PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Cumber Old Church is the remains of an 18th Century Church of Ireland church built on the site of an earlier medieval (c. 400A.D. – 1100A.D.) church. There are numerous grave markers dotted around the graveyard dating from the 18th Century. Cumber Old Church and Graveyard is a Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) Historical Monument of interest. This important ecclesiastical masonry monument is located within the Faughan Valley region, an area that forms 170² km of the rural Derry City & Strabane District Council area, along the banks of the River Faughan, an Area of Special Scientific Interest and Special Area of Conservation.
The works comprised:
- Careful removal of residual vegetation and soil, and the treatment of stem/stumps/roots with an appropriate herbicide
- Dismantling, rebuilding and consolidation of the church structure using approved reclaimed stone masonry and its incorporation into and matching of existing stone courses in the structure
- Consolidation of wall edging and upper surfaces against moisture ingress by dismantling top course of masonry and the re bedding of stones, including recessed pointing.
- Spot pointing of the walls
- Protection of adjacent gravestones
- Refurbishment of existing railings approx length 3m, and provision of new to match existing approx 3m
- Rebuilding of 150m of perimeter walls to churchyard
- Provision of new pedestrian path and gravel road to the site
