St. Mary's Church, Kilkenny

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Coordinates: 52°39′06″N 7°15′08″W / 52.65179°N 7.25221°W / 52.65179; -7.25221
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Saint Mary's Church
Mary's Hall
Gothic Revival
Specifications
Number of floors1
Materialslimestone

St. Mary's Church was a church in Kilkenny, Ireland, first built in 1202 at the time of the Norman settlement of the town. The church building was deconsecrated in 1957 and has been used as the Medieval Mile Museum since 2017.[1]

History

St. Mary's Church was built in 1202 close to Kilkenny Castle under the newly established Norman rule of Kilkenny. The tower was added in 1343.[2] The parish was carved out of the parishes of St. Patrick's and St. Canice's.[3] St. Mary's parish originally ended at St. James's Street, but was extended between 1207 and 1232 to extend beyond St. James's Street to the Breagagh River.[4] The land for that extension was provided by the Bishop of Ossory in exchange for land in Aghaboe,[5] County Laois. St. Mary's served as the church for the medieval (Norman) High Town, as Bishop David Rothe describes in the early 17th century.[6]

As early as 1205, the building was used to hold ecclesiastical court.[6]

Throughout the Middle Ages, the church's upkeep was financed by the town's (later city's) merchants by collection of 4d. annually from each hall and a halfpenny from each stall or shop in town.[6] Thus, the church became the pride of the merchant class in Kilkenny and many of its prominent members are buried there, including the Shee family, Archer family, Rothe family from Rothe House[7] and bishop David Rothe. Only the wealthiest of the burgesses were allowed to be buried within the church.

The town council held meetings in the building as well as court sessions. In the 16th century, it was also used as a venue for town plays.[6]

After the

St. Mary's Cathedral
) in later years.

In 1603, with

Free Masons.[10]

In 2009, the property was bought by Kilkenny County Council.[11]

Architecture

In its original shape, the church had a nave with side aisles, transepts and a chancel.[12] Around 1560, the Rothe family (wealthy merchants) built a

Archangel Michael. Even after the reformation had seen the church turned over to Protestant worship, these chapels continued to be used by the Catholic congregation.[13] The family of John Rothe and Rose Archer from Rothe House
are buried there, amongst other Catholic merchants of the time and later.

It is believed that the bell-tower was a separate building,[citation needed] today indicated by a concrete platform in the churchyard.

Kilkenny born architect William Robertson carried out works on the tower and elsewhere between 1819 and 1826.[14] He is buried in the graveyard alongside his family. There is also a memorial plaque for his nephew in the church who was a founding member of the Kilkenny Archaeological Society.

Archaeology

Three partial female skeletons on display

In preparation of the opening of the building as a museum, four female skeletons were discovered in 2016 in the gateway area. The work was carried out by Kilkenny Archaeology.[11] Three of the bodies found are on display in the museum since 2019.

Ordnance Survey

With its tall spire making it a prominent landmark, St. Mary's Church served as the fundamental reference point for Kilkenny, when the city and county were surveyed by the Ordnance Survey[citation needed]. A benchmark at the entrance still bears witness to that.

Gallery

  • Drawing of the church by James Graves showing the since lost spire
    Drawing of the church by James Graves showing the since lost spire
  • Ceiling in the restored church building
    Ceiling in the restored church building
  • Rothe family tomb in St Michael's Chapel
    Rothe family tomb in St Michael's Chapel

Further reading

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to St. Mary's Church, St. Mary's Lane, Kilkenny.
  1. ^ "History Ireland". 25 April 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b O'Carroll, Joseph (1994). Historic Kilkenny. Kilkenny People Ltd. p. 22.
  3. ^ Bradley, John. "Kilkenny". Irish Historic Towns Atlas: 2.
  4. ^ Bradley, John. "Kilkenny": 2. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. ^ Carrigan, William (1905). History and Antiquities of the Northern Deanery of Ossory Diocese, III. p. 40.
  6. ^ a b c d Bradley, John. "Kilkenny". Irish Historic Towns Atlas: 3.
  7. Old Kilkenny Review
    : 18–35.
  8. ^ Bradley, John. "Kilkenny". Irish Historic Towns Atlas: 5.
  9. ^ Bradley, John. "Kilkenny". Irish Historic Towns Atlas: 6.
  10. ^ "Interview with George Sherwood" (PDF). kilkennyheritage.ie. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  11. ^ a b McGreevy, Ronan (9 August 2016). "Medieval skeletons found under disused Kilkenny car park". Irish Times.
  12. ^ O'Carroll, Joseph (1994). Historic Kilkenny. Kilkenny: Kilkenny People Ltd. p. 22.
  13. ^ Information panel in the museum, accessed 2021-07-18
  14. ^ Lucey, John (2018). "Si quaeris momentum, circumspice William Robertson (1770-1850), Kilkenny's first architect". Old Kilkenny Review: 162.
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