Black Abbey
Encyclopedia
The Black Abbey of Kilkenny
, Ireland
, is a Catholic
priory
of the Dominican Order
, dedicated to the Holy and Undivided Trinity
. Black Abbey was established in 1225 as one of the first houses of the Dominican Order in Ireland.
Black Abbey has had a long and interesting history, having seen many reversals of fortune under different governments.
and other countries the Dominicans were often referred to as "Black Friars" on account of the black cappa or cloak which they wear over their white habits
. Some scholars believe the use of the world black refers to the Dominicans' infamous role in the Inquisition in which they were responsible for many deaths as well as countless acts of barbaric cruelty and the theft of the possessions of the accused.
In practical terms, the site chosen for the priory presented challenges, because ever since the priory was established, right up to the present time, the buildings are subject to severe annual flood
ing from the river.
was founded in 1225 by William Marshall
the younger, Earl of Pembroke
, who died in 1231.
In 1349, the community within the priory was severely affected by the outbreak of bubonic plague known as the Black Death
. Eight members of the community died in three months during this pandemic
. After the plague years, very few structural changes were carried out at the priory up until the end of 15th century.
In 1540, Ireland was under the rule of Elizabeth I of England
, a Protestant queen, and the property of the priory was confiscated by the crown. Elizabeth died in 1603, but the new King, James I
, was no kinder to the priory: it became a courthouse, and the Dominicans were forced to leave and find places to stay in other houses.
From 1642 to 1649, Black Abbey played a major part in attempting to save both the Irish religion and the king, Charles I of England and of Ireland; the abbey hosted the government known as the Irish Catholic Confederation
. These glory hours did not last long however. In March 1650, the English army under the command of Oliver Cromwell
surrounded Kilkenny in a siege
. Many people died from epidemic and hunger, many more fled before the city finally surrendered.
From 1685 to 1689 under the rule of the Catholic king James II of England
, the abbey flourished, but in 1690, under the rule of the Protestant king William III of England
, both Kilkenny and the abbey were once again occupied by the English.
By 1776, the community of the Black Abbey was close to zero, but starting in that year, the Dominicans retook possession of the abbey, first by renting it. In 1816, Black Abbey was restored as a Dominican priory, and the first public mass was held on September 25, 1816.
On Trinity Sunday, 22 May 1864, Black Abbey was reconsecrated by the bishop
, and was finally opened again as a house of prayer.
and a choir (pointing east), separated by a tower. From the tower or the nave they had just one transept, pointing to the north or the south, in most cases with one aisle
. In some cases, an aisle was also attached to the nave. Black Abbey followed this plan:
+---------------------------------+ N
| | ^
| nave tower choir | |
+ + + + + +---------+
| aisle |
+-----------+ +south |
| trans- |
| + ept |
| |
| + |
| |
+-----------+
^
+------------- rosary window
The original choir fell into ruin, and at the end of the 18th century the stones were used to construct two storey living quarters for the Dominican friars. This structure was used for 120 years. It was demolished to enable the reconstruction of the nave, which made possible the reconsecration of the abbey in 1864. (The south transept was restored first, and before the reconsecration, masses were held there.)
The nave leads to the altar below the tower. Immediately behind the altar is the large stained glass
window known as the "Rosary Window", which is composed of five "lights" or great vertical panels, and is the largest stained glass window in Ireland. This window was created in 1892 by Mayers of Munich, and depicts the Mysteries of the Rosary.
Kilkenny
Kilkenny is a city and is the county town of the eponymous County Kilkenny in Ireland. It is situated on both banks of the River Nore in the province of Leinster, in the south-east of Ireland...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, is a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
priory
Priory
A priory is a house of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or religious sisters , or monasteries of monks or nuns .The Benedictines and their offshoots , the Premonstratensians, and the...
of the Dominican Order
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
, dedicated to the Holy and Undivided Trinity
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
. Black Abbey was established in 1225 as one of the first houses of the Dominican Order in Ireland.
Black Abbey has had a long and interesting history, having seen many reversals of fortune under different governments.
The name
The name Black Abbey is based on the fact that in EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and other countries the Dominicans were often referred to as "Black Friars" on account of the black cappa or cloak which they wear over their white habits
Religious habit
A religious habit is a distinctive set of garments worn by members of a religious order. Traditionally some plain garb recognisable as a religious habit has also been worn by those leading the religious eremitic and anachoritic life, although in their case without conformity to a particular uniform...
