The West Doorway
It was one of the first true Gothic churches in Ireland and the ruins retain some of the earliest lancet windows. The east wall of the choir has three tall narrow lancets below three short lancets. The church has two east chapels in each of its transepts and the fragment of a tower with large transept arches. In one of the chapels of the north transept is the fragment of an effigy of a 13th century knight in armour and the female effigy in the niche is sometimes identified as Affreca herself. It also dates from the 13th century.
Lancet Windows In The Chancel
The west doorway is a particularly fine, if low, example. It is a four order pointed arch with dog-tooth ornament. The church is unusual in that the nave lacks aisles. None of the cloister walk and very little of the claustral buildings survive above foundation level. Only the refectory with its fine triple lancet windows in the south wall stands to any height.
The Refectory To The South Of The Cloister
The monastery was dissolved in 1541-3. The abbot at the time of the dissolution was John Cassells. About 1800 acres of abbey property were granted with other lands to Gerald, Earl of Kildare. In 1572 the abbey buildings were burned by Sir Brian O'Neill, to prevent them sheltering English colonists who were trying to occepy the Ards under a grant of Queen Elizabeth. The nave of the church was restored in the 17th century and used until 1778 as the parish church.
