© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR)
Craigagh altar is a post-medieval penal site located in Moyle, Northern Ireland, comprising an altar and associated enclosure. The monument stands on bedrock of the Southern Highland Group, composed of psammite and pelite formations dating from the Middle Cambrian period, which provides a foundation of ancient metamorphic rock beneath this much later religious structure.
The site reflects the penal era when Catholic worship was prohibited and Mass had to be celebrated in secret locations, often in remote rural settings away from authorities. The altar and enclosure arrangement at Craigagh exemplifies the clandestine religious practice of this period, with the enclosed space serving as a sheltered gathering place for the faithful.
The monument is protected by the Historic Environment Division under reference 1248, recognising its historical significance as evidence of religious persecution and community resilience in post-medieval Ireland. The site's survival demonstrates how landscape features were adapted to sustain Catholic faith during a period of significant religious restriction.
Craigagh altar. craighagh altar and enclosure is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 1248. View the official record →
Craigagh altar is a post-medieval penal site located in Moyle, Northern Ireland, comprising an altar and associated enclosure. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 1248.
Craigagh altar. craighagh altar and enclosure dates from the post-med period, and is classified as a penal site. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Craigagh altar. craighagh altar and enclosure is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Ni. The official designation reference is 1248.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Rath (2.2 km), Barrow (2.6 km), Mound, possibly barrow (2.7 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Craigagh altar. craighagh altar and enclosure's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Craigagh altar. craighagh altar and enclosure stands on Southern Highland Group, bedrock that formed in the Middle Cambrian. The rock here is psammite and pelite.