Grave Yard — Railstown (railstown Par.)

On a rise in undulating terrain in pastureland, a roughly rectangular graveyard (dims. 53m N-S; 40m E-W) surrounded by a 19th century stone wall, with flat concrete coping. Railstown church (TS061-125----) is centrally located within the graveyard and a possible font (TS061-125002-) is located immediately N of the chancel. There are earthworks (TS061-125003-) in the surrounding field to the N, E and W of the graveyard. The entrance to the graveyard is in the N wall, towards the W end, with a stile to the E. Most of the headstones are in the SE quadrant of the graveyard and are of 19th century date, though there are also some 18th and 20th century examples. There are also headstones immediately S of the chruch and a calvary in the SE quadrant. The most recent headstone noted dates to 2006 and is N of the former N wall of the chancel. There are no headstones N of the church, except one dated 1947 towards the E wall. There is an 18th century headstone, dated 1784, in the interior of the nave, E of the N doorway. According to the OS Letters (O'Flanagan 1930, vol. 1, 81) in 1840 'There is a graveyard attached to this Chruch not much in use'. There is a sandstone architectural fragment N of the N doorway, embedded in the ground and reused as a gravemarker (H above ground 0.2m; Wth 0.26m; D 0.18m). Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011