Just east of the village of Ballyvaughan there are the ruins of the St. Colman's Abbey, also known as Bishop's Quarter church.
The structure of the east section of building is rather intact, while the west part is much more damaged and in ruinous conditions. The church is mostly overgrown and very little can be seen.
The most beautiful item in the church is the north doorway, a pointed arch passage with multi-order jambs and a rectangular three-order hood.
On the east jamb of the doorway there's a carving showing a date, 1816, but I don't know what this date refers to.
The east window is narrow and splayed with an altar below it. A similar window is in the south wall.
There was a wall with a chancel arch between the long chancel and the nave, but almost nothing remains of it. The nave is mostly inaccessible. Within the ruins many burials can be found.
The graveyard includes some interesting old gravestones.
To the southeast, a wonderful view of Moneen Mountain can be enjoyed.
|