Memorials in Ramoan Old Graveyard, Novally Road, Glebe TD, Ballycastle, County Antrim

Two decorative memorial headstones in naïve 'baroque' manner, located in Ramoan Old Graveyard on the Novally Road near Ballycastle, County Antrim. Both are the work of local mason Alexander McDonnell.

The Archibald McCambridge Memorial, dated 1784, consists of a tall rectangular inscribed sandstone tablet flanked by scroll 'buttresses'. Below the main tablet is a projecting limestone 'cill' inscribed 'Memento Mori', beneath which sits a stone panel decorated with mouldings depicting the head and shoulders of a body in a shroud, a skull and crossbones, and a bell. A further 'cill' below is inscribed 'Cutt by Alexr McDonnell'. Above the main tablet is believed to be a moulded coat of arms, though this is currently obscured by plant growth. The inscription on the main tablet is set within a semicircular arch-headed panel with floral moulding to the spandrels, reading: 'Here lieth the body of Archibald McCambridge who departed this life the 15th day of Septr 1784 aged 47 years'. A later inscription in lowercase lettering refers to the burials of his children. The scroll 'buttresses' may once have been taller. A cast-iron railed surround on low sandstone walling has been placed around the grave plot, likely dating from the later 1800s. The memorial is situated roughly at the centre of the graveyard, set into a small area of rubble walling that may have formed part of the church which once stood here until 1848.

The Francis Boyd Memorial, dated 1788, stands close to the northern edge of the graveyard and is almost identical in design, though executed in lighter stone (possibly limestone). It retains a coat of arms and finials above the main tablet, and its scroll 'buttresses' are taller. The coat of arms (presumably of the Boyd family) is set within a semicircular-headed tablet with egg and dart-like moulding to the edge, topped with a moulded pineapple finial and flanked by identical finials. The ensemble sits on a decorative cornice with egg and dart-like moulding either side of a moulding of the upper body of an angel. The scroll 'buttresses' are topped with fleur de lisle finials. The 'cill' beneath the main tablet is inscribed 'Remember to die', with the 'cill' below the lower panel inscribed 'By A:McD'. The original inscription reads: 'Here lieth the body of Francis Boyd of Chatham Hall who departed this life the 3rd day of Jany 1788 aged 66 years'. A later nineteenth-century inscription refers to other members of the Boyd family and William McArthur.

It is possible that both memorials were originally identical in design, with the McCambridge memorial's upper elements subsequently removed or damaged.

Ramoan Old Graveyard is enclosed by a largely overgrown rubble wall and entered from the west through a carriage gateway with rough rubble pillars and a relatively simple wrought-iron gate. Immediately north of the gateway is a stile consisting of a short flight of stone steps. The graveyard contains numerous headstones dating from the 18th and 19th centuries, with grave plots believed to predate these. A church originally built in 1506 and rebuilt in 1812 once stood at the west end of the graveyard but was abandoned in 1848; nothing appears to remain of it apart perhaps from the area of walling adjacent to the McCambridge memorial.

Alexander McDonnell's work can also be seen in further memorials at Armoy (Church of Ireland) parish graveyard and at Bonamargy. Several memorials originally within the old Ramoan parish church, now within the present church, also bear the hallmarks of his naïve baroque style and may be attributed to him. These memorials are relatively rare examples of mid- to late eighteenth-century decorative monuments and remain in good condition.