Church in Waterford City

St Bridgit's church was granted to the Knights Templar in 1224 and it passed to the Knights Hospitallers in 1313. The church was still extant and described as a hermitage in 1577 when it was granted to George Moore (Bradley et al. 1989, vol. 2, 242-3). The exact location of the site is now uncertain, but it was probably on Catherine St. Archaeological testing (08E0165) on the Bolton St. Yard, c. 50-100m E of the presumed site, produded evidence of deep silts (T 4-9m) 1.4-1.9m below the present surface (Giacometti 2011). The silts were overlaid by 18th and 19th century industrial rubble but were shallowest at the W, suggesting that the island may have been in that direction, but no evidence of St. Bridgit's was encountered. Bradley, J., Halpin, A. and King, H. (1989) Urban archaeology Survey of Waterford City and County, 2 vols. Unpublished report commissioned by the Office of Public Works. Giacometti, A. (2011) Proposed OPW offices, Bolton Street, Waterford. Urban. in I. Bennett (Ed.) Excavations 2008: summary accounts of excavations in Ireland, 364, No. 1244. Wordwell. Dublin. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Waterford' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 10 June 2011 Compiled by: Michael Moore

St Bridgit's Church in Waterford City was originally built before 1224 and was granted to the Knights Templar, later passing to the Knights Hospitallers in 1313; its medieval dedication to St Bridget reflects early Christian devotion in the region, and its use as a hermitage by the 16th century indicates its continued religious significance.