St. Columb's House
St. Columb's House | |||||||||
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Teach Naomh Cholumba | |||||||||
File:St Colum Cille's House - geograph org uk - 618160 | |||||||||
Location | Church Lane, Kells, County Meath | ||||||||
Country | Ireland | ||||||||
Denomination | Pre-Reformation Catholic | ||||||||
History | |||||||||
Founder(s) | Cellach mac Congaile, Abbot of Iona | ||||||||
Dedication | Columba | ||||||||
Relics held | Columba (formerly) | ||||||||
Architecture | |||||||||
Years built | AD 814 | ||||||||
Closed | late 17th century | ||||||||
Specifications | |||||||||
Length | 5.8 m (19 ft) | ||||||||
Width | 4.7 m (15 ft) | ||||||||
Height | 7 m (23 ft) | ||||||||
Floor area | 27.3 m2 (294 sq ft) | ||||||||
Administration | |||||||||
Diocese | Meath | ||||||||
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St. Columb's House is an oratory and National Monument in Kells, County Meath, Ireland.[1][2]
Location
St. Columb's House is located on Church Lane in Kells, immediately northwest of Kells Abbey.[3]
History
St. Columb's House is said to have been built in AD 814, over 200 years after Columba (Colm Cille) died.[4] The roof was modified at a later date. It was used by monks to say the Liturgy of the Hours, or possibly as a shrine church or burial place of an abbot. It once contained a large flat stone called "St Columb's Bed", possibly a grave slab. His relics were brought here in 878, and moved to Skryne Church later before finally going to Downpatrick.[5][6]
Building
St. Columb's House is a rectangular building with a very high pointed roof. Internally there was originally a high floor 1.5 m (5 feet) above the ground, but this is gone. The loft contains three separate rooms.[7]
References
- ^ http://www.heritagetowns.com/kellslarge1.shtml
- ^ http://irishantiquities.bravehost.com/meath/kells/kells.html
- ^ http://www.libraryireland.com/SocialHistoryAncientIreland/II-VI-5.php
- ^ http://www.megalithicireland.com/Kells%20Monastery,%20Meath.html
- ^ http://www.discoverboynevalley.ie/boyne-valley-drive/heritage-sites/kells-town-monastic-sites
- ^ http://irelandsholywells.blogspot.ie/2013/06/saint-columbas-well-kells-county-meath.html
- ^ http://irishantiquities.bravehost.com/meath/kells/kellscolumb.html