Abbey of Kells Abbey of Kells The Abbey of Kells ("Mainistir Cheanannais" in Irish) is a former monastery in Kells, County Meath, Ireland, north of Dublin. It was founded in the early 9th century, and the Book of Kells was kept there during the later medieval and early modern periods before finally leaving the abbey in the 1650s. Much of the Book of Kells may have been created there, but historians cannot be certain of the exact date and circumstances of its creation. The Abbey of Kells was reportedly founded by St. Columba ca. 554, after High King Diarmuid Mac Caroll of Tara
Archdeacon of Kells Meath, and the "Rectory of Nobber" was united to this dignity; thus the holder was sometimes called "Rector of Nobber", "Parson of Nobber", or most commonly styled Archdeacon of Nobber. In medieval times, "Kells" is called , with "Nobber" expressed as . Confusingly, the archdeacon of Kells held the "Rectory of Nobber", while the archdeacon of Meath held the "Rectory of Kells". In the High Middle Ages it was the most senior diocesan position below a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church. An archdeacon is often responsible for administration within an archdeaconry, which is the principal subdivision of the diocese.