- 385 pages
- English
- PDF
- Available on iOS & Android
Discovering Medieval Ferns, Co. Wexford
About this book
Medieval Ferns was one of south-eastern Ireland' s most important settlements. It played a key role in local, regional and national history from its foundation by St Aidan in 598, especially when serving as King Diarmuid McMurrough' s royal seat and the head of an influential medieval diocese. The archaeological and built heritage of the town reflect its historical importance, with significant architectural remains dating to both the early and the late Middle Ages – not least in the form of the imposing early thirteenth-century Ferns Castle. While some of the town' s archaeology, such as the castle, has already been investigated and published, a significant body of research has taken place within the last decade or so, including several telling investigations of the early medieval origins of Ferns. This beautifully illustrated volume, with full colour throughout, shines a light on the remarkable history and archaeology of medieval Ferns, highlighting the intriguing discoveries of recent excavations and research programmes. An interdisciplinary team of twenty scholars has come together to present the results of this new research in the context of our existing knowledge of medieval Ferns, building on and re-evaluating that baseline understanding. The result is the most complete picture to date of the origins and evolution of medieval Ferns, along with some directions and priorities for future research.
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Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title page
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Illustrations
- Abbreviations
- Contributors
- Foreword
- Preface
- 1. Setting the scene: the formation of the Ferns landscape and life before St Aidan
- 2. From caput to caput: the rise and fall of medieval Ferns, c.600–c.1600
- 3. The changing monastic and political landscape of Ferns in context, twelfth to fifteenth century
- 4. The cult of relics and expressions of wealth at eleventh- and twelfth-century Ferns
- 5. Clone Church, Co. Wexford: an archaeological survey
- 6. The architecture of sacral kingship in twelfth century Ferns: the church of St Mary’s Abbey
- 7. St Mary’s Abbey, Ferns: an archaeological survey
- 8. Chasing St Aidan’s monastery at Ferns
- Summary of archaeological excavations undertaken in Ferns up to 2021
- 9. The archaeology of the Augustinian abbey of St Mary, Ferns: the cloister
- 10. Geophysical investigations at Ferns as part of the Ancient Connections Project
- 11. A timber watermill revealed in the ecclesiastical core of Ferns
- 12. Clone, Ferns: church, community and continuity
- 13. A glimpse of light in Wexford: late medieval rushlight holders
- Catalogue of rushlight holders
- 14. Captured: a digital approach to representing medieval Ferns
- 15. ‘Sheep in the abbey’: the community of Ferns engaging with its medieval heritage
- Index