. The enclosure has a large 19thC flat iron gate on granite posts to the road set in a concave rubble masonry screen wall. The graveyard has a small wrought iron pedestrian gate with ball finials on concrete posts. In the enclosure are two prehistoric granite standing stones (there is a third one in the field on the other side of the road). There are seven marked plots. Three have stylised dressed granite Celtic crosses, one has a traditional cross, two have head stones and one is a pedestal only to what was probably a second cross.

The stones are, from N-S, as follows:

1) Celtic cross the base of which has inset lettering: “In affectionate memory of/ George Gordon Maryvale/ Died 21st May 1916”.

2) Celtic Cross the base of which has inset letters, “May Alice Eden/ wife of/ George Gordon Maryvale/ died Feb. 1st 1906/ their youngest son/ Edward Corry/ died at Aden 17th Aug. 1905/ Peace be with you.”

3) Celtic cross the base of which has inset lead letters, “Sydney George Gordon/ Beloved husband of/ Muriel/ and eldest son of/ the late George and May Gordon/ died 2nd May 1939/ Jesus thou has willed it”. A polished granite plaque at the foot of this grave reads “Also his beloved wife/ Muriel 1879-1963/ their youngest daughter/ Vivian 1921-1974”

4) Traditional dressed granite cross inscribed, “In loving memory of/ William Magowan/ 1897-1978”

5) Polished granite 20thC head stone inscribed, “ Gordon/ of/ Mount Kearney/ A. DE. R. Gordon/ Died Aug 1957/ Ann Gordon/ Died 15 Oct 1986/ Schlena Gordon died 1943.”

6) 19thC sandstone headstone (toppled) on a dressed granite plinth reads, “ Ellen, James & Rose/ Parker”

7) Celtic Cross (now broken) the base of which has inset lead letters, “ In loving memory of/ Colonel Henry Parry Gordon/ formerly commanding/ The Duke of Cornwall’s light infantry/ who died suddenly of heart failure/ while hunting the Newry Harriers/ 19 December 1910/ Blessed are the pure in heart/ for they shall see God.”

Historical information

An enclosure is shown here on the 1834 OS 6" map. It is explicitly captioned as a graveyard on the 1860 edition. The Parker family was resident at Mount Kearney (HB16/14/021) in the early 19thC and the Gordon family occupied it up until the death of Mrs Ann Gordon in 1986. It is therefore presumed that this private graveyard was created to serve the occupants of Mount Kearney – probably from the mid 1800s onwards.

Primary sources:
1. OS 6" map, 1834, Co Down sheet 47 (PRONI OS 6/3/47/1).
2. OS 6" map, 1860, Co Down sheet 47 (PRONI OS 6/3/47/2).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

This attractive private graveyard is of some local interest but is of little special architectural or historical importance.