Nendrum
Monastic Site Mahee
Island, Strangford, Co. Down,
UK. |
|
The
Nendrum Monastic Site is located in a remote spot on Mahee Island, which lies
close to the western shore of Strangford Lough in County Down.
The site was once
a Celtic monastery, and contains three concentric enclosures, within which are
foundations of churches, a round tower, a decorated stone sundial, a monks' cemetery
and remains of other buildings. 11th century annals record that an island monastery
was founded by St Machaoi in the 5th century, and records and excavations have
shown that the site was certainly inhabited from the 7th century.
It was destroyed by fire, possibly the result of a Viking Raid, in the 10th century.
In the 12th century a small Benedictine cell was founded on the island.
This later establishment
was abandoned during the 15th century, and it was only when the ecclesiastical
historian William Reeves visited the island in the 19th century that the site
was rediscovered. The extensive remains were not uncovered until excavations in
the 1920's, and the finds are displayed in Belfast's Ulster Museum. Restoration
work has since been carried out, and there is a small visitor's centre adjacent
to the ruins which houses informative displays about the site. Nendrum is joined
to the mainland by a causeway.
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