St Mary's Abbey
Duleek Heritage Trail
One of the great churches of the 12th century, St. Mary's Abbey, was built by the Augustinians on lands presented to them by Hugh de Lacy, Overlord of Meath.
In the 1500s a massive square tower was built alongside the earlier round tower. The latter is no longer standing but the ‘scar’ where it was joined onto the square tower is clearly visible on its north side.
Within the church are some early cross-slabs, a Romanesque pilaster-capital and the base and head of the South Cross, and some 16th and 17th century monuments. There are also two tombs - one covers the remains of Lord Bellew who was killed in action at the Battle of Aughrim in 1691. The other is a mensa-slab and is supported by tomb-surrounds bearing the arms of Bellew, Plunkett, Preston and St Lawrence. The remains of this abbey are joined in the grounds by the now disused St Kienan's Church of Ireland church which was built in 1816. Interred in the graveyard are the remains of Catholic, Church of Ireland and Huguenot believers.
The ruins of St Cianan's original stone church, built in 489, are to the northwest, across the road from St Mary's Abbey.
Marker is at the intersection of Church Lane and Dawe's Lane, on the left when traveling west on Church Lane.
Courtesy hmdb.org
