County Down

20 sites

Mahee Island

County down


St Machaoi is said to have been a convert of St Patrick. He may have been a missionary bishop. The monastery founded by him is the ancient Nendrum, on Strangford Lough. The earliest evidence for the monastery is 7C.

There is a splendid monastic enclosure with 3 concentric enclosures (called cashels) with the waters of the Lough visible on all sides. There is a 10C church with sundial, the stump of a Round Tower and the bases of circular huts and workshops, plus the visible remains of a school within the second cashel. The monks developed the earliest tidal mill in the world dated to 619.

OS: 21 526 637 marked

See also:


Church and Round Tower (1) Church and Round Tower (2) Church and sundial Church exterior view Church reconstruction in museum (1) Church reconstruction in museum (2) Huts in middle cashel Round Tower stump Satchel for Bible School in middle cashel Site reconstruction in museum Strangford Lough (1) Strangford Lough (2) Sundial
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