The cenotaph in Limavady, Carrick East

The Cenotaph at Carrick East Grid reference C696177

The Cenotaph

at Carrick East

also known as:

The Ballyquin
Monument

In the townland of Carrick East, not far from the dolmen, the surprised passer-by can view this remarkable monument. It stands near the edge of a field and overlooks a large part of the Roe Valley. On clear days one can see it from the Country Park. Originally it measured 13ft. by 13ft. and was about 45ft. in height. The sides are lined up to face north, south, east and west. It is in a reasonable state of repair but needs some attention. A small tree is growing out of one side, and two of the four black slate plaques are missing. The remaining two are shown below. The west side inscription is on the left and the south side inscription is on the right: read as follows:
 
H.B.Beresford Esqr.,
Seventh son of the Rt Hon John Beresford
was born 25th Sept. 1781
at Walworth House in this County
Died in London
on the 15th of December 1837. 		This pillar
was erected by the Tenants of
the Estate of the Most Noble the
Marquis of Waterford in this County
to comemorate the Virtues and Talents
that distinguished and adorned
their late Agent
Henry Barre Beresford Esqr.
 
Either the spelling of the word "commemorate" has changed over the last 160 years or you are looking at a serious mis-chisel. The remaining two plaques are reported to be in the care of the owner of the field. Walworth House was so called after the fishmonger company's estate in Surrey. Sir John Walworth - the most famous of the fishmongers, is known to history as the man who ended the Peasants' Revolt in 1381 by stabbing Watt Tyler, observed by an admiring Richard II. The earliest record of a Beresford is of Barré Beresford who was the main lessee of the fishmongers and built the original Walworth House in 1705. After some research I found out that the North side inscription read:
 
The foundation stone of this pillar was laid on the 29th day of June, in the year of our Lord 1840 being the third year of the reign of our Sovereign Lady Queen Victoria.

The east side inscription was:

 
Situate in the Townland of Ballyquin Barony of Kennaught and County of Londonderry.
 
My thanks - as so often in the past - go to the late Harold Gough, in whose papers I found some of this information.

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