Vault at Muckamore House, Oldstone Road, Muckamore, Antrim, Co Antrim

This structure is a vaulted chamber, likely dating from between 1820 and 1839, of some historic interest related to the development of the Muckamore Abbey demesne. It is situated within a large, overgrown earthen mound. The entrance faces west. The front gable is constructed of basalt rubble, with a partial facing of granite ashlar to the left and snecked basalt to the left of that, with further snecked basalt stonework to the right of the main gable. It features an open rectangular doorway with a damaged brick segmental arched head and basalt and granite dressings. The curved gable above is edged with granite coping, but many stones have been displaced due to tree roots. The structure is largely covered by earth and mature trees, though a fallen tree has revealed a hole in the mound to the north side of the chamber. It is located to the east of an old graveyard, just outside its rear boundary wall, and within the grounds of Muckamore House. The mausoleum first appears on an Ordnance Survey map from 1857. It was likely built for the interment of members of the Thompson family, who owned Muckamore Abbey, the predecessor to the present Muckamore House; however, bodies were apparently removed around 1840 and reinterred in a new mausoleum alongside St Jude’s Church of Ireland church. The vault lies within the area of a recorded historic monument, no. ANT50:77. The structure is currently used as a mausoleum and has been noted as derelict.