Hamilton Mausoleum

Freestanding family vault/mausoleum, erected c. 1870. Vaulted roof and sides (south-west and north-east) covered in vegetation. Raised squared and coursed stone parapet to front (south-east) having cut stone coping over. Coursed squared limestone walls with chamfered cut stone stringcourse over. Sections of rubble stone walling to either side. Central pointed-arch-headed door opening to front elevation (south-east) having chamfered cut stone round and metal door with pierced floral motifs and raised lettering reading ‘Hamilton’. Set within the grounds of Drumhome Old Church graveyard (see 40910329) and partially built into side of hill to the north-west side of enclosure. Ruinous church (RMP DG103-002001-) adjacent to the east. One of a pair with another family vault/mausoleum (see 40910328) to the south-east side of graveyard.

This interesting and well-built family vault/mausoleum was originally erected to commemorate the Hamilton family. The Hamilton family was important in south- Donegal during the eighteenth and nineteenth-century, and had seats at nearby St. Ernan’s (see 40909919), Coxtown (see 40909913) and at Brownhall (see 40910401 and 40910402) during the nineteenth century. It is one of a pair of related structures with the ‘Thompson’ family vault/mausoleum to the south-east. The Hamilton and Thompson families were related through marriage in 1830. The style and detailing to both these family vault/mausoleums suggests that they were erected at the same time, and to designs by the same person/firm. The front elevation is well-built using high quality stone masonry while the pointed-arch doorway gives it a muted Gothic Revival character that is typical of mid nineteenth-century religious architecture. The modest metal doorway has pierced floral decoration that adds some additional decorative interest to this appealing but understated structure. This structures forms part of a collection of sites at Drumhome Old Church graveyard (see 40910329), and is an integral element of the built heritage and social history of the surrounding area.