Tamlaghtfinlagan  Churches

The old church     Grid reference C652219

Walworth Old Church in Ballykelly (C622227)

When the fishmongers took over the parish they decided to establish a new church. This was built on the Walworth estate in 1622, though parts of it are much older. The fishmongers simply enlarged an old chapel and added a chancel. Unfortunately those were interesting times and the place was burned down during the 1641 rising. Bureaucracy was as slow then as now and it wasn't rebuilt until 1664.

Mind you, they should have waited a few more years, because when the Irish army returned from the famous siege of Derry in 1689 the soldiers were in an understandably foul mood. When they passed through Ballykelly they promptly burned the church again.

This time round it took only three years to rebuild. This was because King William, who had fond memories of the unsuccessful siege, ordered its restoration in 1692. However, the congregation was never really happy with the place. It was too small and too far outside the town. A new chancel was added in 1719 by the Lieutenant General Frederick Hamilton but by 1795 a new church had been built about a mile down the road and the place fell into disrepair. At the time of writing (2000) the old place is overgrown, standing raised above a splendid graveyard and the old archway gives it a rather noble air. Not many people come to visit the old church, but those who do, do not regret the journey.

 

Tamlaght-Finlagan Parish Church (C633225)

The handsome new church built in 1795 was funded by the Earl Bishop of Bristol and the Hon. John Beresford. The Bishop was very fond of building: Mussenden temple and Downhill Castle are two other examples of his endeavours. The graveyard surrounding the new church is notable for the fact that it contains the grave of Blind James McCurry, who introduced Jane Ross to the charms of the tune "The Londonderry Air", known to him as "O'Cahan's lament."

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