Molough Abbey (in ruins) — Moloughabbey

An early nunnery, called Mainistir Brighde or Molacha Brighde, is mentioned in the 5th century Life of St. Declan and has been associated with the house of St. Brigid, Moylagh, of Augustinian nuns (Gwynn and Hadcock 1988, 322). There is also a reference to a foundation of this abbey by the Butlers in the 14th century (ibid., 322). In 1540 the abbey was surrendered by the then prioress Joan Powere and was granted to Robert Butler (ibid., 322-3). On the 15th of January 1541 the jurors found that the priory church had been parochial from time immemorial and that the other buildings were necessary for the farmer (ibid., 323). It is located on a S facing slope in rolling terrain, overlooking valley running E-W. The church (ext. dims 21.40m x 9.75m) is undivided on an E-W axis. There is an ancillary building to the NW and there is a smaller building to the NE. The I.T.A. Survey of 1942 mentions traces of cloister on the N side. The buildings are constructed of roughly coursed limestone and sandstone rubble and in the church there are the remains of internal plaster with evidence of wall painting at the E end of the S wall and around the lights, particularly the most southern window on the E gable. Base-batter at W end of S wall (H 1m; Wth 0.27m) and a high base-batter on the W gable of church (H 2.6m) where the original ground level has been lowered and the external face has been rendered for use as a hand-ball alley. As a result of these alterations the base of the centrally placed blocked doorway in the W gable is now 3.1m above ground. At the apex of the gable there is evidence of a relieving arch of a probable window which is now broken out and was replaced by a double bellcote, probably in the 15th century. At the W end of the S wall there is a round-headed, 15th-century doorway has been inserted where there was a single-light window. There are three other single-light windows in the S wall with sandstone embrasures, all blocked up. Between two of these windows there is evidence of a blocked-up doorway with a projecting hood externally. The E gable has two single-light lancet windows large splayed pointed embrasures. The N wall has largely collapsed and has been partially rebuilt. There is evidence of a window at the E end and a blocked up window further W. A two-storey building (ext. dims 16.46m long x 10.55m; wall T 1.8m), aligned N-S, abutts NW angle of church, the S end of the E wall is partially keyed into the NW corner of the church. On the ground floor there is a modern doorway in the S end of the E gable with a curving brick head inserted into an earlier embrasure. The W wall has a blocked-up single-light window and a broken out window. Projecting externally from the N end are the remains of a small chamber (ext. dims c. 4.85m x .5m) which is keyed into the main building. At the N end of the building there is a later doorway with collapsing voussoirs built in an area of collapsed wall. The first floor, whose wooden floor rested on corbels in the E and W walls, has largely collapsed. The N gable has a central round-headed single-light window. A building (ext. dims 15.16m x 9.3m), aligned N-S, is located immediately NE of the church. Only the S gable survives relatively intact. W wall is visible as an earthen mound with a gap which may be the original entrance. The N gable and E wall are both incorporated in the graveyard wall. A single-light window is visible at N end of E wall though only visible on external face. The N part of the S gable has been rebuilt of rubble built and abutts the graveyard wall. The sandstone base of a font (TS088-031001-) lies E of the doorway in the S wall of the church. An ogham stone (TS088-076----), possibly moved here from Newcastle graveyard (TS-88-032004-), has been re-used as a gravemarker within the church. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of revised upload: 24 September 2014