Mungret Abbey (in ruins) — Dromdarrig

National monument No. 85. A monastery was founded here by Neasán of Mungret (Mungairit) whose feastday fell on the 25th of July (Ó Riain 2011, 514-5). Mungret Church described in the Urban Survey (Bradley et. al. 1989, 188-95) as following: 'Situated in a graveyard (LI013-009004-) in Dromdarrig townland, this consists of a chancel, nave and residential tower at the west end. The chancel is of thirteenth century date, the residential tower is of fifteenth century date but the date of the nave cannot be determined. Leask (1933) terms this building "the abbey" but as there is no evidence for the existence of an abbey at Mungret in the thirteenth century, it seems more correct to regard it as the parish church of the medieval borough. Lewis (1837, ii, 415) states that there was a tower and gateway some 300 yards to the east of the graveyard but it is unclear whether this was part of the ecclesiastical complex or not. The north and south walls of the CHANCEL appear to have been refaced in the fifteenth century and the east wall alone retains its original thickness. The gable is c. 7.5m high and is built of roughly coursed rubble limestone. The north and south walls have been thickened by the addition of some 5O-60cm to their external face and are built of roughly dressed and coursed limestone masonry with a basal batter c. 1.5m high externally. They are c. 4-5m high internally with a later parapet on average some 5O-70cm high but surviving up to 1.5m in places. Drainage chutes project externally. The east window is a pointed twin-light with chamfered and rebated jambs of red and brown sandstone, splayed internally and having a pointed rear arch with chamfered sandstone jambs while the embrasure itself is outlined with sandstone jambs. The mullions are of modern limestone. The north wall has a small round headed splayed window with limestone jambs (blocked by later external thickening) which lacks its rear arch. The west end of the wall has additional thickening to accommodate a mural stairs rising to a gallery or loft over the west end of the choir. The stairs were originally entered from the nave through a flat lintelled door in the north east internal angle; this is now blocked and the stair well (stairs missing) is now entered through a large opening in the north wall of the choir. The stairs are lit at gallery level by a small rectangular loop in the external north wall. The gallery is entered from the stairs through a rectangular door with dressed limestone jambs in the north wall opposite this in the south wall at gallery level another opening led to a mural chamber in the west end of the south wall (similarly thickened externally). This has a garderobe at the west end and is lit by large and small rectangular loops in the external south wall. The south wall has a trefoil headed piscina with chamfered sandstone jambs and sill (missing its bowl) and four splayed lancet-like windows which are blocked by later external facing. The first from the east had a pointed rear arch; the second was a single light with pointed rear arch and sandstone jambs; the third was a twin-light window with shouldered head and chamfered limestone jambs set within a rectangular opening with dressed limestone jambs in the external wall face and a lintelled rear arch. The fourth has a narrow pointed light with limestone jambs, now blocked. The cross-wall, c. 8m high, is gabled with the coping stones of the original chancel still visible. It was subsequently widened when the north and south walls were thickened. At ground level there are three voussoirs for a doorway most of which has been replaced by a large unsplayed opening c. 4-5m high. The masonry of the NAVE consists of roughly coursed rubble limestone with limestone quoins (three are sandstone). The north and south walls are c. 3.5m high and the east and apart from the large modern opening already mentioned, and it seems to be largely rebuilt. The north wall has a tall parallel sided door, missing its arch but with a segmental rear arch, roughly centrally placed. Three-quarter round limestone shafts, c. 1.5m high on the external angles of the reveals are apparently inserted, and not in their original position. East of the door is a narrow rectangular window/loop with undressed limestone jambs, splayed with flat lintelled rear arch. The south wall has a large rectangular door, now blocked, with a relieving arch above, roughly centrally placed with a window to either side. That on the east is rectangular, with limestone jambs (undressed) and is splayed with flat lintelled rear arch. That to the west is now blocked, but another splayed loop, missing its arch and rear arch has been inserted above; this appears to be contemporary with the loft over the west end of the nave and connected with the residence to the west. The RESIDENTIAL TOWER is a gabled building of two floors, oriented north-south, with a belfry some 12.5m high on the north. The south gable is 7m high and the west wall c. 4m high. The masonry is roughly dressed and coursed limestone with dressed limestone quoins. It is entered by two doors at its east end. At the north end of the west wall of the nave is a flat lintelled door with dressed limestone jambs giving access from the nave, while the other door, now blocked, is located in the external south wall of the nave. It is also flat lintelled and has chamfered limestone jambs with pyramidal stops and an angled flat lintelled embrasure in the south-east angle of the residence. The east wall also has, at ground level, a flat lintelled recess with inclined sides, possibly a blocked west door of nave(?). Base of one side has a chamfered limestone jamb, possibly inserted. The north wall has a small rectangular splayed loop with chamfered limestone jambs and flat rear arch. The south wall has a small rectangular splayed window with shouldered head and chamfered limestone jambs and flat lintelled rear arch. There is also a blocked unsplayed embrasure with flat lintelled rear arch, probably a blocked window or door, although there is no sign of it externally. The west wall has a small recess and a blocked unsplayed embrasure with flat lintelled rear arch, probably a blocked window, though not visible externally. The first floor was supported on corbels in the north and south walls and put-logs in the west wall (none visible in the east wall). The west and east walls have tall flat lintelled doors, now blocked. The north and south walls have splayed rectangular windows with chamfered limestone jambs and flat lintelled rear arch. There is a chimney flue in the east wall at a high level although it is not clear where the fireplace was. The belfry is a narrow tower, c. 12.5m high of four floors with parapet above. The masonry is roughly dressed coursed limestone with large dressed limestone quoins and a cavetto string course between the 2nd and 3rd and 3rd and 4th floors externally. It is entered through the door in the embrasure in the north-east angle of the residence. A straight stairs rise to a small flat lintelled chamber c. 2m above ground level lit by a small splayed rectangular loop in the north wall. The first floor was apparently entered only from outside the church through a flat lintelled door with dressed limestone jambs in the east wall although there is a possible blocked door in the south wall leading to the first floor of the residence. The second, third and fourth floors were apparently of timber supported on ledges in the internal walls and communication was presumably by internal ladders. The second floor is featureless. The third floor has a large rectangular opening with dressed limestone jambs, now blocked, in each wall. The fourth floor has rectangular windows with chamfered limestone jambs in each wall, those in the south and west walls are damaged and there appears to have been a parapet above.' Compiled by: Denis Power Date of upload: 5 February 2013