11 Jul Bective Abbey, County Meath
This is a two-storey cloister ruin in County Meath, well worth a stop on any tours of Ireland.
It was established in 1147.
The Abbey has large corner towers that were built as fortifications during the troubled 12th century.
Scarcely any other abbey in Ireland is as well preserved.
Only the roofs and some of the partition walls are missing.
The Cistercian monks came here from Mellifont Abbey and were subject to the control of the mother cloister at Clairvaux, in the South of France.
A free-standing row of arcades (the only one in Ireland) , separates the church and the cemetery.
The body of Hugh de Lacy is said to be buried near these arches.
Most of the surviving buildings date to the 15th century.
Bective Abbey is a real hidden gem of the standard we like to show our clients.
Contact Ireland and Scotland Luxury Tours for private, chauffeur driven tours of Ireland.