Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Religious house - Franciscan friars
Ross (Clare By.), County Galway, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Ross (Clare By.)
- County
- Galway
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Ross Abbey (in ruins)
- Latest-edition OS map
- Ross Abbey (in Ruins)
- Coordinates
- 53.47968, -9.13162
- SMR number
- GA041-047----
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
4 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1753 map "Mappa geographica Regni Hiberniae" (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1753 · Mappa geographica Regni Hiberniae (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1790 · Composite: Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1869 · Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1891 · Ireland 16 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
In low-lying pastureland, close to the td. boundary and the Black River. This Franciscan friary, now a Nat. Mon., has a disputed foundation date (O'Flanagan 1927, Vol. 1, 78; Gywnn and Hadcock 1970, 258; Leask 1960b, 109). The present well-preserved remains, comprising a church and conventual buildings, are mainly late 15th C in date. The church (E-W; L c. 36.5m, Wth c. 6.2m) consists of a nave and chancel with a four-light pointed arch traceried window in the E gable. At the junction of the nave and chancel is an inserted five-storey crenellated tower with a possible rood loft above its low chancel arch. The nave has a S aisle, off which there is a double S transept containing two chapels. Separate chapels were later added to the E side-wall of the transept and at the W end of the aisle. From beneath the tower, a pointed arch doorway opens to the N into the cloister, around which are ranged a sacristy and conventual buildings in two storeys. A second courtyard lies to the N, with the bake house to the N, the refectory to the E, and the buttery to the W. Adjoining the latter to the N is the kitchen containing a stone-built water/fish tank, and beyond that again, the watermill. There are dormitories on the 1st floor over the kitchens, buttery and refectory, along with a latrine. A three-storey building (L 6.2m, Wth 4.5m), known locally as 'Burke's Castle', abuts the NE corner of the chancel. This may also have been a sacristy with a guest-house overhead. A gatehouse (GA041-047001-), road (GA041-047003-) and field system (GA041-047004-) are associated. (Fahey 1901b, 334-40; Mooney 1955 and 1956, passim; Harbison 1975, 99-100; see also http://monastic.ie/tour/ross-errilly-franciscan-friary/ for a detailed plan of the complex, last accessed 19 July 2018)
The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. II - North Galway'. Compiled by Olive Alcock, Kathy de hÓra and Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.
Updated by: Olive Alcock
Date of revised upload: 19 July 2018
This monument was taken into State Care under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 - National Monument No. 50.
Nearby in the register
- Fontunder 1 mi
- Field systemunder 1 mi
- Burialunder 1 mi
- Wall monumentunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.