Archdiocese Diocese of Meath See Bishop of Meath | Province Kingdom of Meath Quashed before 1622 | |
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Church Catholic Church in Medieval Ireland | ||
The Archdeacon of Kells (Middle English: Kenlys, Kenlis Irish: Ceanannas), alias the Archdeacon of Nobber (MidEng: Nobire, Nobbir, Nobyre, Irish: an Obair, meaning "the work"), was a medieval ecclesiastical post in the Diocese of Meath in the Kingdom of Meath, Ireland. The Archdeaconry was officially established sometime between the 11th and 13th centuries, and was annexed to the Rectory of Nobber. In the 16th Century, the office was briefly united to the Bishopric of Meath, but afterwards separated again. As a consequence of the Reformation, the Archbishop of Armagh (Church of Ireland) held the "Archdeacony of Kells, in commendam 1569 to 1584". Sometime before 1622, the Archdeacon of Kells and Rectory of Nobber were permanently united to the bishopric of Meath.
Background
Before the dissolution of the Monasteries and Henrican reforms of the 16th century took full effect in Ireland, there were Archdeacons of Kells, County Meath. The Diocese of Kells was established sometime after the Synod of Kells (1152), and incorporated with the Diocese of Meath after 1211. The deanery of Kells was created by Simon (de) Rochford, Bishop of Meath, in 1216. At the time, it was one of twelve rural deaneries in Meath, later becoming one of the two archdeaconries of the same diocese.
Nobber was once an important town in the Kingdom of 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 MidEng: Kenlys, Kenlis, Keneleis, Keneles, with "Nobber" expressed as MidEng: Nobire, Nobbir, Nobir, Nebyre, Nobyre, Nober. Confusingly, the archdeacon of Kells held the Rectory of Nobber, while the archdeacon of Meath held the Rectory of Kells.