Banagher Old Church – Tower, Carnanbane Road, Dungiven, Co Londonderry

The remains of an 11th-century monastic foundation are well-preserved, though fragmentary. Adjacent to the old Banagher church, the structure is a rectangular, roofless stone building. Three sides of the walls stand approximately 2.1 meters high, while the fourth side, facing southwest, is about 0.6 meters high. A modern framed door now occupies what appears to be a doorway in the middle of the northeast side, concealing the original opening. Internally, the space measures roughly 5 meters by 4 meters. The walls are constructed of neatly laid random rubble sandstone, featuring well-formed quoins. A small recess exists at floor level on the internal face of the northeast wall, to the west of the doorway.

The nature of this structure – whether it represents the remains of a tower, a dwelling, or a component of the monastic foundation – remains open to interpretation. Some sources suggest it may be a medieval priest’s strong house or tower. Historical accounts, including those from the Ordnance Survey Memoirs, mention a stone spout projecting from the western gable and a high entrance on the east end, potentially accessed by stone stairs. A tradition links the site to a Carmelite or White Friar monastery, and another suggests Abbot St. O’Heny was associated with a religious establishment here, although no definitive records confirm this. John McCloskey, in his 1821 Statistical Reports, echoed observations from the Ordnance Survey Memoirs. Colonel Cary apparently conducted excavations in the 18th century, seeking treasure, and revealed foundations beneath the current floor level. The tower is situated below a knoll where the old church ruins stand, along the west side and just outside the old graveyard’s boundary wall.