County Louth - National Monuments

Описание: NATIONAL MONUMENTS BY COUNTY - LOUTH

The coastal county of Louth may be smallest county in Ireland but with over 2300 known sites and monuments it certainly punches above it weight in terms of its rich archaeological resource. A selection of the finest of these monuments are in State care and will be accessible to the public to enjoy once we are though this crisis.  The oldest are megalithic tombs, illustrating both our ancestor’s preoccupation with ritual and burial and remarkable engineering capabilities over 5000 years ago. The north of the county is rich in all four types of megalithic tombs including the impressive Portal and Wedge Tombs at Proleek. Early ecclesiastical monuments are dotted throughout the Louth landscape such as the church, high cross and round tower with its fine Romanesque doorway at Dromiskin. An oratory dedicated to its founder, St Mochta, lies beside Louth Abbey in Louth town. Monasterboice is widely known for its exquisite high crosses, including one erected by Muiredach (probably the abbot who died in A.D. 924). After 1142, Monasterboice was overshadowed by Ireland’s first Cistercian foundation, Mellifont, barely three miles away. Augustinian, Carmelite and Franciscan friars also had foundations in county Louth, while the Dominicans established the impressive priory at Carlingford around 1305.The Anglo Normans left their mark at numerous locations including at 'Dun Dealgan' the motte and bailey at Castletown, Dundalk, King John's Castle (c. 1200) which commanded an important defensive position on the lough by Carlingford town, and the majestic Castleroche (c. 1236) strategically sited on a rocky hill in the north of the county.The impressive walled towns of Carlingford and Drogheda contain many reminders of the vibrant and thriving medieval merchants who resided there. Examples include ‘the Thosel’ gatehouse and ‘the Mint’ tower house in Carlingford while the highly defensive St Laurence’s gate in Drogheda is one of the finest surviving medieval gates in the country.
For locations and further details on the featured monuments see links below: Proleek portal tomb https://bit.ly/3jJW7fy  Proleek wedge tomb https://bit.ly/2TSunKZ  Dromiskin Round Tower https://bit.ly/3mPjbeRLouth Abbey https://bit.ly/3kRsRVz  St Mochta’s https://bit.ly/34ROvDD Monasterboice ... Dealgan', Dundalk https://bit.ly/2TNBXXi King John's Castle, Carlingford  https://bit.ly/2HXB1gi Castleroche ht... Mint’, Carlingford https://bit.ly/2HTtMGu Carlingford Thosel https://bit.ly/2TPFNiA St Laurence’s gate, Drogheda https://bit.ly/34R6eL6