St Augustine’s Church
The present building dates from 1872 and is in the design of 13th century neo-gothic style and was consecrated by Bishop William Alexander, husband of the famous hymn composer, Frances Cecil Alexander. In 1884 the adjoining red brick schoolhouse was constructed and in 1936 records show that major repairs were carried out with the boundary wall being replaced and a new pulpit, communion table and lectern being set up within the Church. St Augustine’s was listed in 1976 [Grade B1]. The trinity of buildings making up St Augustine’s is completed by No8 Palace St a one-and-a-half-storey vernacular dwelling constructed in the mid 18th century. Palace St is one of only a few lanes within the historic city walls that does not follow the geometric street plan laid out by Thomas Raven’s maps of 1622 and 1625.
The Church is complemented by a historic graveyard. In 1196, Muircertach Mac Lochlainn, High King of Ireland was ‘honourably interred’ at the Dubh Regles [‘Black Abbey’] and many of the gravestones, some of which predate the Siege, are illegible and others have been placed against the south wall for their protection. The oldest gravestone is that of Robert Carrec, an Elizabethan soldier, who died circa 1609 and this can be seen in the church porch. The McCombe Stone dating from 1689 is embedded in the Church and has a motif of the Red Hand of Ulster.
Contact – Rev Canon Malcolm Ferry