Mellifont was the first Cistercian abbey to be built in Ireland, founded in 1142 on the orders of Saint Malachy, the Archbishop of Armagh.
Sadly, little of the original Abbey remains, save a octagonal 13th-century lavabo, where the monks washed their hands before dinner - and this in a time when hygiene was not a top priority, even for men of God.
There is a visitor's centre, and guided tours on request, but the abbey is only open to the public from May to September. read more