St Marys Church

St Mary’s Church dates from 1199.

Standing on the original site of a Cistercian Abbey, this church was closed in 1543 by order of Henry VIII. It’s a fascinating place with the Andrews Mausoleum – builder of the Titanic – just through the entrance. This is a mausoleum with no bodies buried in it but many inscriptions on the walls. The stone at the entrance gate bear inscriptions from 18th Century church wardens and stones from the original abbey are to be found inside. There’s a monument dedicated to three men from the York Fencibles regiment who were killed at the Battle of Saintfield in 1798. They are Captain Chetwynd, Lieutenant Unite and Ensign Sparks. The minister of the church at that time, Reverend Robert Mortimer, was also killed at the Battle.