Athassel Abbey (in ruins) — Athasselabbey North

On an island on the flood-plain of the River Suir, surrounded by marshy ground. There is a natural low hill to the NW of the abbey. The aspect from abbey is relatively poor except to the S. Athassel Priory was built c. 1200 by William de Burgh for the Canons Regular of St. Augustine and dedicated to St. Edmund (Harbison 1970, 119). It was confirmed by King John in 1205 (Gwynn and Hadcock 1988, 157-8). In 1319 the abbey was burned by Lord FitzThomas and again in 1329 by Brian O'Brien (ibid.). Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries the priory was surrendered in 1541 and leased to Dermot Ryan (ibid.). In 1557 Athassel was granted to Thomas, Earl of Ormond and Ossory (ibid,). All the buildings in the abbey are of mostly limestone rubble construction, randomly coursed, though some of the architectural features are of sandstone. The abbey church consists of a nave (int. dims. 8.72m N-S; 37.24m E-W) with an N and S aisle, a crossing-tower (int. dims. 6.11m N-S; 10.32m E-W), N and S transepts with side chapels, a chancel (Wth 6.11m N-S; 13.68m E-W) and a bell tower at the NW angle of the nave (Craig 1982, 58). The church was entered through a W doorway in the nave which is completely broken out, above which are the remains of a window embrasure. The N and S walls of the nave are largely intact, though the piers which supported the side aisles are no longer upstanding. There are three windows in the N wall, with a doorway at the W end. The rib vaulting of the N aisle was supported on engaged columns in the N wall, only one of which survives, along with the scars of others. The coping stones of the cat-slide roof of the S aisle are visible projecting from the W wall of the S transept. A doorway in the S wall, towards the W end gives access to the cloister. The original crossing-tower was entered from the nave through an elaborate, four-ordered pointed doorway, decorated with rolls and nail-head ornament on the outer and third orders. Above this there is an unusual feature, an arched recess crowned by a hood-moulding in gable form. This has been interpreted as a rood arch, probably originally open, where the crucifixion scene was displayed (Leask 1960, 97). The N and S walls of the tower were screened at ground level from the transepts, this is only evident on the better surviving S side where the transept arch rises at first-floor level. The crossing-tower was much modified in the 15th century when an inner skin was added to the N and S walls, blocking the transept arch, in order to provide support for a stone vault over first-floor level. Both the N and S transept contain two chapels. E of the N transept there is another building which was probably also a chapel, dedicated to Our Lady or St. Edmund (Cochrane 1909, 285). A night stairs in the S wall of the S transept led to the dormitory. The chancel was originally lit by tall lancets. Those in the E gable were replaced in the 15th century with a three-light switch-line traceried window, however, the five sequential lancets in the S wall and the surviving four in the N wall are original. The remains of a large moulded pier, which supported the original crossing-tower, are visible in the N wall. The chancel contains a number of medieval graveslabs and a partial altar tomb. The cloister is S of the church and the cloister arcade, which consists of a series of cusped ogee-headed lights within large round-headed embrasures, appears to be a total rebuild. Leask (1985, 134) suggests a late 14th or mid-15th-century date for their construction. A fragment of a paired colonette stored within the abbey are probably the remains of the original 13th-century arcade. The 13th-century chapter house, located in the E range, was much modified in the 15th century. It was formerly lit by tall lancets, three in the N and S wall and at least two, though probably three in the E gable, all of which were blocked when a stone vault was inserted to create storage room at ground level and a first-floor chamber. This latter room is commodious and with two slop-sinks and a projecting garderobe built against the E end of the S wall, it has been interpreted as the infirmary (Cochrane 1909, 285). At ground level, immediately SW of the dormitory, there is the latrine/necessarium, still largely intact. The refectory occupied the first floor of the S range, below which is vaulted, with remains of rib-vaulting at the E end. The doorway to the refectory from the cloister has three orders with filleted engaged shafts, foliage capitals and arch moulds similar to the doorway in the crossing-tower (Leask 1960, 97), however, this doorway appears to have been crudely inserted from another location within the abbey, perhaps the original chapter house. The W range is very denuded, typically it would have housed, at least partially, the kitchen. At the N end of the W range there is a building with rib-vaulting and an ornate doorway, which has been interpreted as a parlour for receiving guests. A stairs leads from this room to the first floor of the W range which may have functioned as a guest house. Ruinous buildings SW of the main abbey complex have been interpreted as the Farmery also known as the infirmery which often has a small chapel (Cochrane 1909, 289). There is evidence that the E and S range of the abbey continued in use as domestic dwellings following the Dissolution. Gun-loops were inserted in the E gable of the commodious first-floor chamber of the E range and at first-floor level in the N gable of the S range. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 1 September 2014