St. Mary's Abbey, Duleek facts for kids
| Mainistir Mhuire | |
Tower, 15th century
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 Location in Ireland
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| Monastery information | |
|---|---|
| Order | Canons Regular (Arrouaisian) |
| Established | 1180 |
| Disestablished | 1537 |
| Mother house | Clonard Abbey |
| Dedicated to | Mary, mother of Jesus |
| Diocese | Meath |
| People | |
| Founder(s) | Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath |
| Architecture | |
| Status | Inactive |
| Heritage designation | |
| Official name | Duleek Church |
| Reference no. | 179 |
| Style | Norman |
| Site | |
| Location | Commons, Duleek, County Meath, Ireland |
| Coordinates | 53°39′18″N 6°25′08″W / 53.655069°N 6.418806°W |
| Public access | yes |
Welcome to St. Mary's Abbey! This amazing place is an old monastery and a very important historic site in Duleek, Ireland. It's a cool spot to learn about history and see ancient buildings.
Contents
Where is St. Mary's Abbey Located?
St. Mary's Abbey is right in the middle of Duleek. You can find it in an area called the Commons. It sits between Main Street and Church Lane. The Nanny River flows nearby, just to the southwest.
A Look Back: The Abbey's History
Early Days of the Monastery
A religious community has been in Duleek for a very long time. There was a monastery here as far back as the 5th century! Imagine, that's over 1500 years ago. There was even a tall, round tower at the site. This tower was hit by lightning in 1147. But don't worry, it was strong and lasted for a few more centuries!
How the Abbey Changed Over Time
In 1180, a powerful person named Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath gave Duleek to a group of religious people called the Canons Regular. This gift included the local church, St. Patrick's Church.
The buildings you see today were built later. Part of the abbey, called the southern arcade, is from the 13th century. The southern aisle and the bell tower were added in the 15th century. The main tower and the east wall with its window are from the 16th century.
The Abbey's Closing and Later Use
The abbey was officially closed down in 1537. This happened during a time called the Dissolution of the Monasteries. After it closed, the abbey grounds were used as a burial place. Many important people were buried here. One was James Cusack, who was a Catholic Bishop. Another was John Bellew, 1st Baron Bellew of Duleek, who was injured in a battle and later died. His son, Richard Bellew, 3rd Baron Bellew of Duleek, was also buried here.
Later, in 1816, a new church called Saint Kienan's was built right next to the old abbey.
What You Can See Today
Remaining Structures
Today, only the south aisle and the tower of the abbey are left. The tower is still standing tall with four stories. It has special corner stones called quoins and walls that get wider at the bottom, known as battered walls. You can also see battlements at the top, which are like the tops of castle walls. Inside, there's a small cupboard called an aumbry and a winding staircase turret.
Special Features
The window on the east side of the abbey is quite interesting. It was replaced in 1587, after the main Gothic style period. Below this window, you can see the family symbols of Sir John Bellew and Dame Ismay Nugent.
If you look closely at the north wall of the old bell tower, you might notice a faint mark. This mark is the "scar" or "shadow" of the old round tower that stood there centuries ago. It's a cool reminder of the abbey's very long history!
