Mount Melleray Monastery — MOUNTMELLERAY

Detached fourteen-bay double-height Gothic Revival Cistercian abbey church, c.1925, on a cruciform plan comprising ten-bay double-height nave with single-bay (six-bay deep) double-height lower (public) chapel to south-west having five-bay single-storey flat-roofed side aisles, seven-bay single-storey flat-roofed side aisles to north and to south to nave, single-bay (three-bay deep) double-height transepts to north and to south having single-bay single-storey gabled flanking entrance bays, single-bay three-stage tower to crossing on a square plan having single-bay two-stage polygonal turret to north-east, and three-bay double-height chancel to east having five-bay double-height chapter houses to north and to south with four-bay single-storey linking range to east. Pitched slate roofs (gabled to entrance bays to transepts; gables to chapter houses) with clay ridge tiles (rolled copper ridge tiles to chapter houses), cut-stone coping to gables having cross finials to apexes, and cast-iron rainwater goods on cut-stone eaves having consoles. Flat roofs to aisles not visible behind parapets. Roof to tower not visible behind parapet. Tooled limestone ashlar walls with cut-limestone dressings including gabled stepped buttresses, cut-stone coping to parapets to aisles, and gabled profiled piers to nave. Tooled limestone ashlar walls to tower with cut-limestone dressings including gabled stepped clasping buttresses to advanced corner piers, and cut-stone course to top stage supporting Irish battlemented parapet having chamfered coping, and panelled polygonal corner pinnacles having ‘spirelets’ with wrought iron cross finials to apexes. Tudor-headed window openings to aisles and to entrance bays to transepts with cut-limestone chamfered block-and-start surrounds, hood mouldings over supporting limestone ashlar voussoirs, and cut-limestone mullions and tracery (forming paired cinquefoil-headed openings with decorative overlights). Pointed-arch window openings to nave, to transepts, and to second stage to tower (paired to second stage to tower) with cut-limestone chamfered block-and-start surrounds having hood mouldings over supporting limestone ashlar voussoirs, and cut-limestone mullions and tracery (forming paired cinquefoil-headed openings with decorative overlights). Pointed-arch window openings to chancel and to transepts (north and south elevations) on cut-limestone courses with cut-limestone chamfered block-and-start surrounds having hood mouldings over supporting limestone ashlar voussoirs, and cut-limestone mullions and tracery (forming five-light arrangement with decorative overlights to arches). Fixed-pane leaded stained glass windows to all window openings. Grouped (in two pairs) cinquefoil-headed openings to top (bell) stage to tower on cut-limestone dentilated course with hood mouldings over, and louvered panel fittings. Square-headed door openings to entrance bays to transepts in pointed-arch recesses with cut-limestone block-and-start surrounds having chamfered reveals, timber panelled double doors, decorative carved limestone overpanels, and hood mouldings over supporting limestone ashlar voussoirs. Tudor-headed door openings to side aisles with cut-limestone surround having moulded reveals, hood moulding over supporting limestone ashlar voussoirs, and timber panelled double doors. Paired lancet window openings to (public) chapel to south-west with cut-limestone block-and-start surrounds having chamfered reveals, limestone ashlar voussoirs, and fixed-pane leaded fittings. Pointed-arch window openings to chapter houses with cut-limestone block-and-start surrounds having moulded reveals, hood mouldings over supporting limestone ashlar voussoirs, cut-limestone mullions and tracery (forming tripartite trefoil-headed arrangement with elongated hexafoil to arch; paired trefoil-headed arrangement to east elevation with quatrefoil to arch), and fixed-pane leaded stained glass windows. Full-height interior to abbey with trefoil panelled gallery to first floor, and groin vaulted ceiling having moulded plasterwork ribs resting on moulded consoles. Full-height interior to (public) chapel open into roof with decorative clay tile work to central aisle, carved timber pews, pointed-arch arcade to side aisles on polygonal piers, open timber roof construction on consoles with panelled ceiling, and pointed-arch chancel arch with decorative Gothic-style fittings to altar. Set back from road forming centrepiece of monastery complex with tarmacadam forecourt, and landscaped grounds to site.