St. Columb's House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Columb's House |
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| St. Columcille's House | |
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Teach Naomh Cholumba
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 St. Columb's House
Location in Ireland
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| 53°43′42″N 6°52′51″W / 53.728253°N 6.880766°W | |
| Location | Church Lane, Kells, County Meath |
| Country | Ireland |
| Denomination | Pre-Reformation Catholic |
| History | |
| Founder(s) | Cellach mac Congaile, Abbot of Iona |
| Dedication | Columba |
| Relics held | Columba (formerly) |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | |
| Official name | St. Columb's House |
| Reference no. | 108 |
| Style | Celtic monastic |
| Years built | likely 10th century |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 5.8 m (19 ft) |
| Width | 4.7 m (15 ft) |
| Height | 7 m (23 ft) |
| Number of floors | 3 |
| Floor area | 27.3 m2 (294 sq ft) |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Meath |
St. Columb's House, also called St. Columcille's House, is a very old and special building in Kells, County Meath, Ireland. It's like a small church or prayer room, known as an oratory. Because of its important history, it is protected as a National Monument.
Where is St. Columb's House Located?
St. Columb's House is found on Church Lane in Kells. It is just to the northwest of the famous Abbey of Kells.
The History of St. Columb's House
Experts believe that most of St. Columb's House was built in the 10th century, which means it's over 1,000 years old! It is named after a very important saint, Columba (also known as Colm Cille). Some people think that the house might have once held some of his special belongings or even parts of his body, called relics.
The roof of the house was changed later on. Monks used this building for their daily prayers, which is called the Liturgy of the Hours. It might also have been a special place for worship, like a shrine, or even a burial spot for an important church leader called an abbot.
Long ago, the house had a large flat stone inside, which was called "St. Columb's Bed." This stone might have been a grave marker. Saint Columba's relics were brought to Kells in the year 878. Later, they were moved to Skryne Church and finally ended up in Downpatrick.
What Does the Building Look Like?
St. Columb's House is a rectangular building with a very tall, pointed roof. Inside, there used to be a high floor about 1.5 meters (5 feet) above the ground, but this floor is no longer there.
The upper part of the house, called the loft, has three separate rooms.
Old records, like the Annals of the Four Masters and a survey from the 1600s, mention an underground passage. This passage was said to connect St. Columb's House with the nearby church.
