Overview
The odd thing about Tullynakill is that the ruin is the old church, not the new one. A Georgian replacement was built alongside it in 1825 to hold 200 worshippers; it never drew much of a congregation, was deconsecrated, and came down in 1970. The 15th- to 16th-century shell it was meant to supersede is still here, roofless but solid, in a graveyard in the quiet drumlin country west of Strangford Lough. It sits down a narrow country road a few miles from the market town of Comber, and it draws people for the same reasons Robert Chapple recorded on a grey afternoon in 2018 – the walls, the dated stonework, and an atmosphere that outstrips the size of the place.
A layered history
There has been a Christian site here since around the 9th century, but the parish itself was originally served from the island monastery at Nendrum, associated with St Mochaoi. When Nendrum declined, the parish moved to the mainland at Tullynakill in the late 15th century, and most of the standing structure dates from then. The decorative stonework – the doorway above all – belongs to a 17th-century rebuild.
The parish lies in the historic barony of Castlereagh Lower, an area worked for its distinctive red limestone. That fossil-rich Castle Espie stone was shipped across the lough and turned up in buildings all around the shore, including the church’s own south door.
What to look for
The surviving structure is a clear snapshot of post-medieval Irish church design:
- The dated south door – carved from red Castle Espie limestone and cut with the year 1639 (a few records give 1637), it is the single most photographed feature on the site.
- Grooved windows – the surviving windows were cut with grooves to hold glass, standard for the period; the two-light east window is the best preserved.
- The bell – it carries the inscription “Roger Ford fecit anno 1733”, dating its casting to the early 18th century.
- The graveyard – markers run back to the 1660s. Among them is the grave of John McWilliams, killed at the Battle of Ballynahinch in the 1798 Rebellion.
Visiting the graveyard and ruins
The church is in state care and open to the public, with free entry, though access is occasionally restricted for conservation works, so it’s worth checking before a special trip. Take it slowly. The stone underfoot goes slick after rain, so wear sturdy shoes, and there are no facilities on site – bring water. For anyone tracing local families, the graveyard is a good resource; a heritage office can supply gravestone transcriptions if you contact them ahead.
Getting there, by bike or road
Cycling here is a fine way to do it, but mind the last stretch. The Comber Greenway follows the old Belfast–Comber railway and is flat and traffic-free, but it ends in Comber – the final three miles to the church are on public country roads (Ballydrain Road, past Castle Espie, then Tullynakill Road), so it is not car-free the whole way. By bus, services run to Comber; from there it’s a taxi of about 5 km. Parking at the church is limited to a few roadside spaces by the graveyard gate, with no formal car park, and the ground inside is uneven and partly overgrown, so it is not fully wheelchair accessible.
Nearby stops
- Nendrum Monastic Site (≈2.4 km west-north-west) – the early Christian ruins on Mahee Island, reached by the causeway across the lough.
- Castle Espie Wetland Centre (≈1.5 km) – a wildfowl and wetlands reserve with hides and guided walks.
- Comber (≈5 km) – a market town with independent shops, cafés and a heritage centre.
If you can time it, come on the last Sunday in August, when the ruin is briefly back in use: an open-air service is held among the graves once a year.