. Some scholars believe the use of the world black refers to the Dominicans' infamous role in the Inquisition in which they were responsible for many deaths as well as countless acts of barbaric cruelty and the theft of the possessions of the accused.
The site
When the priory was founded the 13th century, the town of Kilkenny was divided in two parts by the Bregach River. One part was an Irish town and other was an English town. Dominicans established the priory between those two towns and outside the city walls, because they wished to show their independence from either side.In practical terms, the site chosen for the priory presented challenges, because ever since the priory was established, right up to the present time, the buildings are subject to severe annual flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
ing from the river.
History
The prioryPriory
A priory is a house of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or religious sisters , or monasteries of monks or nuns .The Benedictines and their offshoots , the Premonstratensians, and the...
was founded in 1225 by William Marshall
William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke
William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke was a medieval English nobleman, and the son of the famous William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke.-Early life:William was born in Normandy probably during the spring of 1190...
the younger, Earl of Pembroke
Earl of Pembroke
Earl of Pembroke is a title created ten times, all in the Peerage of England. It was first created in the 12th century by King Stephen of England. The title is associated with Pembroke, Pembrokeshire in West Wales, which is the site of Earldom's original seat Pembroke Castle...
, who died in 1231.
In 1349, the community within the priory was severely affected by the outbreak of bubonic plague known as 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...
. Eight members of the community died in three months during this pandemic
Pandemic
A pandemic is an epidemic of infectious disease that is spreading through human populations across a large region; for instance multiple continents, or even worldwide. A widespread endemic disease that is stable in terms of how many people are getting sick from it is not a pandemic...
. After the plague years, very few structural changes were carried out at the priory up until the end of 15th century.
In 1540, Ireland was under the rule of Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
, a Protestant queen, and the property of the priory was confiscated by the crown. Elizabeth died in 1603, but the new King, James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
, was no kinder to the priory: it became a courthouse, and the Dominicans were forced to leave and find places to stay in other houses.
From 1642 to 1649, Black Abbey played a major part in attempting to save both the Irish religion and the king, Charles I of England and of Ireland; the abbey hosted the government known as the Irish Catholic Confederation
Confederate Ireland
Confederate Ireland refers to the period of Irish self-government between the Rebellion of 1641 and the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland in 1649. During this time, two-thirds of Ireland was governed by the Irish Catholic Confederation, also known as the "Confederation of Kilkenny"...
. These glory hours did not last long however. In March 1650, the English army under the command of Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
surrounded Kilkenny in a siege
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
. Many people died from epidemic and hunger, many more fled before the city finally surrendered.
From 1685 to 1689 under the rule of the Catholic king James II of England
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
, the abbey flourished, but in 1690, under the rule of the Protestant king William III of England
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
, both Kilkenny and the abbey were once again occupied by the English.
By 1776, the community of the Black Abbey was close to zero, but starting in that year, the Dominicans retook possession of the abbey, first by renting it. In 1816, Black Abbey was restored as a Dominican priory, and the first public mass was held on September 25, 1816.
On Trinity Sunday, 22 May 1864, Black Abbey was reconsecrated by the bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
, and was finally opened again as a house of prayer.
The interior
In nearly all cases, the main building of monasteries of the Dominicans and Franciscans in Ireland followed the same plan. There was a naveNave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and a choir (pointing east), separated by a tower. From the tower or the nave they had just one transept, pointing to the north or the south, in most cases with one aisle
Aisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...
. In some cases, an aisle was also attached to the nave. Black Abbey followed this plan:
+---------------------------------+ N
| | ^
| nave tower choir | |
+ + + + + +---------+
| aisle |
+-----------+ +south |
| trans- |
| + ept |
| |
| + |
| |
+-----------+
^
+------------- rosary window
The original choir fell into ruin, and at the end of the 18th century the stones were used to construct two storey living quarters for the Dominican friars. This structure was used for 120 years. It was demolished to enable the reconstruction of the nave, which made possible the reconsecration of the abbey in 1864. (The south transept was restored first, and before the reconsecration, masses were held there.)
The nave leads to the altar below the tower. Immediately behind the altar is the large stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
window known as the "Rosary Window", which is composed of five "lights" or great vertical panels, and is the largest stained glass window in Ireland. This window was created in 1892 by Mayers of Munich, and depicts the Mysteries of the Rosary.