Church (in Ruins) — Newtownlow

Described in 1981 as 'A simple rectangular church aligned east-west, now almost completely shrouded in ivy. There is an ope for a large gothic window at the east end & three gothic windows, with brick incorporated into the surrounding walls in the south wall. There is a wide segmental arched opening probably a doorway below the smaller of these windows which is in the centre. At the west end of the south wall is a pointed doorway. The walls remain to their full height. No dressed or cut stones visible anywhere in the structure. A chimney flue can be seen near the south end of the east wall. This appears to be an 18th C[entury] or early 19th C[entury] church. Built on to the west end of the church is a burial vault with an elaborately carved coat of arms of 18th C[entury] type. The church is in a subrectangular graveyard (WM038-012001-) containing numerous 18th C[entury] & 19th C[entury] tombstones. There is nothing to indicate a date earlier that the 18th C for the site' (SMR file). The 1656 Down Survey Parish Map shows a castle and church and the terrier of the parish map recorded a 'Castle at Newtown with the walls of a church'. (NLI MS 723-4). Low's Castle (WM038-015) is located 80m to the NE of the church and graveyard. Church was revisited and described in 1982 as 'Remains of church now unroofed, and heavily cloaked in ivy which renders description difficult. Consists of a long nave, the ext. dimensions of which are 8.15m N-S x 17.5m E-W. Walls vary in thickness between 70-90cms and stand to a height of approx. 3m. Outline of a large E window clearly visible. Any window that originally existed in N wall has been blocked up, no opening visible in W gable wall. In SW corner of building remains of a pointed archway provides entrance to the interior. All cut stone has been ripped out and the top of the arch filled with plaster covered brick. There are 4 other openings in this W wall, 3 of them windows, the 4th a large opening at ground floor level, gently arched with brick. This is 2.2m wide and c. 2m high at the centre. In the interior of the church are a number of upright headstones. Immediately inside the ground floor opening is a slightly raised platform (c. 0.4m H) which abuts onto wall and which measures 3.5m E-W x 6m N-S. At east one gravestone lying on its side is legible and gives a date of 1837. Immediatlely adjacent to both ends of church are rectangular extensions. The one at the W end is obviously a family vault and measures 5.5m x 11.55m N-S. Outside E end of church low footings of a rectangular building obviously the chancel of an earlier or even the same church are visible. A portion of a wall jutting out from present E wall of church obviously forms part of a wall joining nave and chancel. A number of gravestones now stand within this area. Ext. dimensions of chancel 7.3m E-W x 7.6m N-S. Walls stand to a height of c. 1m at most. Portions of wall extending out from external face of N wall of church is also visible 6.7m from the NE corner of the building. Church in its present form appears to be of fairly recent date. However it is likely that the building we now have here is a remodelled version of an earlier church' (SMR file). This parish church was known as Nova Villa de Feraib Tulach and Richard Whit was listed as Rector of Newtown-Fertullagh in 1542 (Walsh 1957, 284). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 27 April 2010