Shankill Graveyard

 

Shankill Graveyard is linked not only with the 15th century church at Oxford Island but also the Church of Ireland church that occupies the central position in town.

The old church in Shankill may have been built on a double ringed rath. The church at Shankill was shown as roofless on a map of 1609.

The Brownlows who founded Lurgan, repaired and used this church but it was demolished in 1641. The church was rebuilt and this church survived until 1722.

By this time the church in Shankill could not be enlarged as there were so many interred close to its walls. The new church at Fair Green was started in 1722 and was opened for worship in 1724. Stone from the old church at Shankill was used to build the new church but also to build the Brownlow Vault built on the site of the old Shankill church.

The present church in the centre of the town was built in 1861.