What is recorded here

Grace’s Castle was the first jail in Kilkenny when the Crown claimed it in 1566, and its walls may still stand hidden inside the later courthouse on Parliament Street. A thick southwest wall found during excavation suggests that much of the medieval structure was absorbed rather than erased. The building became a courthouse around 1794, yet it began as a private castle and continued as a place where people were kept against their will.

At the location of, and possibly incorporated in, the 18th-century Kilkenny Courthouse (NIAH 12000084) on Parliament Street, in the medieval Hightown of Kilkenny that expanded between James's Street and the river Breagagh after 1207. In the 13th century, William le Gros built a castle here, which became known as 'Grace's Castle' (O'Carroll 1983, 32). In 1566, it was yielded to the Crown for use as a 'Sheire Gaol' (Carrigan 1905, vol. 3, 69-70). It seems to have served this function until c. 1794, when it was probably rebuilt as a courthouse (ibid.). In the 19th century, the upper portion of the building was modified and the balcony and stone steps were added (ibid.). Since then it has remained largely unchanged. Though nothing of the original castle or prison is now visible, it is possible that some early remains are incorporated in the later phases of development (Farrelly et al. 1993, 76). A wall at the SW of the courthouse was recorded as possibly part of a 15th-century phase of Grace’s Castle during archaeological monitoring by Maedbh Saunderson (08E0462) (Saunderson 2008, unpublished). The wall was noted as being thicker than the post-medieval walls encountered elsewhere during the excavation. It was partially demolished during the construction of the new SW stairwell of the courthouse. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly and Cóilín Ó Drisceoil Date of upload: 4 November 2020

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