Vault at St. Clare’s Convent, High Street, Newry, Co Down, BT34 1HB

This burial vault is located within St. Clare’s Convent in Newry, County Down, and dates to the period between 1820 and 1839, coinciding with the convent’s establishment. It forms part of a larger complex which includes a convent, chapel, oratory, school, laundry, and wells. The vault is situated on a west-facing slope within the convent grounds, overlooking the rest of the complex. A path leads to a brick-headed opening which provides access to the interior; the original door has been removed. Above this opening is a small, infilled and rendered window. The vault’s walls are constructed of random rubble and are topped with a concrete cross, with the remaining walls largely concealed by earth and grass, except for a circular roof vent. The vault was later superseded by burials on the adjacent hillside, where individual plots are marked with cast-iron or cast-aluminium plaques detailing the person’s name and date of death, ranging from 1896 to the present day. The vault retains its original structure internally and externally and is considered significant within the convent. Its former and current use is as a mausoleum.