Abbey

National Monument in state ownership No. 203. Situated at the N end of Baltinglass Town, 100m E of the River Slaney. Only the church survives of the Cistercian abbey founded in 1148. The church has a long nave, with an imposing nave arcade, a choir and a presbytery (with a three-light window) (overall L c. 56m), with two later transepts. The W door has a two-centred granite arch doorway, probably fifteenth century in date, and a three-light window above. The E end of the church has several Romanesque carved capitals, and there is a sedilia in the presbytery. A crossing-tower was built in the later Middle Ages, and subsequently rebuilt in 1815 in the Neo-Gothic style. The 'abbots castle' (WI027-024002-) was demolished in 1882 to provide materials for the building of the rectory. (Stalley 1987, 242) The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Wicklow' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 17 December 2008

Cistercian monastery, 12th century (founded 1148). The site represents an important medieval religious foundation associated with the spread of Cistercian monasticism in Ireland.