Ireland in Black & White: Bective Abbey, County Meath
Bective Abbey is an old Cistercian abbey which is located in the middle of a field, close to the banks of the River Boyne in County Meath, Ireland. It was founded in 1147 but much of the well preserved ruins there today date from the 15th century, including the two large towers. It was used as a location in Mel Gibson’s movie Braveheart (1995).
Bective Abbey, and the surrounding area, is a wonderfully scenic location, providing ample opportunity for taking atmospheric shots. Located between the towns of Navan and Trim, but off the main thoroughfare, it is not as easy a place to find as it should be. It is worth the effort though. Bective Abbey has thus far escaped commercialisation, which adds to its appeal for photographers, but also means that there are absolutely no amenities. Don’t forget a picnic as well as your camera should you decide to visit.
I thought it would be interesting to show a sample of both digital and film photographs here. The film camera is a Phoenix 35mm manual camera with the 50mm prime lens that it came with (I’d have to search for the film spec but it’s non C41 B&W and I developed it myself). The digital camera is a Canon EOS 350D SLR with the 18-55mm lens that it also came with.
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Bective Abbey is an old Cistercian abbey which is located in the middle of a field, close to the banks of the River Boyne in County Meath, Ireland. It