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On a SSE-facing slope in pasture, within a graveyard (LF018-039001-). Ballinamore Castle (LF018-038001-), the residence of the Brown family, is c. 440m to the NW. This may be the church described in the terrier of the Down Survey (1655-6) map of 'Ballicormacke' parish as the 'Old Church much Ruined' (NLI MS 713). Described by Cochrane (1913, vol. 8, 118) as measuring 'about 40ft. [c. 12.2m] long and 17ft. [c. 5.2m] wide. It is surrounded by a ring fence, mound, and ditch, about 100ft. [c. 30m] in diameter. The west wall of the church has completely fallen, and the remaining walls are from 3 [c. 0.9m] to 8ft. [c. 2.4m] high. The space south of the church has been used for burials. There are no architectural features to be seen'.
This much-ruined church (ext. dims. 15.95m E-W; 8.35m N-S; wall T 0.85m), or private chapel of the Brown family, is constructed of limestone rubble with undressed alternating quoins. The W third of it has collapsed. The only architectural feature is the remains of a broken-out window in the E gable. A wall monument (LF018-039003-), which bears a mid-17th-century inscription and is dedicated to Sir Richard Brown and his wife Lady Mary Plunkett, is built into the E end of the internal face of the S wall. Directly opposite it in the N wall is a memorial stone, probably of 18th century date, that reads: ‘This ruin was renovated/and preserved by Fr. Dowell/for over 70 years (Lennon 2005). (Wilson 1892, 291-2; Ó Cianáin 1935, 46-75)
Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien
Date of upload: 4 June 2013
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