Actually at this site there are two churches joined together along the east-west axis. The west church is the only surviving pre-Norman church in the whole county Armagh. The east church dates probably from 15th century.
Originally it was a convent, founded in the 5th century by St. Moninna, who lived here until her death in 518 AD. For about 700 years it was a house for nuns, then, in the 12th century, it became a convent for Augustinian nuns, until it was dissolved in 1542.
A drawing of 1609 shows that this place had a round tower, but it was blown down during a storm in 1768.
St. Moninna is buried in the adjacent cemetery and her grave is still visible after 1500 years.
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