Bective Cistercian Abbey


Map Reference: N860600 (2860, 2600)

This Cistercian abbey was founded in 1147 by Murchad O'Maeil-Sheachlain and is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. It was the first daughter house of Mellifont.



There are substantial remains of the cloister, a series of triple arches.One of the pillars has a mask on one side and a figure on the other. Little remains of the church which had a south aisle, the arcade of which is now blocked. There is a tower at the NW corner of the church. All the other buildings run south from the church. These include a massive tower at the SW corner of the cloister.



This tower is four storeys high with crenellations. There are fireplaces in the three upper rooms. A projection at the SW corner houses a spiral stairway which is fragmentary above the first floor. A series of two-storey buildings bounds the cloister at the south and west. They have very fine vaults at the ground floor.



The abbey stands close to the Boyne about 6.5km NE of Trim Castle.







For more photos of Bective Abbey click HERE

For more examples of Cistercian Abbeys click the following links

Corcomroe, Co Clare Grey Abbey, Co Down Inch Abbey, Co Down Abbeyknockmoy, Co Galway Duiske Abbey, Co Kilkenny Jerpoint, Co Kilkenny Monasteranenagh, Co Limerick Abbeylara, Co Longford Abbeyshrule, Co Longford Mellifont, Co Louth Boyle, Co Roscommon Holy Cross, Co Tipperary Hore Abbey, Co Tipperary Kilcooly, Co Tipperary Dunbrody, Co Wexford Tintern, Co Wexford Baltinglass, Co Wicklow





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