Scheduled MonumentsNorthern IrelandLimavadyDrumachose church. multiperiod church site & graveyard (c6th-post-med.)
E.CHRIST. · ECCLESIASTICAL SITE

Drumachose church. multiperiod church site & graveyard (c6th-post-med.)

Limavady, Northern Ireland
NISMR MonID 11719
Period
E.CHRIST.
Site type
ECCLESIASTICAL SITE
Nation
Northern Ireland
The designation
Reference
NISMR MonID 11719
Authority
DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR)
Grid reference
C6930323134
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR)

Overview

History & significance

Drumachose church is a multiperiod ecclesiastical site and graveyard located near Limavady in County Londonderry. The monument spans from the early Christian period, around the sixth century, through to post-medieval times, reflecting the continuity of Christian worship at this location across more than a millennium. The church and its associated burial ground sit upon Sherwood Sandstone Group bedrock, comprising sandstone, siltstone and mudstone deposits laid down during the Ladinian period of the Mesozoic era.

The site represents a significant example of early Christian settlement in the region, when monastic communities and local ecclesiastical centres formed the foundation of Christian life in Ireland. The survival of both structural and burial evidence demonstrates the site's sustained religious importance through successive periods of Irish history, from the early medieval through to early modern times.

Drumachose church is protected as a scheduled monument by the Historic Environment Division under reference 11719, ensuring the preservation of its archaeological, historical and cultural significance.

Drumachose church. multiperiod church site & graveyard (c6th-post-med.) is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 11719. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Drumachose church. multiperiod church site & graveyard (c6th-post-med.)?

Drumachose church is a multiperiod ecclesiastical site and graveyard located near Limavady in County Londonderry. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 11719.

What period does Drumachose church. multiperiod church site & graveyard (c6th-post-med.) date from?

Drumachose church. multiperiod church site & graveyard (c6th-post-med.) dates from the e.christ. period, and is classified as a ecclesiastical site. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Drumachose church. multiperiod church site & graveyard (c6th-post-med.)?

Drumachose church. multiperiod church site & graveyard (c6th-post-med.) 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 11719.

What other scheduled monuments are near Drumachose church. multiperiod church site & graveyard (c6th-post-med.)?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Wwii trainer dome (2.3 km), Aghanloo airfield. wwii airfield. aghanloo airfield (2.6 km), Daisy hill, the mullagh, drumceatt. scarped mound (possible assembly site) (3 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Drumachose church. multiperiod church site & graveyard (c6th-post-med.)

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Drumachose church. multiperiod church site & graveyard (c6th-post-med.)'s history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman World
Ireland was never conquered by Rome, so this traces the island's Iron Age kingdoms and its contact with the Roman world.
Historic Records
The 19th-century records of this place: valuations, Ordnance Survey memoirs and topographical accounts.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Drumachose church. multiperiod church site & graveyard (c6th-post-med.)

Drumachose church. multiperiod church site & graveyard (c6th-post-med.) stands on Sherwood Sandstone Group, bedrock that formed in the Ladinian. The rock here is sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.