Church in Townparks (phillipstown Lower By.)

The present town of Daingean had its origins in plantation policy commencing with the building of Fort Governor (OF018-006001-) by Sir William Brabazon in 1546, around which a settlement steadily grew despite attacks from the O'More's and O'Conor's. With the shiring of the territory of Ui Failge in 1556, Fort Falkland and its settlement was renamed Philipstown in honour of Philip II of Spain. In 1567 it was incorporated by charter and granted a weekly market. The corporation was requested to fortify the town with fosses and stone wall and although nothing of these walls survive, there are indications of the former fosse on the E, S and W sides of the town. A further grant of c. 1570 refers to 12 messuages and a water mill (OF018-006006-) within it and in 1598 there is mention of a gaol (OF018-006008-). The street plan is linear, Main St. running on a N-S axis off which the burgage plots extended. Additional charters were granted in 1673 and 1688-9, but this walled town unlike its counterpart at Maryborough [Portlaoise] never really flourished and it received a setback, when it was burnt by the O'Conors during the Jacobite wars. (Comerford 1885, 303; Bradley 1986, 35-8; Loeber 1991, 16-18) No remains of sixteenth century church, possible 19th century C of I church may have been built on the site of the earlier church. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien. Date of upload: 23 May 2011