St. Colmcille's House, Kells
Overview
St. Colmcille’s House, alternatively St. Columb’s House, is an ancient oratory house on Church Lane in Kells, County Meath, Ireland. The stone-roofed building is likely to date from the 9th to 11th centuries and is a National Monument. It is associated with St. Colmcille (St. Columba), a most revered Irish saint who founded a monastic community in Kells around 550 AD prior to his leaving for Iona, Scotland, in 563 AD.
Historical Importance
St. Colmcille founded several monasteries in Ireland, including Derry, Swords, Raphoe, and Durrow. Kells was a refuge for his people after the Vikings had attacked Iona repeatedly, the monks relocating to the safety of Kells around 804 AD.
The oratory is thought to have served various purposes: as an oratory chapel (private), a monastic space where the Liturgy of the Hours would be read, or as a shrine church which could have held the relics of St. Colmcille. His remains were traditionally removed to Kells in 878 before finally being moved to Downpatrick.
There is speculation that the Book of Kells, the world-famous illuminated manuscript, was either created or stored here. It is also reputed to have contained a flat stone called “St. Colmcille’s Bed” on which the saint slept. This stone mysteriously disappeared in the 1980s.
Architecture and Features
The oratory is a rectangular stone structure with a high pointed roof characteristic of early medieval Irish ecclesiastical architecture. Within, it possessed an original high floor around 1.5 meters above ground level, which was a loft area separated into three chambers, maybe serving as sleeping cells for monks. The loft today is accessed by means of a modern ladder.
The roof of the building is barrel vaulted, and its current entrance is a later addition. The original entrance was at the west end, some two meters above ground level, showing early defensive building practices.
Local tradition speaks of an underground tunnel linking St. Colmcille’s House to the adjacent church, as recorded in the Annals of the Four Masters and a 17th-century survey.
19th century tenants
In the 1830s, it was occupied by a poor family and were accused of sheep stealing, and the discovery of sheep carcasses in the roof croft confirmed their guilt.
Visiting Information
St. Colmcille’s House is accessible by appointment only. To book, please call the Kells Courthouse Tourism and Cultural Hub with at least 24 hours’ notice.
Tel: +353 (0) 46 9247508
Email: kellscourthouse@discoverboynevalley.ie
Pick up your visitor’s map at the Kells Courthouse Tourism and Cultural Hub!