Bective Abbey Explained

Bective Abbey
Native Name:Mainistir Bheigthí
Native Name Lang:ga
Order:Cistercian
Founder:Murchad O'Maeil-Sheachlainn
Established:1147
Disestablished:c.1530
Status:Inactive
Public Access:Yes
Embedded:
Embed:yes
Designation2:National Monument of Ireland
Designation2 Offname:Bective Abbey
Designation2 Number:187[1]

Bective Abbey (Irish: Mainistir Bheigthí)[2] is a Cistercian abbey on the River Boyne in Bective, County Meath, Ireland.

The abbey was founded in 1147,[3] and the remaining (well-preserved) structure and ruins primarily date to the 15th century.[4] The site, including a nearby car park, were purchased by the state in 2012, and are managed by the Office of Public Works.[5] The abbey, including its early 13th century church, 15th century cloister, and 16th century tower, is a protected structure and recorded on the register of National monuments of Ireland.[6] [7]

History

The abbey was founded in 1147 by Murchad O'Maeil-Sheachlainn, as a 'daughter house' of Mellifont Abbey.[3] The abbey and its estate lands were confiscated during the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 1530s, before being rented to Thomas Asgarde, and later purchased by Andrew Wyse in 1552.[8] Around this time the estate lands were surveyed, and recorded at 1580 acres.[3] During the 17th century, the abbey buildings were partially converted for use as a manor house.[4]

The site was taken into state care,[5] and named a protected structure and National Monument.[7] Bective Abbey was subject to a number of excavations in the early 21st century,[9] and made more accessible to visitors around this time.[3] [10]

In popular culture

Bective Abbey was used as a location during the shooting of the 1995 historical action-drama movie Braveheart.[3]

See also

53.5825°N -6.7028°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: National Monuments of County Meath in State Care . 1 . heritageireland.ie . National Monument Service . 19 November 2022.
  2. Web site: Mainistir Bheigthí - Bective Abbey . Irish Placenames Commission. logainm.ie . 23 March 2017.
  3. Web site: Hidden Ireland: Mystery island, ruined fortress and Braveheart daydreams . The Journal . journal.ie . 6 July 2013 . 23 March 2017.
  4. Web site: Churches, Abbeys and Monasteries - Bective Abbey. Fáilte Ireland . discoverireland.ie . 23 March 2017 .
  5. Web site: Why Ireland rocked travel in 2016 & hidden gems for 2017 . RTÉ . rte.ie . 23 December 2016 . 23 March 2017 . "Bective Abbey. A 12th century Cisterian Monastery, [..] was bought by the Office of Public Works in 2012, to ensure its preservation".
  6. Web site: Record of Protected Structures - County Meath . Meath County Council . meath.ie . 81 . 23 March 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161019233807/http://www.meath.ie/CountyCouncil/Heritage/ArchitecturalHeritage/ProtectedStructures/File,52827,en.pdf . 19 October 2016 . dead .
  7. Web site: National Monuments in State Care: Ownership & Guardianship - Meath . National Monuments Service . archaeology.ie . 23 March 2017 .
  8. Web site: Heritage sites - Bective Abbey . Meath County Council . meath.ie . 23 March 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170323142737/http://www.meath.ie/Tourism/Heritage/HeritageSites/BectiveAbbey/ . 23 March 2017 . dead .
  9. Web site: Summary of archaeological excavations at Bective Abbey, County Meath . Database of Irish Excavation Reports . Excavations.ie. 6 January 2017 . 2010 .
  10. Web site: Written Answers - Bective Abbey, County Meath . Houses of the Oireachtas . oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie . 23 January 1996 . 23 March 2017 .

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