Bridgetown Abbey (in Ruins) — Bridgetown Lower

At foot of steep E-facing slope, on W bank of Blackwater River. Complex of ruined 13th-century monastic buildings comprising church, with cloister to S and claustral ranges to S and E; these renovated in late-medieval period when further buildings added at SE side of complex, and towers added to NE corner and W end of church. Chancel still used as graveyard (14548). Complex now undergoing conservation programme by Cork County Council. Church consists of nave (int. 17.6m E-W; 7.7m N-S) and choir (int. 24.9m E-W; 7.7m N-S), separated by full height gabled wall with central archway (Wth 2.8m); lower courses on N side of archway have chamfered sandstone moulding. Entrance to nave via rebuilt doorway (Wth 1.75m) near W end of N wall; stoup immediately inside doorway on E side. Opposite doorway in S wall gives entry to cloister walk; second doorway from nave to cloister, at E end of S wall, now blocked. Nave lit by windows in N wall: to W of doorway is extensively rebuilt window; window to E of doorway retains most of original sandstone mouldings, which suggest it had single round-headed light; window at E end of N wall has inserted rectangular light, divided by transom and mullion. Wall dividing nave from choir has two 1st-floor windows, flanking archway, with plain lintelled lights in pointed-arch embrasures, facing into choir. Choir lit by windows in N, E and S walls. Most of E wall taken up by three tall windows whose single lights are divided by masonry piers which splay to meet at a point on the inside, where fragments of original sandstone hollowed roll-mouldings survive, supported on decorative corbels; original central light replaced by late-medieval twin round-headed lights with mullion-and-transom divisions surmounted by simple 'teardrop' tracery; both side lights missing, rear arches collapsed. North wall, near W end, has pair of closely set window embrasures each with twin lancets, and two windows with single lancets further E; these retain some original sandstone detail including filleted roll moulding. South wall has window with sandstone mouldings near E end: arch collapsed; mullion and head missing. To W of this is pair of closely set window embrasures framed by banded angle-shafts: E window has twin cusped lancet lights, divided by mullion, surmounted by quatrefoil, partially blocked by insertion of 15th-century Roche tomb; W window missing most of light, and has an inserted late-medieval doorway giving access to walled enclosure which contains numerous uninscribed grave markers. Second doorway, c. 7.5m to W, has some original sandstone edging on E side; it gives access to area containing 13th-century graveslab, 17th-century tomb of Theobald Roche, and 19th-century headstone. Blocked doorway at extreme W end originally linked choir to E claustral range. Interior of choir occupied by numerous 19th- and 20th-century gravestones; still used for burial. Late-medieval 3-storey tower (c. 10m N-S; 6.5m E-W) inserted at W end of nave. Ground floor divided into two chambers, each with 1st-floor attics under pointed vaults. Large number of architectural fragments gathered from vicinity of ruins now stored here. Spiral stairs, housed in projecting turret at NE corner, leads to single chamber on 2nd floor. Latter has concrete floor; windows in E, W and S walls all modern reconstructions; two original slit windows in N wall flank semicircular brick-lined oven; latter housed in semicircular projection corbelled out from outer wall face. Chimney flue in NW corner, but fireplace missing; small lintelled fireplace in SW corner. Late-medieval 3-storey flanking tower (c. 6.5m E-W; c. 4m N-S) added to NE corner of church. Accessed from E end of choir via 1st-floor doorway. Lit by lintelled slit windows on 1st- and 2nd-floor levels; upper walls collapsed; base of mural stairs survives in SW corner, may have led to wall walk on N wall of church. Cloister (23m E-W; 23.8m N-S) extends S from W end of nave; bounded by high wall, probably of late-medieval date, on W side, refectory range on S side and chapter range on E side. None of wall along inside of cloister walkway survives but a late medieval vault (L c. 16m; Wth. 2.3m) covers S half of E walkway. Fragments of arcading from inside of cloister walkway survive (Croker 1842, 133); these are dumb-bell piers of 15th/16th-century date. South range (21m E-W; 6.5m N-S) consists of 1st-floor refectory over undercroft. Latter entered via rebuilt doorway near W end of N wall and partially collapsed door at N end of E wall; rebuilt arched recess at W end of S wall possibly laver. Undercroft divided by N-S walls into three chambers, each further divided by central masonry piers supporting arches (now collapsed) springing E-W. Chambers lit by lintelled slit windows in S wall which retain much of original sandstone mouldings. Recess in W end wall of range is probably blocked stairs which formerly led to 1st floor. First-floor refectory lit by series of eight windows in S wall, each with round-headed sandstone light, and two rebuilt windows in N wall. Wide rebuilt ope in W wall; projecting block near E end of S wall provided recess for pulpitum; W end fortified by provision of several late-medieval gun loops; E wall and E end of S wall largely collapsed. Passage from cloister walk continues to S between refectory and ranges to E. East range (25.3m N-S; 7.6m E-W), extends S from W end of choir; gabled N and S walls intact but otherwise very fragmentary and much rebuilt. Ground floor originally divided into three chambers, dividing walls now missing. Pointed-arch doors in W wall are late-medieval insertions. Three original lancet windows survive on ground-floor of E wall of central chamber; probably location of chapter house. Window overhead with twin cusped ogee-headed lights and two windows with plain lintelled lights, are late-medieval insertions. On E side of E chapter range is open quadrangular courtyard (18.8m E-W; c. 18m N-S). Ruined structures to S of courtyard may be kitchen and warming room. Immediately S of latter is ruined late-medieval 3-storey tower which may have been part of prior's accommodation; 1st-floor chamber (2.2m N-S; 2m E-W) entered through doorway in N wall; door in S wall of chamber led to now ruined structure to S which has two gun loops in S wall at ground-floor level. Mural stairs in W wall of tower leads to 2nd-floor chamber (2.2m E-W; 1.6m N-S); chamber lit by window with cusped ogee light in W wall and windows with lintelled lights in S and E walls.On S side of monastic complex is walled graveyard (14548). Tradition exists that C of I church was built 'close to the W side of the Priory', but left unroofed 'after a short life' (Grove White 1905-25, vol. 1, 315); stones from church used to build C of I church at Ballyhooly (see 14569). Sunken channel (26m N-S; 10m E-W) c. 150m to S of priory complex probably part of millrace; W side formed by natural rise in ground level, E side by mortared stone wall (H c. 2m); door- or gate-way (Wth 2.6m) with semicircular piers near S end of wall; similar gateway at N end of channel. Extensive linear features in field to SW visible in aerial photograph (Dr D.D.C. Pochin Mould, March 1998). Augustinian priory founded by Alexander fitzHugh and colonised from Newton, Co. Meath and St Thomas's, Dublin (Grove White 1905-25, vol. 1, 307-8; MacCarthy 1994, 134-5; Flood 1916, 121-2); according to Gwynn and Hadcock (1988, 161-2), founded between 1206 and 1216, MacCotter and Nicholls (1996, 246) give the date as c. 1200, and McCotter (1997, 90) as 'shortly after 1202'. By end of 13th century associated with Roches and became their chief burial place. Described in mid-16th century as having 'church with belfry, dormitory, hall, buttery, kitchen, cloister, and cellar, with divers other chambers', also had water-mill and cemetery (White 1943, 145-6). Surrendered to Sir Henry Sidney in 1576-7 (Gwynn and Hadcock ibid.) and abandoned shortly afterwards (Flood ibid., 123).