Mayo -
1
Mayo Abbey
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Site/Artefact
Mayo Abbey
Type
Monastic Site
Site
Number
SMR Mayo 090 100
National Grid
Reference
126380 East
279450 North
Map (
1:50000)
Ordnance Survey Ireland,
Discovery Series No 38
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and Artefacts
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Aerial view of enclosure
at Mayo Abbey
Vallum
Wall
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Description
The multi-period monastic site at Mayo
Abbey would not initially have been as large as the
remnants of the enclosing wall (vallum) suggests,
but might well have reflected the simple austerity
of the monastic life at Lindisfarne. According to
Bede, the church at Lindisfarne was made of hewn
oak and then covered with reeds (Bradley, 1999).
The Abbot of Lindisfarne, Colmán had,
between 668 and the early 670s, founded the
monastery at Mayo Abbey which would by 700 AD
become over a relatively short time span, a famous
seat of learning with over one hundred monks living
there.
The national and international importance of
this monastery is stated in the Irish annals up
until the 13th century. The Northumbrian connection
was acknowledged in that the area became known as
'Mayo of the Saxons'. There are two main phases of
occupation, the early Christian monastic
foundations and a later medieval Augustinian Abbey
(Madden, 1999). The enclosure measuring 265m N-S
and circa 275m E-W in internal diameters is
described in the context of similar sites around
the country as 'huge' (Morahan, 1996).
Excavation Details
Not Available
Access/Ownership
Contact Mayo Abbey Community
References
- Bradley, I. 1999, Celtic Christianity,
Making Myths and Chasing Dreams, Edinburgh,
p.29
- Madden, J. 1999, Geophysical Signatures of
Various archaeological sites/monuments at Mayo
Abbey, Co. Mayo, MSc Thesis, NUIG, Galway,
p11
- Morahan, L. 1996, An Archaeological Survey
of the Mayo Abbey Parish, p.140-1
Check out the following
sections of the website for related
information:
Other Mayo Sites and
Artefacts
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project has been supported by the EU as part of the Culture
2000 programme.