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Coleraine monastery is a multiperiod ecclesiastical site comprising a church, graveyard, carved stone cross and bullaun stone, situated on bedrock formed from Palaeogene mafic lava and tuff. The site reflects the long continuity of Christian worship in this part of the Coleraine area, with evidence of occupation spanning several centuries. The volcanic geology underlying the site is characteristic of the intense geological activity that shaped north-eastern Ireland during the Palaeogene period, approximately 66 to 23 million years ago.
The stone cross and bullaun—a stone basin traditionally used for grinding grain or in ritual contexts—represent significant elements of early Christian material culture in northern Ireland. Both forms appear in early medieval monastic contexts and reflect the spiritual and practical functions of such communities. The preserved graveyard indicates sustained use of the site as a place of burial and worship across multiple periods of its history.
The site is protected by the Historic Environment Division under reference 11610, recognising its archaeological and historical importance to understanding Christian settlement and monastic practice in the Coleraine region. The multiperiod nature of the site demonstrates how certain locations maintained sacred and communal significance across centuries, serving successive generations of worshippers and their wider communities.
Multiperiod monastery, church & graveyard with cross & bullaun is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 11610. View the official record →
Coleraine monastery is a multiperiod ecclesiastical site comprising a church, graveyard, carved stone cross and bullaun stone, situated on bedrock formed from Palaeogene mafic lava and tuff. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 11610.
Multiperiod monastery, church & graveyard with cross & bullaun 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.
Multiperiod monastery, church & graveyard with cross & bullaun 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 11610.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Mound - motte? (3.4 km), Tappatowsie. mound (5.1 km), Ecclesia calva de tullothgarra, kilmoyle, talacorre. church & graveyard on site of medieval church (5.7 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Multiperiod monastery, church & graveyard with cross & bullaun'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.
Multiperiod monastery, church & graveyard with cross & bullaun stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Palaeogene, bedrock that formed in the Paleogene. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.