Kilcolman Religious House

The church of 'the Abbey of Our Lady of the Beautiful Place' is situated in The Demesne of Kilcoman Abbey/Killaha Abbey ‘properly The Priory De Bello Loco’ (Harbison 1981:99). This was built by the Anglo-Norman Justiciar , Geoffrey de Marisco in 1215, for The Canons Regular of St. Augustine. It stands on the site of the pre-norman church of St. Coleman. It was restored and extended in 1445 when the finely tracered east window was inserted. The Abbey survived until 1576 when The Priory was suppressed and its possessions passed through various hands. In 1588 the Crown granted Thomas Springe 'the site of the abbey of Killaha, alias our Lady Abbey de Bello Loco, co. Kerry, land in Callynyffrry, Killderrey, Ballioughtraghe, Clownemore, Brackill, Kiltnlaghe, Killynyfynxn, Ballynymonye, Kilremyn, Inche, and a piece of land in the Dingill, the rectory of Killaha, a moiety of the rectories of Kiltalaghe and Garrinlondrye, the rectories of Dingill, Killoriglyne, Kilmacollock Ocester, a moiety of the rectories of Keannarey, Templenooe alias Newechurche, Kilcrokane, Dromede, Kilmonane, Kilmore, Cahirbegg, Rincaharraghe, Glanbehie, and Kilvonane, co. Kerry. To hold for 21 years from the determination of the previous lease Rent, £17 1s. 9d. 9d. Maintaining 2 English horsemen. The abbey to be strongly rebuilt castlewise' (Nicholls 1994, 53). The domestic buildings which enclosed the Cloister garth south of the church were destroyed in 1649 (Harbison 1981:99, O.P.W. Fógra in situ).

West Wall: This wall is 9.80m long and stands to approximately 10m. A doorway can be seen 4m north of the south wall. The ope is 1.35m wide and 2.40 m high. The doorway is repaired and constructed with mixed stone including punch and fine dressed red sandstone. Directly above this doorway, below the line of the wall walk, a 3 lighted window can be seen. The lights are flat lintelled and appear to be 0.20m wide and 0.60m high. The window is constructed with fine dressed limestone. No batter is present on the west wall. No further features were noted internally or externally on this wall.

North Wall: This wall stands to approximately 5.50m and is 38m long. On its external face, approximately 5m above the current ground surface, a row of Corbels, extending a maximum of 0.40m from the face of the wall, can be seen. Internally, 2m east of the west gable an alcove can be seen. It has a semi-circular arch and measures 2.0m wide, 2.05m high and is 0.60m deep.) 0.90m east of this a possible stoup can be seen. It is broken but stands 0.60m above the current ground surface. It is 0.55m high, 0.30m wide and 0.15m deep. 19.55m east of the west gable a window can be seen. It has a single ope headed light 1.60m high and 0.20m wide. It is constructed with dressed limestone. The inwardly splayed embrasure has a semi-circular arch. The embrasure is 2.30m high and 1.40m wide. It is constructed with fine dressed red sandstone. The remains of what appears to be a Rood screen wall, can be seen extending from the north wall immediately east of this window. This wall stands to a maximum of 0.75m. It extends 1.50m from the north wall and is 0.65m wide. 1.25m east of this a window can be seen 1.25m above the ground surface. The limestone ogee headed light is 2.0m high and 0.20m wide. The semi-circular arched, inwardly splayed, embrasure is 2.25m high and 2.0m wide. A fragment of roll moulding can be seen in the eastern ingoings of this embrasure. 3.05m west of the east gable, a window can be seen 1.10m above the ground surface. It has two limestone ogee headed lights which are 2.0m high and 0.20m wide. The inwardly splayed limestone embrasure measures 2.55m wide and 2.50m high.

East Wall: This is 9.80m long and stands to approximately 10m. The east window is 1.20m south of the north wall. It consists of a large limestone 5 lighted window with curvilinear tracery of recticulated type. ‘An attempt was made in the Augustinian priory at Killagh (Kerry)….to make the marginal apertures larger except for short curves at the springing. The marginal shapes cannot be regarded as satisfactory even if they are relatively large. Unusual in this window is the section of the mullions and bars square but only slightly chamfered’ . (Leask 1985, VIII, 124). This window stands 1.15m above the internal ground surface. The lights are 3.4m high and 0.45m wide. The embrasure is 4.65m wide and approximately 4.80m high. No other features have been noted on this wall.

South Wall: This wall stands to approximately 5.60m and is 38m long. 1.65m west of the east gable a double sedilia can be seen 0.70m above the ground surface. The sedilia is constructed with fine dressed limestone and is ogee headed. Its total dimensions are 1.10m wide, 1.55m high and 0.40m deep. Immediately west of this feature, a window can be seen. It has two ogee headed lights which are 2.0m high and 0.20m wide, The inwardly splayed limestone embrasure measures 2.55m wide and 2.50m high. This window opposes one of similar form on the north wall. 0.75m west of this a doorway can be seen. It has a fine dressed limestone two centred arch with roll moulding. The ope is 1.95m high and 0.85m wide. East of this doorway externally an intra mural staircase can be seen, this is further discussed below. Immediately west of the doorway, internally, a section of The Rood screen wall can be seen. This stands to a maximum of 1.10m and extends 1.60m from the south wall. Immediately west of this wall, an alcove or possible tomb niche can be seen. This has a semicircular arch of punch dressed red sandstone which is 1.40m wide, 2.20m high and 0.75m deep. In the west side of this a miscellaneous recess can be seen. This recess can be accessed from the alcove or the main wall. The recess is 0.70m high, 0.40m wide and 0.38m deep. The access on the main wall to it is 0.25m squared and is wrought from a single block of limestone. No further features have been noted on the face of the south wall. Externally, however, immediately east of the doorway described above, apportion of wall extends 2.80m externally from the south wall. It stands to approximately 4m. 1 window can be seen 0.95m above the ground surface. It is 0.36m wide and 0.79m high. It is flat lintelled and is constructed with fine dressed red sandstone. 1.10m south of the south wall, a doorway can be seen. It is 1.40m high and 0.75m wide. It is constructed with red sandstone. Immediately east of this wall an inter mural staircase can be seen. 3 steps remain extending from ground level, more steps can be seen further up the stairwell. The staircase curves to the right. 0.80m east of this staircase, a keep can be seen. It has a triangular arch made of two blocks of red sandstone. It is 0.98m wide and 1.45m high. 1.40m east of this, 1.55m above the ground surface another recess can be seen. It measures 0.58m high, 0.56m wide and 0.60m deep.