St. Patricks Grave Yd. — Singland

St. Patrick's graveyard which contained the ruins of a medieval church (LI005-029001-) and tower (LI005-029003-) that were levelled in 1776 (Fitzgerald 1826, 561). Site of Cromwell's Fort (LI005-028----) 220m to W. Graveyard described by Westropp (1904-5, 364) as following; 'The graveyard alone remains. A broken round tower and ruined church are shown on the Down Survey map, 1657,and were levelled in 1776 (Fitzgerald, ii., p. 561); near them stood the Singland battery in the sieges of 1690-91'. Graveyard consists of an L-shaped area (approx. dims. 75m N-S x 63m E-W) enclosed by a post-1700 stone wall with entrance gate at NW. On the return of the Williamites in August 1691 the chronicler, George Story, recorded that the defenders had refortified the various forts, including Ireton’s Fort (LI005-113----) and Cromwell’s Fort (LI005-028----) and had ‘built another some distance to the right, where formerly stood an old church [St. Patrick's], and a third was begun also with a line of communication from one to the other, but not as yet finished’ (1693, 187). On the 25 August ‘When the greatest part of our army was got up, our detached body of foot, under the Command of Lieut. Gen. Mackay, was ordered to attack Ireton’s Fort, and the old Church-Fort, where we expected the enemy had lodged a party; our men made a line cross the fields, and were sustained by several entire regiments of foot and a body of horse. We advanced towards both the forts at one time, and found the upper one deserted.’ (ibid;, 187-9). They proceeded to take Ireton’s Fort (LI005-113----) and later that evening also took Cromwell’s Fort (LI005-028----). The fort is shown on the map of the siege published by Story (1693, facing 224) but is not recorded as such on any of the 18th century or later maps of the city though it is possible that the outline of this work may be reflected in the regular shape of St Patrick’s Burial Ground (LI005-029002-). See attached Google Earth orthoimage taken 28/06/2018 Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 26 July 2019