Mellifont Abbey

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Mellifont Abbey

An Mhainistir Mhór
Lavabo of Mellifont Abbey
Location within Ireland
Monastery information
Order	Cistercians
Established	1142
Disestablished	1539
Reestablished	1938 (different location)
Diocese	Armagh
People
Founder(s)	Saint Malachy, Archbishop of Armagh
Architecture
Status	Active
Style	Cistercian
Site
Location	Collon, County Louth, Ireland
Coordinates	53°44′32″N 6°27′59″W / 53.742317°N 6.466481°W / 53.742317; -6.466481
Public access	Yes
National monument of Ireland
Reference no.	93[1]

Mellifont Abbey (Irish: An Mhainistir Mhór, literally 'the Big Monastery'), was a Cistercian abbey located close to Drogheda in County Louth, Ireland. It was the first abbey of the order to be built in Ireland. In 1152, it hosted the Synod of Kells-Mellifont. After its dissolution in 1539, the abbey became a private manor house. This saw the signing of the Treaty of Mellifont in 1603 and served as William of Orange's headquarters in 1690 during the Battle of the Boyne.

Today, the ruined abbey is a national monument of Ireland and accessible to the public. The English language name for the monastery, 'Mellifont', comes from the Latin phrase Melli-fons, meaning 'Font of Honey'.