Ballaun/Font, Graveyard, Priory Lane, Dungiven, Co Londonderry, BT47 4PF

The site comprises a substantial stone, likely dating before 1600, situated within the graveyard on Priory Lane in Dungiven, County Londonderry. It is understood to be a ballaun, a stone formerly used for grinding corn, though other potential uses around the nearby Priory cannot be ruled out. The stone, estimated to be approximately 0.5 cubic metres in size, features a large circular hole approximately 300mm in diameter and of the same depth, which regularly holds water. The stone's composition is uncertain, with differing accounts suggesting either sandstone or granite, as noted in the Ordnance Survey Memoirs. It stands within the boundary hedge of the graveyard, bordering the entrance path near the entrance gates, and is partially obscured by vegetation, from which scraps of clothing hang. Contemporary use involves individuals seeking remedies for various ailments, leaving behind pieces of clothing following their departure, notably in the case of treating warts. The Ordnance Survey Memoirs refers to the stone as “a granite font of rude workmanship.” The stone is located within the grounds of the Scheduled Monument in State Care No Ldy 31.15. Historical accounts, including the Statistical Reports of Six Derry Parishes (1821) and Buildings of Ireland North West Ulster, document this feature, alongside the Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland (1824, 1833-5). The site is currently designated as an archaeological site and is in the ownership of Central Government. It is also recognised as a monument.