County - Londonderry
Location –
Flanders townland, Dungiven parish
Date of discovery - 1804
Description
Most singular discovery of a human body and some deadly weapons
in Flanders, Derryard. About the year 1804, there was discovered
within a few yards of the ruins of Neil Grooma’s house
in Flanders, the body of a man in its natural shape. It was
found some feet under the surface. The garment worn by the individual
at the time of being murdered and interred in this spot was
of home manufacture, a rough woollen coat made from doe leather,
and sewed on the cloth with a leather thong. The buttons were
sewn on both sides of the garment from the collar to the lower
parts of the skirts, and the back and sleeve buttons were of
the same material. The body was stretched at full length when
it was found, and covered almost entirely with the long garment.
The head was entirely served from the body. There was also found
in the same place, or within a sort of dagger, and several other
deadly weapons, believed to have belonged to the murderous gang
of robbers already described. It is the final opinion of the
local inhabitants, that the aforesaid body was that of a drover,
or some travelling dealer, who had been assassinated or stripped
of his money by the robbers, while stopping at Neil Grooma’s
house, and that after killing him, they buried the maltreated
body in Neil’s garden, where its lay undiscovered until
the above period. The extraordinary discovery caused a great
sensation throughout the neighbourhood, and many persons came
to the spot to inspect the body and garment. After some deliberation
the body and garment was re-interred near the spot where it
was found. The inhabitants believe this to be but one out of
many who have had a like fate from the aforementioned gang,
and who have been put down about the precincts of Neil’s
dwelling state of brutal butchery.
(taken from Lindow Man –The Body in the Bog by I.M
Stead, J.B Bourke, Don Brothwell ISBN 0-7141-1386-7)
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Location
- Drumnadreen townland, Bovevagh parish
Date of discovery – 1813
Description
Robert Fleming and his wife, formerly residing in the Townland
of Drumnadreen, discovered in a bog in the townland, several
feet beneath the surface, in a pit out of which they were cutting
turf, a curious garment or coat. It appeared to have been worn
by a female. It is made up as follows. It was open in front
with a row of buttons on each side. From the neck or collar
to the skirts on each side under the sleeves, there were armholes
cut and trimmed thus seeming as if the wearer had their arms
in the sleeves or armholes at pleasure. From the neck or collar
to the skirts on each side under the sleeve there was a row
of buttons. On each side of the body and skirt of the garment
there were six gores of equal and fixed length. It was altogether
curiously but tastefully trimmed, and the buttons covered with
cloth the same stuff a species of grey under the arm and on
one side. There was a hole made by some sharp instrument, apparently
for the purposes of wounding the wearer to death, as for some
inches around the cloth was clotted and stiffened with what
had been formerly most probably blood. The garment was found
stretched at full length and at the top or neck there were also
discovered some locks of hair adhering, in good preservation.
The finder did not make any further search, but believes that
the body or bones are still near the spot where he found the
garment and hair. The coat was purchased at 2/6 and brought
to Belfast. About the year 1813 Robert Fleming, late of Drumadreen
found a tartan or wool garment in a bog in the same townland
and within a short distance of the grave in Jacob Smith’s
farm. It is believed that the body of the female to which it
belonged, as well as a hat of Highland soldier fell, in the
troubles of 1641.
Jacob Smith’s grave is at present in a dilapidated state.
It is altogether composed of turf moss. From the beating of
the tempests the grave is partly stripped and many of the bones
are exposed to wind and weather. The long wooden sword (from
the same bog) is now lost. A piece of the tartan garment is
at present in the possession of Mr Stokes. It is in good preservation
and the pattern is plainly visible. This material is not preserved
at the National Museum of Ireland.
(taken from Lindow Man –The Body in the Bog by I.M
Stead, J.B Bourke, Don Brothwell ISBN 0-7141-1386-7)
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Location
- Gortnamoyagh townland, Ballinascreen Parish
Date of discovery – 1837
Description
Mr Crofton Croker read a letter which he had received from J
Emerson Tennant Esq. MP stating that about the year 1837-1838
some turf cutters, working in a bog at Gort-na-moyagh near Garvagh,
in the county of Derry, found the body of a knight in complete
chain amour; beside it were the heads and brazen butts of two
spears, but the wooden shaft which connected them had disappeared;
and close by, lay one or two trunks which had contained embroidered
dresses, for threads of gold and silver could be pulled out
of the peat earth which filled the space within the decayed
wood of the boxes. The trappings of his horse were likewise
were found and together with them a pair of stirrups which had
been wrought with gold and silver ornaments, like Turkish or
Saracenic work. Some fragments of the amour were preserved and
the rings seemed as it was stated to indicate that they were
Milanese workmanship, because they were joined inside the ring,
instead of outside as the Spanish amour was.
(taken from Lindow Man –The Body in the Bog by I.M
Stead, J.B Bourke, Don Brothwell ISBN 0-7141-1386-7)
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Location - Drumard
townland, Maghera Parish
Date of discovery – 1820
Description
Human Skeleton. There was a human skeleton found about 6 feet
beneath the surface of a bog in the townland of Drumard in 1833.
It was again buried on the site were found.
(taken from Lindow Man –The Body in the Bog by I.M
Stead, J.B Bourke, Don Brothwell ISBN 0-7141-1386-7)
