Holywood Priory
Encyclopedia
A monastery was founded by St Laiseran before 640 on the site of the present ruins of the medieval Old Priory at the junction of High Street, Victoria Road and the Old Bangor Road in Holywood
, County Down
, Northern Ireland
.
10th century: the Viking's ravage the area in 956
12th century: an Anglo-Norman Augustinian Abbey built by Thomas Whyte; current ruins largely date from this time
14th century: after the Black Death
(1348–1350) Niall O’Neill
refurbished the church for the Franciscan Order
16th century: the priory was dissolved on New Years Day, 1541, by Henry VIII; its lands passed to the O’Neill family
and later, Sir James Hamilton, First Viscount Clandeboye
19th century: the tower dates from 1806 when this was the site of Holywood’s Parish Church.
Holywood
Holywood is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the shore of Belfast Lough, between Belfast and Bangor. Holywood Exchange and Belfast City Airport are nearby. The town hosts an annual jazz and blues festival.-Name:...
, County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
History
7th century: Laiseran (later saint) son of Nasca, a local princess, studied at Bangor under St. Comgall and after a time near Cork, returned to found the first church and monastery. There is some uncertainty whether the site was at the current priory ruins or near the motte by Brooke Street.10th century: the Viking's ravage the area in 956
12th century: an Anglo-Norman Augustinian Abbey built by Thomas Whyte; current ruins largely date from this time
14th century: after the Black Death
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
(1348–1350) Niall O’Neill
O'Neill dynasty
The O'Neill dynasty is a group of families that have held prominent positions and titles throughout European history. The O'Neills take their name from Niall Glúndub, an early 10th century High King of Ireland from the Cenél nEógain...
refurbished the church for the Franciscan Order
16th century: the priory was dissolved on New Years Day, 1541, by Henry VIII; its lands passed to the O’Neill family
O'Neill dynasty
The O'Neill dynasty is a group of families that have held prominent positions and titles throughout European history. The O'Neills take their name from Niall Glúndub, an early 10th century High King of Ireland from the Cenél nEógain...
and later, Sir James Hamilton, First Viscount Clandeboye
James Hamilton, 1st Viscount Claneboye
James Hamilton, 1st Viscount Claneboye was a Scot who became owner of large tracts of land in County Down, Ireland, and founded a successful Protestant Scots settlement there several years before the Plantation of Ulster...
19th century: the tower dates from 1806 when this was the site of Holywood’s Parish Church.
Graveyard
The adjacent graveyard accommodates:- educational reformer, Dr Robert Sullivan
- members of the Praeger family
- the Dunville family (of whiskey fame)
- mathematician Sir Joseph Larmor
See also
- Abbeys and priories in Northern Ireland (County Down)