churches historical around north down

It is unusual in Ulster to have three churches on one site, and yet surprisingly little is known about the place, its first mention in the historical records being in 1306. The middle church is the oldest, dating from around the 13th century.

The north church is probably 15th century, while the south church has decorative stonework in the form of a doorway bearing the date 1636 and the initials PMC, for Phelim McCartan, a member of an important family in the area who were probable...

The church is of uncertain date; it is a broad rectangle in plan, and was heavily restored in 1915 but more carefully in 1989. Unusually, it has a door in the north and south as well as the east wall. Its most interesting feature is the broken lintel over the east window (possibly re-used from an earlier church?), which has equal-armed crosses lightly incised on its interior face. Beneath it a grave was found during excavations in 1915, and was claimed to be that of St, Tassach himself. To t...

Small ruined 10th-Century church near lighthouse. Always accessible....

This church, which was altered in 1960, has kept its fifteenth century tower and octagonal spire dated 1693. Memorials inside include a marble statue and cameo busts of John Hamilton (died 1693) and his wife, Sophia Mordaunt, made in 1760 by Scheemaker....

At Saul, itself, a Celtic revival style Anglican church (with a round tower adjoining the chancel) on the site of an important twelth century monastery is where St Patrick's abbey is thought to have bee. In the churchyard is an early Christian mortuary house. Built in 1932 by the Church of Ireland to commemorate the fifteenth centenary of the saint's landfall, the church contains a thirteenth century font basin and a small, informative permanent exhibition....

The south Church is the older of the two (10th - 11th century?) and has antae - projections of the north and south walls beyond the gables - which are such a typical feature of early Irish stone churches. Unusually, scaffolding holes survive within the walls. Clay, and not mortar, was used to bond the stones, a feature also found in the North Church, which has a doorway facing south and is unlikely to be earlier than the 12th century. Excavations in 1962 revealed traces of a timber and stone...