Rainey-Goddard Monument Knockbreda Parish Church of Ireland

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Free-standing stone mausoleum, erected c.1800, commemorating William Rainey and his descendents. Square on plan and located to the northeast of Knockbreda Parish Church (HB25/16/005A).

Square plan sandstone mausoleum with four equal elevations, each having a central rectangular inscribed memorial plaque. Continuous plinth base supporting an engaged Doric column to each corner, with each plaque flanked by Doric pilasters, all supporting stepped entablature above with swags to the frieze. Pavillion stone roof with stone pinnacles to each corner and a central draped urn crowning the composition.

Setting;
Located to the northeast of Knockbreda Parish Church in an extensive graveyard to the north of Upper Knockbreda Road.

Roof Stone
Walling Stone
RWG N/A
Windows N/A

Historical information

The Rainey-Goddard mausoleum dates from the late eighteenth century and is one of a group of very fine and unusual tombs that were constructed in Knockbreda churchyard to commemorate some of Belfast’s most prominent citizens of the period. The mausolea do not appear on historic OS maps.

During the eighteenth century, Protestants tended to be buried in the old parish graveyard in High Street, Belfast. However, this graveyard was closed to new burials in 1798 due to persistent problems with flooding and Knockbreda became a popular burial place for Belfast’s most prominent citizens (McCormick)

Four large mausolea were erected in the last two decades of the nineteenth century in Knockbreda churchyard, all square on plan, ‘with elegant Adamesque arrangements of Classical columns, pilasters and entablatures’ (Curl) Curl describes the mausolea as the ‘oddest and finest of all buildings in the genre in Ulster’, although one was demolished in the later twentieth century and the remaining three were for many years in a parlous condition before their restoration by the Follies Trust. Curl suggests that Belfast’s position as a port made it a focus for architectural influences from overseas, in particular India where funerary monuments of the type seen at Knockbreda had begun to be common by the mid-eighteenth century. Published designs were another possible influence and it is suggested that Roger Mulholland, a notable local architect may be responsible for the tombs, although documentary evidence to confirm this is lacking. (Curl)

The tomb commemorates William Rainey (c1740-1803) and his descendants. The Rainey family had settled in Ulster as planters in early seventeenth century and had prospered with interests in linen and provisions, establishing themselves at Greenville House on the edge of Belfast by the mid-eighteenth century. William Rainey was not as prominent a figure as Greg or Cunningham, but as successful Presbyterian merchants, the families would have been well known to each other. Moderate politically, Rainey was eventually compelled by the times he lived in to join the new Yeoman Cavalry Corps, set up in the face of possible revolt, as its first lieutenant. He was later appointed Deputy Governor of Belfast. (Rodgers)

Buried with him at Knockbreda are Rainey’s mother, father, sister, brother-in-law, first wife and ten of his children, many of whom died young. Particularly poignant was the death of 7-year-old Boyd Rainey, William’s son who died in a shooting accident at school when two older boys, intending to hunt a cuckoo, stole a gun. (Rodgers)

A full restoration of the mausoleum was completed in 2009 by the Follies Trust, under the supervision of Chris McCollum. (McCollum)

References:

Secondary Sources

1. Curl, J “Mausolea in Ulster” Belfast: Ulster Achitectural Heritage Society, 1978
2. Mackey, B; Dixon, H; McCormick, F; Curl, J S; Rodgers, N; McCollum, C ‘Knockbreda, Its Monuments and People’ The Follies Trust, Belfast

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

W. Northern Ireland/International Interest
Z. Rarity
R. Age
S. Authenticity
U. Historic Associations

Evaluation

Free-standing stone mausolea, erected c.1790, commemorating the Rainey family. Square on plan located to the northeast of the graveyard to Knockbreda Parish Church (HB25/16/005A). An impressive funerary monument employing Adamesque detailing adding interest to this historic Georgian site. It has group value with the nearby listed Waddell - Cunningham - Douglas (HB25.16.005B) and Greg (HB25.16.5D) mausolea and Knockbreda Parish Church.