Woodburn

Title

Woodburn

Also Known As

Carrickfergus, Cracfergus, Goodborn, Goodburn, Gracfergos, Grafergos, Gratfex, Gratfexgos, Gutburyn, Krakfergush, St Mary's Abbey, Utburne, Uytburn, Wodburne, Woddeborne, Wtburne

Dates

Founded by 1183; dissolved 1542/43

Dedication

Holy Trinity; Mary

Affiliation

Dryburgh

Medieval Diocese

Connor

Circary

Ireland

History

The Premonstratensian house of Woodburn must have been founded by ca. 1183, when a "Willielmo Priore de Cracfergus" attested two charters of John de Courcy. Woodburn was raised to the status of abbey in 1212. However, it was a small and poor house, with 3 brothers in 1224.

Woodburn was suppressed at the Reformation, and the former monastic complex was demolished in the 17th century.

Heads of Community

Priors

William, fl. 1183

Abbots

Patrick, fl. 1454
Dermit Oconmuil (or O'Connell), fl. ca. 1470
Bernardus McCaura, fl. 1527
Gillerath McCaura, ?-1542

Status

Priory; abbey after 1212

Bibliography

Bigger, Francis Joseph. “The Abbey of Holy Cross at Woodburn, near Carrig-Fergus.” Ulster Journal of Archaeology 13 (1907): 174–81. https://archive.org/details/ulsterjournalofa13ulstiala/page/174/mode/2up.

Breslin, John. “Bones of Possibly 100 People Reportedly Found near Site of Medieval Abbey in Co Antrim Razed in the Early 17th Century.” The Irish News, February 17, 2024. https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/bones-of-possibly-100-people-reportedly-found-near-site-of-ancient-abbey-in-co-antrim-razed-in-the-early-17th-century-4N7V4ADCANFHPLZ45GO4M42CKI/.

———. “Dramatic New Photos Show Bones of Close to 150 Bodies Found Following Complex Dig at Site of Medieval Abbey in Carrickfergus.” The Irish News, February 27, 2024. https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/dramatic-new-photos-show-bones-of-close-to-150-bodies-found-following-complex-dig-at-site-of-medieval-abbey-in-carrickfergus.

Cassidy, W. “Holy Cross Abbey, at Carrickfergus.” The Irish News, October 28, 1937.

McKeown, L. “The Abbey of Woodburn.” Down and Connor Historical Society’s Journal 10 (1939): 56–60.

McNeill, T. E. “The Premonstratensian Houses of Carrickfergus, White Abbey and Woodburn.” Peritia 2 (1983): 265–66. https://doi.org/10.1484/J.Peri.3.47.

Files

Collection

Ireland

Citation

“Woodburn,” A Premonstratensian Atlas, accessed October 16, 2026, https://yvonneseale.org/atlas/items/show/57.

Geolocation

Item Relations

This Item DependentOn Item: Dryburgh
Item: Carrickfergus DependentOn This Item