Graveyard

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Cemetery, dating from mid-eighteenth century, located to the east of Fort Road. The cemetery contains remains of a former Bishop’s house dating from the late seventeenth century, along with a selection of eighteenth to twentieth century gravestones and nineteenth century gated plots; earliest located stone dates from 1743. There is a bullaun stone to the centre of the cemetery supported on red brick plinth.

To north-west corner of cemetery, remains of bastion (circular on plan); rubble walling supporting red brick walling above forming dove-cote.

South-east corner abutted by remains of multi-storey Bishop’s house; rubble construction with fieldstone quoins; openings at each floor on west elevation have red brick surrounds.

Graveyard bounded to south, west and north by random rubble walling, to east by recent smooth rendered walling. Accessed from the west side is through rubble square pillars with sandstone coping supporting original wrought-iron gates; stile with concrete steps to right of entrance gate.

Roof N/A
Walling Random rubble
Windows N/A
RWG N/A

Historical information

The graveyard is shown on the first edition OS map of 1832. Griffith’s Valuation records the graveyard under exemptions, and lists the owner as Conway R. Dobbs.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/1/47/1- First Edition OS Map (1832)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/47/2 - Second Edition OS Map (1857)
3. PRONI OS/6/1/47/3 - Third Edition OS Map (1902)
4. PRONI VAL/2B/1/16 – Griffith’s Valuation Fieldbook (1859)
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/7/18A-F - Valuation Revisions (1864-1825)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A mid-eighteenth century cemetery, located to the east of Fort Road. The graveyard has a remote rural location, perhaps contributing to the well preserved state overall. Graves and memorials are intact and the graveyard is still in use. Contained within are the remains of seventeenth century Bishop’s house and the site of an earlier church, reinforcing the significance of the site to the history of the local area. No individual structures that merit listing consideration.