Stewartstown: Churches, Local History and Drumcairne Forest

Stewartstown combines historic landmarks with Drumcairne Forest near the town. When planning your trip, it is worth considering the differences: churches and historic townscapes tell stories of different periods, while the forest trails offer a choice between leisurely walks and more challenging hikes. This lets you decide in advance whether your trip should focus more on local history, time outdoors, or both.

Churches and Historic Sites

St Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Stewartstown is listed as B1; it was built between 1840 and 1859. St Andrew's Church of Ireland on Ardtrea Road is listed as B+ and was built between 1820 and 1839. The periods follow one another: St Andrew's represents the earlier building phase, and St Mary's the later one. Comparing the two churches by date offers insight into different building phases and religious traditions.

Ballyclog Old Church and Graveyard is one of Stewartstown’s protected SMR ruin sites. Check the site’s current condition and its protected status before visiting.

Local History and Townscape

Stewartstown has deep historical roots in the Plantation of Ulster. A historical account from 1868 reports that Sir Andrew Stewart laid the foundation stone of the town in 1608 or shortly afterwards. This date range preserves the flexibility of the recorded dating rather than specifying a single year of foundation.

In describing Stewartstown’s townscape in 1868, the account mentions a spacious square, three well-laid-out main streets, and well-built stone houses with slate roofs. At that time, the market house stood in the centre of Stewartstown.

The historical reference points differ considerably: the reported foundation dates to the town’s early history, while the 1868 account describes the town centre at that time. The construction dates of St Mary's and St Andrew's add two periods from the 19th century to this timeline.

Drumcairne Forest: Trails and Landscape

Drumcairne Forest is near Stewartstown in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, and covers about 180 hectares. The forest is made up predominantly of conifers; areas of broadleaf trees interspersed throughout contribute to its biological diversity. For nature enthusiasts, the composition of the tree cover is a specific point of interest in addition to the size of the forest.

The trails in Drumcairne Forest are well maintained and suitable for both leisurely walks and more challenging hikes. You can choose an activity to match the level of challenge you want. As trail conditions can change, check their current condition before your outing.

One possible route leads from the B160 between Stewartstown and Coagh via Castlefarm Road and Ballygittle Road. Check current access and road conditions before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Cookstown, Pomeroy.

Go to the main travel overview: Cookstown.