Chapple, R. M. 2014 Greyabbey, Co. Down. The Abbey. Blogspot post

1. Greyabbey, Co. Down | The Abbey
Originally posted online on 10 December 2014 at rmchapple.blogspot.com
(http://rmchapple.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/greyabbey-co-down-abbey.html)
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On a recent trip down the Ards peninsula, the Chapple family stopped at the
beautifully preserved site of Greyabbey. The site is believed to date from 1193, when
this Cistercian abbey-monastery was founded by Affreca, wife of John de Courcy, the
Anglo-Norman conqueror of Ulster. The surviving tradition is that Affreca founded the
abbey in gratitude for a particularly difficult sea voyage – making it the only Cistercian
monastery on the island to have been founded by a woman. The foundation was set up
as a daughter house of the Cistercian monastery at Holmcultram, in Cumberland, and
the two maintained close ties for many years. Construction in stone began soon after
the initial foundation, though the site appears to have been largely destroyed during
the invasion of Edward Bruce (1315-18) and was later dissolved in 1541. At various
times it suffered further damage and depredation, but was reroofed during the 17th
century and continued in use as the local parish church until the end of the 18th
century when a replacement was built nearby. Repairs in the late 19th century
notoriously made use of far too much concrete, which visually detracts from the site
and will, in the longer term, have to be removed and rectified. Nonetheless, this is a
remarkably important building as it is the earliest completely Gothic style building in
Ulster.
I don’t intend to provide a step-by-step guide to the site, but there a few magnificent
portions that deserve to be highlighted.
The Church
The main church building dates to the early 13th century and would have been the
central focus of the monk’s lives. The west doorway is remarkably elaborate, and one
of the finest in Ireland. It is of ‘Early English’ style and dates to the period from 1220-
1230. The pointed window above the doorway is a 15th century insert, and the bell cote
at the very top was added in the 17th century when the site was used as a parish church.
In the south wall of the chancel there is a piscine for washing altar vessels, and a sedile,
a stone seat for high-ranking clerics. Along the external face of the north wall there are
large beam holes that supported the roof of the pentice buildings on this side. On the
exterior face of the southern wall there are the remains of a Collation seat, where the
abbot would have sat during the evening service. The surviving remains are two
projecting corbels that would have held the wooden seat, and a portion of an arch to
define and demarcate the area. The inside of the church retains a number of post-
Medieval grave monuments, chiefly associated with the Montgomery family.

2. Overview of the West doorway
Panoramic overview of the west gable
Detail of the carved capitals on the left hand side of the West doorway

3. Detail of the carved capitals on the right hand side of the West doorway
View along the Nave towards the East Windows

4. The East Windows
View of east gable from the graveyard

5. View down the Nave to the West Doorway from the Crossing
The piscina (left) and sedile (right)

6. North doorway with beam holes for pentice buildings above
Doorway

7. Panoramic overview of external north wall of the church
View through the crossing arch towards the East Windows

8. Chapple Minor taking his ease in the shade underneath the collation seat

9. Graveslab with stepped cross decoration

10. Large Montgomery monument, dated 1641, on modern concrete base

11. Monument to Hugh Montgomery, d. 1707
View of the church from the Refectory

12. View of the church from the southern end of the eastern range
The Refectory
The refectory, or ‘frater’ was the monk’s communal dining space, located in the south
range of the monastery, on the opposite side of the cloister garth from the church.
Apart from the church, it is the best preserved of the monastic buildings.
Panoramic overview of the Refectory from the south-west.
The hole in the wall to the far left is interpreted as a serving hatch that connected
this building to the original kitchen.

13. Panoramic overview of the Refectory from the north
Panoramic overview of the site
The Chapter House
This room, where the monks would have come to daily meetings, was once aisled and
vaulted, with a decorated west door, and three windows in the east wall. Today only
the bases, and one reconstructed column, survive internally. Traces of the windows
and parts of the door mouldings can also be seen.

14. Interior of the Chapter Room
Detail of surviving portion of the Chapter House’s decorated west doorway
The hut
In our rush of enthusiasm to get into the site, we hurried past the rather unassuming
interpretive centre building. We had two small boys with an excess of energy to burn
off, and stopping off for some historical education and general context would not have
been a wise move. To all intents and purposes it didn’t look like we were missing all
that much … it was not a particularly inviting building. On the other hand, had I
returned home without taking a look inside, I would have really been missing out! The
place has a rather TARDISy feel of being bigger on the inside. In amongst the rather
good informational boards there are a whole host of original items from the site. These
include various pieces of masonry, displayed in innovative an interesting ways to give
a feeling of how they would originally have functioned in the completed building, along
with a selection of stones bearing mason’s marks. The centre also holds an effigy of a
'sword seizing' knight, dating to around 1300 AD. The remains of a second effigial
tomb of a woman in thickly cut robes is traditionally believed to be that of Affreca, the
founder of the monastery. Although she is thought to have been buried here, the tomb

15. belongs to the 14th century - long after her time. I want to say one final word about the
‘children’s toys’ provided here. There are two exquisite ‘build-your-own’ models, one
of the abbey itself and the other of how a vaulted arch would have been constructed.
First, let’s please not pretend these are for children! I loved them and would have
happily worked at building an arched vault and designing my own Cistercian
monastery for quite a bit longer than I managed. Unfortunately, the Chapples Minor,
having extensively run, climbed, and generally caused mayhem eventually exhausted
themselves. They required parental assistance to shepherd them back into the car and
home. Thus, my opportunity to imagine myself as a Medieval Cistercian architect,
builder, and friendly giant was at an end. For now …
Inside The TARDIS Hut
Effigy of a 'sword seizing' knight, c.1300 AD

16. Display of vaulting and stonework
Examples of cut and dressed stones with mason’s marks
Effigial tomb of a woman (not Affreca), 14th century

17. Build your own monastery!
I do hope you enjoy these images, and (perhaps) be inspired to get up, get out, and
come see Northern Ireland for yourself!
See also:
The Northern Ireland Sites & Monuments Record for Greyabbey.
Note:
The site also boasts a reconstruction of a Medieval ‘Physic Garden’. I am given to
understand that it is quite lovely and interesting, but I just didn’t get a chance to
investigate further. All the more reason to come back …
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