Church, Mullanacross, Co. Donegal
Co. Donegal |
Churches & Chapels
In the quiet graveyard at Mullanacross, County Donegal, the ivy-draped western gable of Drumhome Old Church stands as a solitary witness to centuries of worship.
This weathered stone wall, measuring 8.3 metres long and 1.2 metres thick, is all that remains of a parish church that served the local community until 1795, when a new church was built at nearby Ballintra. Historical records from 1622 describe the building as being in poor condition and needing only a roof, suggesting it was either substantially repaired or perhaps completely rebuilt to continue serving its congregation for another 170 years.
The surviving gable, constructed from quarried blocks and rubble with small pinning stones, bears the scars of time and neglect. Modern repairs to the north and south corners have prevented total collapse, whilst a ragged opening in the upper section hints at where a window once allowed light to filter into the church interior. A bellcote, which would have housed the church bells that called the faithful to prayer, can still be traced amongst the ivy that now cloaks much of the structure.
The rectangular graveyard surrounding the church ruins continues to be used by the local community and appears to have once been larger than its current boundaries. Archaeological evidence suggests this site has been a place of worship since early Christian times, making it a significant ecclesiastical settlement in the region. Two carved stone fragments found within the graveyard; a weathered block with late medieval moulding and a window jamb fragment; likely came from the original church building and offer tantalising glimpses of the architectural detail that once adorned this rural parish church.