St Columb's House
| St Columb's House Irish: Teach Naomh Cholumba | |
|
Meath | |
|---|---|
| |
| Type: | Oratory |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SA78193683 |
| Location: | 53°43’42"N, 6°52’51"W |
| Village: | Kells |
| History | |
| Address: | Church Lane |
| Built likely 10th century | |
| Oratory | |
| Information | |
St Columb's House (or St Columcille's House) is an early oratory in Kells, Meath.[1] It is listed today as a National Monument.
The house stands on Church Lane in Kells, immediately north-west of the site of the Abbey of Kells.[2]
History
St Columb's House is today thought to mostly date to the 10th century. It is named after Columba (Colm Cille), whose relics it may once have housed.[3]
The roof was modified at a later date.
The house was used by monks to say the Liturgy of the Hours, or possibly as a shrine church or burial place of an abbot. It once contained a large flat stone called "St Columb's Bed", possibly a grave slab. His relics were brought to Kells in 878, and moved to Skryne Church later before finally going to Downpatrick.[4]
Building
St. Columb's House is a rectangular building with a very high pointed roof. Internally there was originally a high floor five feet above the ground, but this is gone.
The loft contains three separate rooms.[3]
An underground passage connecting the house with the nearby church is mentioned by the Annals of the four Masters and a 17th-century survey.[3]
References
- ↑ "St. Colmcilles House, Kells, Co. Meath, Ireland - Heritage Town". http://www.heritagetowns.com/kellslarge1.shtml.
- ↑ "Irish Monastic Life". http://www.libraryireland.com/SocialHistoryAncientIreland/II-VI-5.php.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Kells & District. Kells & District Tourism Forum. http://www.discoverboynevalley.ie/sites/default/files/Kells%20Brochure.pdf.
- ↑ Drive, Boyne Valley (1 December 2013). "Kells Town & Monastic Sites". http://www.discoverboynevalley.ie/boyne-valley-drive/heritage-sites/kells-town-monastic-sites.