Communities/provenance: shows the status and communities existing at each establishment, together with such dates as have been established as well as the fate of the establishment after dissolution, and the current status of the site.
Formal name or dedication: shows the formal name of the establishment or the person in whose name the church is dedicated, where known.
Alternative names: some of the establishments have had alternative names over the course of time. In order to assist in text-searching such alternatives in name or spelling have been provided.
Abbreviations and key
The sites listed are ruins or fragmentary remains unless indicated thus:
*
current monastic function
+
current non-monastic ecclesiastic function
^
current non-ecclesiastic function
=
remains incorporated into later structure
#
no identifiable trace of the monastic foundation remains
~
exact site of monastic foundation unknown
ø
possibly no such monastic foundation at location
¤
no such monastic foundation
≈
identification ambiguous or confused
Locations with names in italics indicate probable duplication (misidentification with another location) or non-existent foundations (either erroneous reference or proposed foundation never implemented).
Franciscan Friars, Third Order Regular founded by Hugh Burgo, local tradition of such a foundation, — evidence lacking; probably Hollywood, v. infra, (Ard-micnascai being the Irish name for Hollywood)
Ard-mic-nascai Monastery
early monastic site, founded before 640 by St Laiseran; Holywood Priory (v. infra) built on site
Gaelic monks founded 555 or 559 by St Comgall; Augustinian Canons Regular — from Armagh refounded after 1123-4 by St Malachy; destroyed 1127 during local conflicts c.1140, causing the departure of Malachy and many of his disciples, settling at Ibracense; dissolved 1539; assertion of refounding as a Franciscan house is a misinterpretation; site now incorporated into CI church
Beannchor; Bennchor; Vallis Angelorum; White Choir
Cistercian monks — from Whitland founded 25 January 1200 by Brien Catha Dun on the site of earlier monastery (see immediately below); dissolved 1543; granted to James Hamilton, Viscount Clandeboy; assigned to Lord Ardes; site now occupied by St Mary's C.I. church
Franciscan Friars, Third Order Regular founded c.1240 (before 1243) by Hugh de Lacy, Earl of Ulster; burnt 1316; granted to Gerald, Earl of Kildare; Observant Franciscan Friars reformed 1567?; expelled by English protestants 1569; returned 1570; expelled again later; destroyed by the English, church retained as a courthouse; another house built for the convent in the vicinity 1627 (see immediately below)
Observant Franciscan Friars founded 1627 in the vicinity of the earlier friary (see immediately above); dissolved 1650s
Downpatrick, St John's Priory
Augustinian Canons Regular founded 1138 by Malachi O'Morgair; Augustinian Canons Regular — Arroasian adopted after 1140; incorporated in Down Cathedral 1513; dissolved before 1541; granted to Gerald, Earl of Kildare
probably St John the Evangelist, though given as St John the Baptist (confusion with Cruciferi priory) ____________________ Monastery of the Irish; Monaster-Grellach
Augustinian Canons Regular founded before 1183 by John de Courcy, granted by him to the prior and canons of Carlisle; incorporated into Down Cathedral 1513; dissolved before 1541; granted to Gerald, Earl of Kildare 1541
St Thomas the Martyr ____________________ Toberglory
Fratres Cruciferi founded before 1200 by John de Courcy; incorporated into Down Cathedral 1513; dissolved before 1541; granted to Gerald, Earl of Kildare
St John the Baptist ____________________ The Priory of the English
Savignac monks — from Furness founded 1127 by Niall Mac Dunlevi, King of Ulster; Cistercian monks orders merged 1147-8; destroyed by John de Courcy 1177; transferred to Inch 1177
Cistercian monks — from Holmcultram founded 25 August 1193 by Africa, wife of John de Courcy; dissolved 1 February 1541; granted to English colonists by Elizabeth I; burnt by Sir Brian O'Neill 1572 to prevent the colonists seeking shelter there; rebuilt and served for a time as a parish church
Franciscan Friars, Third Order Regular built on site of Ard-mic-nascai Monastery (v. supra); Holywood (Ard Mhic Nasca in Irish) was named Sanctus Boscus ("Holy Wood") by the Normans after the woodland surrounding the monastery
Ard-mac-Croisk; Ard-mic-nascai; Ardnicise?; de Sacro Bosco ("Holy Wood")
Cistercian monks — from Furness founded 1180 (or 1188) by John de Courcy, on the site of an earlier monastery (see immediately below), replacing the monastery at Carig (Erenagh) which he destroyed; dissolved 1541
early monastic site, founded before 579 by St Finnian of Moville; burnt by Norsemen 825; revived by St Malachy after 1124; Augustinian Canons Regular refounded after 1135?; Augustinian Canons Regular — Arroasian? adopted after 1140; dissolved 1542; site occupied by 13th-15th-century church
Benedictine monks cell, dependent on St Bees founded 1179 by John de Courcy, who granted land to St Bees (dependent on St Mary's, York), on site of earlier monastery (see immediately above); confirmed to York 1222; disposed of by Henry de Horton 1288; dissolved before 1298; monks probably resided at Templepatrick 13th century; by 1306 a parish church, abandoned 15th century
possible foundation of Patrician monks possible Benendictine monks founded before 1148? Cistercian monks — from Mellifont founded 1153 by Maurice MacLaughlin, King of Ireland; confirmation of possessions granted 1538 to become a secular collegiate church; surrendered 10 August 1550; granted to Sir Nicholas Bagnall, Marshall of the Army April 1552; chapel on site until c.1744 and abbot's house apparentlyconverted into a private residence; site was cleared end of 18th century for the construction of the modern town; a stone carved with a cross in low relief incorporated into the walls of McCann's bakery, currently on monastic site
Dominican Friars founded 1244, purportedly by the Savage family[notes 1] or William de Burgo[notes 2] — evidence lacking for either;[notes 3] dissolved February 1541, surrendered by the prior, Patrick O'Doran; granted to Sir Thomas Smith by Elizabeth I; burned by O'Neill of Clandeboye 1572 to prevent use as a fort by the English; reroofed by Lord Montgomery for use by Protestants
St Colmcille ____________________ Baile-nua-na-airde; Baile-nudh-airde; Villanova; Newton
According to tradition in 432 the local chieftain Dichu gave St Patrick land. On this land was built a barn: thus Saul became the site of St Patrick's first church.
Sabhull Padraig; Sepulturam Patricii; Baile itá Saball; an Sabhall
Benedictine monks alien house: dependent on Stogursey, Somerset and Lonlay Abbey, France; founded after 1183 by John de Courcy; became denizen:independent from 1356; dissolved c.1543?; granted by James I, to the Protestant Bishop of Armagh
order, foundation and founder unknown; ruins purported to be the remains of an abbey
Tullylish Monastery #
early monastic site, founded by St Bearnasga of Tulach-lis; mistakenly identified as Tyllylease (County Cork); remains excavated in the vicinity of the ruined parochial church (abandoned 1861, replaced by new church built to the west)
^Hamilton, Gustavus E. (31 December 1921). "Black Abbey, County Down". The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland. Sixth Series. 11 (2): 166–178. JSTOR25513226.
^Ivens, R. J.; Heslip, R.; McCormick, F.; Mallory, J. P.; Unit, Radiocarbon Dating Research (1987). "The Early Christian Monastic Enclosure at Tullylish, Co. Down". Ulster Journal of Archaeology. Third Series. 50: 55–121. JSTOR20568000.