Three fifteenth century medieval bronze bells which once hung in the bellcote at St Mary’s Abbey Church, Howth, Co. Dublin have been donated by the Gaisford St Lawrence family to the National Museum of Ireland.
Bearing gothic inscriptions, these three bells have been a part of Howth’s history for centuries. They sounded the hours, called seafarers, and the people of the Howth peninsula to prayer for three hundred years before being taken to Howth Castle in the mid eighteenth century for their safety, where they have remained ever since.
Three fifteenth century medieval bronze bells which once hung in the bellcote at St Mary’s Abbey Church, Howth, Co. Dublin have been donated by the Gaisford St Lawrence family to the National Museum of Ireland.
Bearing gothic inscriptions, these three bells have been a part of Howth’s history for centuries. They sounded the hours, called seafarers, and the people of the Howth peninsula to prayer for three hundred years before being taken to Howth Castle in the mid eighteenth century for their safety, where they have remained ever since. Image: Donation of the Bells of St Mary’s Howth
The St Lawrence family were the Lords of Howth since the 12th century are likely to have commissioned the bells.
Very few late medieval bells in Ireland survived the Reformation when many were sold and melted down. It is even more unusual to have a set of such bells surviving from one church.
The castle, which was built by the St Lawrence family, has recently been sold and its contents auctioned. Key objects have been purchased by the National Museum of Ireland with funding from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. The medieval Great Sword of Howth has been acquired by the museum in this purchase.
The bells will be conserved and displayed in the National Museum of Ireland, Kildare Street while appropriate signage will be placed in St Mary’s Abbey church, Howth which is in the care of the Office of Public Works.