Tintern Abbey is an ancient Irish Cistercian abbey located on the Hook Head Peninsula in County Wexford. Today, the building has lost none of its majesty, and is one of the county’s most beautiful monuments!
Today, the abbey is in excellent condition, despite some visible ruins. Tintern Abbey was founded in 1200 by William the Marshal, Earl of Pembroke. From the outset, it was occupied by Welsh monks, who had previously worked at another Cistercian abbey in Wales, of which William the Marshal was also a patron (also known as Tintern Abbey).
To distinguish the two, the mother abbey in Wales is sometimes referred to as the “Tintern Major” and its daughter abbey in Ireland as the “Tintern de Voto” or “Little Tintern”.
After the dissolution of the monasteries, the Irish abbey was ceded to Sir James Croft, then in 1575 to Anthony Colclough of Staffordshire, a soldier under Henry VIII. The abbey was then passed down through several generations before being handed over to the State.
Don’t forget your camera, as the site is truly exceptional! A fine example of medieval architecture in the heart of the Irish countryside! The abbey boasts numerous arches and vaults, and its main tower is still intact.