Selskar Abbey is a ruined medieval abbey in the heart of Wexford Town. The abbey was formally dedicated to SS. Peter and Paul and was founded by the Roche family as an Augustinian priory that was in existence by 1240.
Although the original abbey was built in the 12th century, several indications suggest the area was home to an earlier Christian site that likely predated the arrival of the Vikings in 800 AD. Other sources suggest it may have also been the location of a pre-Christian temple dedicated to the Norse god Odin.
This ecclesiastical site would have overlooked the River Slaney, as the land past Redmond Square was not reclaimed until later years.
Parts of the abbey complex existed inside and outside Wexford’s town wall, and the prominent stone gate at Westgate would have provided access to the part of the abbey that remains today.
The origins of the abbey’s name are the subject of local debate. Local historians have suggested that the name Selskar may be a corruption of St. Sepulchre, a term often used to refer to the tomb of Jesus Christ. An alternative theory holds that the name derives from the Old Norse phrase “seal skar,” meaning “seal rock.” This theory is also considered plausible, as the River Slaney was close to the area and an outcrop is believed to have existed nearby.
In 1169, the first Anglo-Irish treaty was signed on the grounds of the abbey.
Diarmait Mac Murchada, who had been exiled from the country by the High King of Ireland, returned to the shores of County Wexford with a sizeable force of Norman soldiers provided by King Henry II of England.
This force immediately laid siege to Wexford Town.
The Norse inhabitants met them with fierce resistance, but the Bishop of Ferns persuaded the townspeople to surrender, lifting the siege.
Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, was murdered in 1170 after Henry’s men misinterpreted some of his words. The archbishop was known for excommunicating anyone who opposed him. When news arrived that Becket had excommunicated three bishops, the king reportedly said, “Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?” Henry’s official absolution for the murder occurred in May 1172 at Avranches Cathedral in France. According to local folklore, King Henry II of England stayed at the abbey during Lent in 1172 to do penance for the murder of Thomas Becket.
Henry was in Ireland that year to consolidate his power and oversee the Anglo-Norman knights, but the story of his penitential visit is not supported by documented historical fact. Several sources suggest a severe storm stranded the king in Wexford Town, which may explain the origin of the tale.
Stephen Devereux, the Mayor of Wexford, enlarged and beautified the abbey in 1310 during the reign of Edward II, according to a 19th-century account. The expansion took place when the abbey was included within the town walls.
A parliament was held at Selskar Abbey in 1463 during the reign of Edward IV.
Authorities forced the abbey to close in 1542 before handing it over to the Master of the Rolls in Ireland. After its closure, the site continued to serve as a Protestant place of worship.
The abbey’s conversion into a Protestant place of worship likely spared it from the fate of other churches in the area, such as St. Peter’s Church.
After Oliver Cromwell sacked the town in October 1649, the walls of Wexford Castle were left in a poor state of repair. Bricks and stones from several Catholic churches were subsequently taken to repair them. Stones from these churches were also sold off as building materials. Anti-Catholic legislation and a Protestant Wexford magistrate aided this dismantling.
An 1892 article in a local newspaper reported that the sack of Selskar included the ransacking of tombs of prelates and nobles for lead and treasure, completing the destruction of the abbey.
The Church of Ireland restored the tower in 1826. However, the decision to build Selskar Church within the grounds was controversial, as parts of the abbey had to be dismantled to make way for it, including the altar and the space around it.
The Gothic Revival church, built in 1862, was designed by the architect John Semple. The Church of Ireland refurbished the 14th-century tower and used it as a sacristy and belfry.
It is closed to the public, as the stairway is so narrow it can only be climbed on hands and knees. The middle floor of the tower remains intact, while the top floor has a narrow platform extending around the outside of the walls.
Selskar Church retained its slated roof until the 1950s, as shown in several surviving black-and-white photographs. At the time, Wexford’s declining population made it increasingly difficult for the Church of Ireland to maintain its two churches in the town: Selskar Church and St. Iberius Church on North Main Street.
A decision was made to close Selskar and concentrate resources on St. Iberius. To avoid paying rates on the disused building, the slated roof was removed. The church was subsequently dismantled in 1961, leaving only the stone walls of the roofless nave that survive today.
One notable feature that remains on the 14th-century tower is a small carved stone head above the window on the western side. Known as a “grotesque” or chimera, it was likely added for decorative purposes.
The abbey grounds, which contain the surviving tower and other remains, are closed to the public, but walking tours of the site are available via the Wexford Lions Club. Informational posters about these tours are available on the abbey gates.
Map
There are three gates: one at Abbey Street, one at Selskar Court, and one at Tower Court. The Tower Court gate is the most used, as it is located beside the heritage centre.