Inch
Abbey
Downpatrick,
Co. Down,
BT30 6LZ, UK.
Tel.
+44 (0) 28 9054 3034 |
|
Inch Abbey lies in a serene setting by the edge of the River Quoile,
northwest of Downpatrick in County Down..
A pre-Norman
monastery had existed on the site, which was once an islet, but
was destroyed by a Viking raid at the turn of the 11th century.
The present ruins date from 1180, when a Cistercian abbey was
founded by the Norman conqueror John de Courcy, who led the 1177
Anglo-Norman invasion of East Ulster. Inch Abbey was the daughter
house of the Cistercian abbey in Furness, Lancashire,
and remained a centre of English power,
refusing to admit Irishmen into the community. The monastery was
abandoned in the 16th century, and fell into ruin.
The ruins
were excavated in 1914. While only the foundations of the nave
remain, the east end is well-preserved, with the chapter house
and refectory still intact. The most striking feature is the lancet
windows in the chancel. The setting is very picturesque, with
woodland and drumlins surrounding the site, and Down Cathedral
silhouetted on the horizon. Quoile Pondage Nature Reserve - a
popular birdwatching spot - lies nearby, with a visitor centre
next to the 17th century castle. The ruins of Inch Abbey can be
reached by a causeway through the marshes.
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