The Abbey of Kells was founded in the early 9th Century AD, on the site of a former Irish hill fort. The monastery - named Mainistir Cheanannais in Irish - is most famous for keeping the 'Book of Kells' (an illuminated manuscript in Latin) from the medieval period until the 1950s. Kells Abbey was repeatedly raided by the Vikings. In the twelfth century, the monastery was dissolved and the abbey became a parish church.
Meet the Amesbury Archer and help raise the Sarsen Stone at virtual Stonehenge 2300BC. Discover the history of Stonehenge in our 3D, online experience.
The discovery of the London Mithraeum was made during rebuilding works carried out in the City of London in 1954. There was great public interest in the ruins on their discovery, with 80,000 visitors flocking to see the site. Public demand meant the ruins were preserved in a site opposite the street, where they were tilted at 90 degrees to fit in the space so building work could continue.
The site today hangs in the balance with a development of Walbrook Square first being delayed, then cancelled due to the economic recession. The remains of the London Mithraeum were due to be moved back to their original position and showcased inside a new building designed by Sir Norman Foster.
A Mithraeum is a place of worship for the followers of the mystery religion of Mithraism. The Mithraeum was either an adapted natural cave or cavern or an artificial building imitating a cavern. Mithraea were dark and windowless, even if they were not actually located in a cave.
The Carrawburgh Mithraeum lies south-west of the Roman fort at Carrawburgh, Brocolitia. The site of the temple was first discovered in 1949 and was excavated in 1950 by Sir Ian Richmond and Mr J.P.Gillam.
Located in Colchester is the first English Augustinian priory church known as St Botolph's Priory. The church was founded in 1110 by the Anglo-Saxon community minister of Colchester. The former exterior plaster has weathered away, revealing the flints and reused Roman bricks of which the priory was constructed. However, the church remains an impressive example of early Norman architecture with circular pillars and large round arches. The church holds a large library and many miraculous relics dating back to the 11th century.
This Roman church in Colchester dates back to the 4th century AD and is believed to have been founded in 320 AD. This is just a few years after Christianity was adopted by the Emperor Constantine in 313AD. Therefore, this Roman church is thought to be the earliest known Christian church in Britain. Colchester was the first capital of Roman Britain and beneath the Roman Castle are the remains of the most famous Roman buildings, including the Temple of Claudius, the Roman Wall and the remains of the Roman Theatre.
Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi (the monastery of Saint Moses the Abyssinian) is a Christian monastery in Syria. Its earliest date of use appears to be in 6th century AD, when it was used by cave dwelling hermit monks as a place to gather and pray. It reached its peak between the 11th and 12th centuries AD and several beautiful frescos have been recovered from that era.
Last summer Dr. Robert Mason, an archaeologist with the Royal Ontario Museum, made a far more ancient discovery. To the east of the site he found an ancient landscape with stone circles, alignments and what appear to be corbelled rock tombs.
From the stone tools found it appears to date to some point in the Middle East Neolithic period (8500-4300 BC). This means that this landscape could well be older then the megalithic sites found in Europe.
The Holy Trinity Church in Colchester is the oldest surviving church building in the city. Parts of the church tower are dated back to around 1050 during the Anglo-Saxon period, and it is believed that the site may have held an earlier church building. The building features triangle arches, basket windows and reused Roman bricks. The church was once used as Colchester's Social History Museum, however today the building is unconsecrated.
St Peter upon Cornhill is an Anglican church in the city of London which forms part of St Helen's Bishopsgate Parish. The church was rebuild in a baroque style by Christopher Wren in 1687 after it was destroyed in the Great Fire of London of 1666.
The church holds an inscription in the churchyard which claims that St Peter upon Cornhill is the earliest Christianised site in Britain as it was founded by the first Christian King, Lucius in 187. However, no definite archaeological evidence exists which proves that there were no Christian churches in the United Kingdom during Roman times, it is thought that this site may have been the location of a Roman basilica or public building.
Later the church was used by the Tank Regiment after the Second World War.
Located in London, is the small church of St Stephen Walbrook, which forms part of the Church of England's Diocese of London. This site has been used for religious purposes dating back to the 2nd century AD, when a Mithras temple stood on the bank of the river Walbrook. A Saxon church was later build in the same area in the 7th century. This saxon church was rebuild on the east bank of the river in 1439 however, it was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. The church was then rebuild by Christopher Wren between 1672-1680 in a baroque style which is how the church stands today.
