Survey Data
Reg No
20514498
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Social
Original Use
Graveyard/cemetery
In Use As
Sports ground
Date
1707 - 1722
Coordinates
167313, 71255
Date Recorded
26/07/1994
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Burial ground, extant 1722. Sold, 1969. In alternative use, 1994. Street fronted with repointed tooled limestone ashlar piers to perimeter having thumbnail beaded capping supporting replacement mild steel double gates.
Appraisal
The origins of the Baptist congregation in Cork date back to the mid seventeenth century and the arrival of Major Edward Riggs (d. 1707) to the city (1649) under Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658): the congregation had their first meeting house in Liberty Street but later moved to Marlborough Street and finally (1892) to MacCurtain Street (see 20512496). The site for the burial ground in Stephen Street was obtained by the widowed Ann Riggs (d. 1737) 'who had it enclosed in a very decent manner'. The burial ground is omitted from "A New and Exact Plan of The City of CORKE" (1726) by John Carty but is labelled as "Anabaptist Burying Ground" on "A SURVEY OF THE CITY and SUBURBS OF CORK" (1759) by John Rocque (1709-62). The burial ground was described (1943) as 'in a disgraceful state…and, although the Baptists have spent much money in trying to preserve this little spot, which is so dear to them, their efforts seems to be in vain, as extensive and wilful damage is being done to it by people who should know better' (O'Shea in Journal of the Cork Historical and Archæological Society 1943, 37). The burial ground was sold to Cork City Council (1969) and subsequently levelled leaving no traces of the headstones 'thirteen in number…on which occur the names of ALLIN, AUSTIN, FOWKK, FALKINER, JONES, LAPP, &c., the oldest monument [being] that of EDWARD FALKINER, Esq., dated 1722' (Windele 1849, 86).