Drumhome Old Church

Drumhome Old Church (DG103-002001-): Described in 1622 as in need of repair and wanting only a roof (Royal Commission, 214) the church was either repaired or possibly rebuilt and continued in use until 1795 when a new church was erected at Ballintra (Lewis I, 1837, 516; Maguire I, 1920, 383). Built of quarried-blocks and rubble with small pinnings, only the ivy-covered W gable with remnants of a bellcote, survive. The N and S corners and adjoining faces have been replaced in modern times, presumably to prevent collapse. The gable is 8.3m long externally and 1.2m thick. A ragged ivy-covered opening in the upper section of the gable may indicate a window. In the N corner of the graveyard (DG103-002003-) is a low grass covered grave-mound at either end of which is a dressed fragment (DG103-002002-). On the S is a weathered block with late medieval moulding of alternate right angles and cavettos; possibly from a door. On the N is a window jamb fragment; probably of similar date. These undoubtedly came from the parish church. The Church is located in a still-used rectangular graveyard which seems formerly to have been larger in extent. The site is the location of an early ecclesiastical settlement (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 35).