St. Columb's House
St. Columb's House (or St. Columcille's House) is an oratory and National Monument in Kells, County Meath, Ireland.[1]
Location
St. Columb's House is located on Church Lane in Kells, immediately northwest of the Abbey of Kells.[2]
History
St. Columb's House is today thought to mostly date to the 10th century. It is named after Columba (Colm Cille), whose relics it may once have housed.[3]: 4
The roof was modified at a later date. The house was used by monks to say the Liturgy of the Hours, or possibly as a shrine church or burial place of an abbot. It once contained a large flat stone called "St Columb's Bed", possibly a grave slab. His relics were brought to Kells in 878, and moved to Skryne Church later before finally going to Downpatrick.[4]
Building
St. Columb's House is a rectangular building with a very high pointed roof. Internally there was originally a high floor 1.5 m (5 feet) above the ground, but this is gone.
The loft contains three separate rooms.[3]: 4
An underground passage connecting the house with the nearby church is mentioned by the Annals of the four Masters and a 17th-century survey.[3]: 4