The Church of the Planters

In May 1600 Sir Henry Docwra, under the orders of Elizabeth 1, arrived in Derry to keep in check the Ulster Chieftains and ‘to occupy and fortify the town’. He described his first view of the town

Docwra repaired the old Abbey church for the use of the early Planters and in 1611 Lord Carew’s report described the church as being “well slated and repaired”.

In 1613 a Charter was granted by James 1 to the Honourable the Irish Society and the prefix London was added to Derry. In the same year a gilt chalice and paten (the Promise Chalice) were presented to the repaired church as a token of intent by the Honourable the Irish Society to build a Cathedral. The translated inscription on the chalice reads ‘Church of God in the City of Derrie’. The Cathedral of St. Columb was completed in 1633 and the old church became a Chapel for the use of the Bishops.

During the Great Siege of 1689, which lasted 105 days, the church was used by the Scottish Presbyterians for worship. It sustained great damage and the mortar shell which contained the Terms of Surrender fell into the church graveyard. That same shell can be seen today exhibited in the porch of St. Columb’s Cathedral. The church was subsequently repaired and was once again used for worship.

The Chapel of Ease

Circa 1765 the old church was rebuilt by Bishop William Barnard and became ‘Ye Chapel of Ease’ to St. Columb’s Cathedral – “restored, accommodation for 240”.

Bishop Barnard died in January 1768 and is interred at Westminster Abbey in London. The church was demolished in 1871 as it was deemed to have “become unsafe”

Much of the church’s stone was saved and was used in the building of the present church – a thrifty move!