LOUGHINISLAND 3 CHURCHES | County Down | September 2020

The Loughinisland Churches are the remains of three ruined churches in Loughinisland, Northern Ireland, dating from the 13th to the 17th centuries. They are situated in Tievenadarragh townland, in a large graveyard on an island in Loughinisland Lake, now reached by a causeway.The most ancient church, the Middle Church, is 39ft by 23.5ft and its walls are nearly 4ft thick. There is a local tradition that this church was never actually finished. It is rectangular and built of coarse rubble with rough squared quoins. Some gables have fallen and are now standing to an average height of around 10ft. At the south-east angle is a small wall-cupboard.The North Church is 66.5ft by 30ft, the gables and most of the side walls are standing and a doorway in the west end has a narrow window above it. It is built of coarse split-stone rubble with semi-wrought quoins, with walls of an average thickness of around 3ft. In the south wall are two small cupboards.The South Church is 27.5ft by 20ft and is probably of earlier date than the 1636 date inscribed on it, appearing to have been previously remodelled. The western doorway supports a semi-circular arch built of two stones, each forming a quadrant. It is rectangular with walls around 3ft thick, built of split-stone rubble with limestone quoins and dressings. The east window has two pointed, chamfered windows, with mullion now removed. Set into the wall above the doorway is a stone effigy of a human head, which probably predates the church. On the floor is a recumbent stone which mentions four prominent members of the McCartan family.