Mourne Abbey

In marshy area, sloping gently down to SW, on E side of Abbey river and just N of its junction with Clyda river. Standing remains consist of ruined church (CO042-044002-) at centre of wedge-shaped graveyard (9550) which forms NE part of original enclosure of preceptory; graveyard divided from rest of enclosure to S and W by dry-stone wall which is not shown on 1842 OS 6-inch map. Enclosure roughly gable-shaped in plan (c. 90m NW-SE) with apex facing NW; much of W and SW sides defined by original enclosing wall with short lengths of wall surviving on N and SE sides; otherwise area now bounded by low roadside wall, which also forms outside boundary of graveyard.

Church: consists of nave (30.4m E-W; 10.5m N-S) with chancel (surviving L 13.5m E-W; 8.1m N-S) added at E end; W wall of nave broken down to foundation level, E wall of chancel entirely fallen, side walls of chancel much broken down, especially at E ends, otherwise walls stand to near full height but heavily ivy-clad. Nave walls penetrated by series of rectangular holes (H c. 0.2m; Wth c. 0.2m; H above present ground level c. 1.5m), probably putlog holes, though O'Regan (1901, 5) suggests they housed slides to ventilate church. East of centre in N wall of nave is door ope; of door surround only lowest jamb stone on E side survives; directly opposite on S wall is similar ruined door ope. Part of two window embrasures survive in S wall, on either side of door; both appear to have been double-splayed and lintelled embrasures. A buttress supports exterior SW corner of nave. Upper part of E wall of nave fallen; chancel arch (Wth 3.6m) inserted in middle of E wall when chancel added; only springings of arch now survive; chancel arch later partially blocked, but much of blocking also now collapsed. At W ends of N and S walls of chancel are similar, plain bluntly-pointed arched openings (Wth 2.3m).

Remains of one other structure stands within enclosed area, c. 6m SE of graveyard wall and c. 11m SW of roadside fence on NE side: rectangular structure (c. 8.9m SE-NW; 5.2m SW-NE), reduced to sod-covered foundations except for 5 stumps of masonry.

Enclosing wall: starting from centre of SE side, original enclosing wall is represented by short length of sod-covered wall (L c. 7m; H c. 1.5m), stone-faced internally, c. 6m inside roadside wall. This breaks off for c. 14m, then continues (L 17m) to S corner; no trace of corner tower but this area much broken down and overgrown. Much-ruined and ivy-clad wall continues to NW for c. 50m (H c. 3m) where it meets rectangular tower.Tower is set at right angle to wall, which meets it roughly at centre of tower's N wall. Only parts of ground and 1st floor survive, entire W side fallen and original ground plan unclear. Ground-floor area (c. 6m E-W; c. 4.4m N-S) covered by rounded vault (axis E-W), only central part of which remains. At S end of E wall much-ruined opening, probably window, of which only part of splayed S side and segmental vault over embrasure survive; rough gap at N end of same wall possibly remains of similar ope. Within haunches of main vault, on S side, part of mural chamber survives between ground- and 1st-floor level; chamber covered by segmental wicker-centered vault, of which only SW corner survives; small wall press at W end of S wall. At 1st-floor level ivy-clad stumps of E, S and N walls remain; part of fireplace evident on inside face of S wall.

Enclosure wall, standing on E bank of stream, extends N from tower for 22.5m; S part is unusually thick (L 7.5m; Wth 3m), becoming thinner (Wth 1m) further to N. After a clear break of c. 10m, wall continues to N for c. 10m to NW corner, where low remains of D-shaped tower survive (2.8m SW-NE;3.7m SE-NW; wall H c. 1.5m). No openings through wall noted; inside (SE) wall entirely fallen. Enclosing wall continues E from tower for a further c. 8.5m (H c. 1.5m), beyond which it is replaced by roadside wall along N side of graveyard.

Preceptory of Knights Hospitallers, founded c. 1200 according to Gwynn and Hadcock (1988, 338); in 1335 'after his appointment to Mourne, Br. JohnFitzRichard was required to build a strong fortified tower there' (ibid.); by the 16th century the preceptory had passed into Mac Carthy hands (McCarthy 1991; McCarthy 1992). According to Smith (1750, vol. 1, 173), 'the foundation walls of the preceptory enclosed several acres of ground; the south was defended by a strong castle, which was lately standing, and there were two towers to the west, but several parts of it have been of late demolished, and the stones used in repairing the turnpike road'; no trace now of 'strong tower' on S side. Various sources allude to a secular urban settlement at Mourne/Mora/Ballymona, a murage grant is dated 1317, but exact nature of this settlement and even its precise location remain unclear (Thomas 1992, vol. 2, 233).

See Excavations 2001, 52; Excavations 2002, 85.