Gateway in Unknown Townland

Dam Gate was the E gate of Dublin City which was also referred to in the 13th century as St Mary's Gate (Orpen 1892, 292) or the gate of of St Mary del Dam or 'La porte de Sainte Marie del Dam' (DU018-020080-). In 1459 the Dublin Assembly Roll recorded the granting to; 'Willyam Grace, goldsmyth, schall have the towyr ovre the Dame's yate, and he to kep hit up on hys expens, and to be[a]r to the towne therfor yerly duryng hys lyve ii.s.' (CARD Vol. 1, 302). In 1543 the Assembly Rolls recorded; 'that Richard Fitz Symon, of Dublin, merchaunt, then beyng [one of the] Balliwes of the same citte, shall hawe the tour [tower] over the Damys gate to hym, his heirs and assignes...of thre skore yers and one, payng out of hit yerly to the collector of the langable of the...apon condicion that he byld [build[ a roff [roof] of good oke [oak] and sclate [slate] apon hit' (CARD Vol. 1, 413). In 1559 the Dublin Assembly Roll recorded; 'that the treasorrer and masters of wurkes of this cittie shall cause a stone wall to be made without the Damsgate, from the gate unto thend of the myll [DU018-020091-], that no dong [dung] shalbe laid uppon thende of the iland, nor in the towne ditche there, from hensforth' (CARD Vol. 2, 4). In 1574 the Dublin Assembly Roll recorded that; 'that Robert Byce, gentleman, shall have a lease for terme of Lx. and one [61] yeares upon the towre over the Dammes gate, Buttevantes towre [DU018-020018-], and the bulwark betwixt bothe the said towres, paing yearely to this citie the som of i.s, viid. Irishe, and that he shall performe all such covenauntes, condicions and clauses as shalbe comprised in the said lease for houylding and reparacion of the said towres' (CARD vol 2, 93). In 1577 'Dammes gate' (Dam Gate) was listed as one of 'The names of the gates of the citie and suburbs of Dublin' (CARD Vol. 2, 546). Dame's Gate (No. 15) is depicted standing on the W end of Dame Street (No. 14) at the junction with Exchange Court on Speed's 1610 map of Dublin City. Annotated 'Dame's Gate (Site of) on the 1867 ed. OSi 25-inch map. Dames Gate or Dam Gate was located at the W end of Dames Street with a second gate called Hog's Gate or the Blind Gate (DU018-020034-) located at the E end of Dame Street at the entrance to College Green known in the medieval period as 'Hoggen Green'. The location of Dames Gate was described by Gilbert (1854-9, vol. 2, 557) as; 'From Mr. Bise his towre [DU018-020019-] to the easte gatte called Dames gate is 108 foote [33m] distant, the wall 17 foote [5] hie and 5 foote [1.5m] thicke, and the grounde firme within, agreing in height with the reste befor'. This gate was removed c. 1698 and the gates condition and removal was described by Gilbert (1854-9, vol. 2, 256-7) as follows; ' "Dame's-gate" was "one of the narrowest entrances into the city, and, standing upon the ascent, was, when business increased, and the town grew more populous, much thronged and incumbered with carriages; for remedy whereof, the Earl of Strafford attempted to have the passage enlarged by throwing down a part of the city wall, and some houses adjoining thereto; but the neighbouring proprietors could not be prevailed on to yield their consents upon the terms proposed, and the project came to nothing." The pedestal of the Virgin's statue, with other concomitant remains of antiquity connected with this portal, existed till the Gate was demolished in conformity with a Bill passed by the Parliament of Ireland in 1698, for "enlarging Dame's-gate, raising the pavement there, and making the passage more easy." The city continued to receive rent for the tower over Dame's-gate for many years after it had been demolished, and in the last century, the King-at-Arms, when about to make proclamations, always demanded admission to the city formally from the Lord Mayor and other civic officers, who assembled for these occasions on the site of Dame's-gate'. Dam Gate or Dame's gate was described in the Urban Survey of Dublin City as follows; 'From Bises [Byce's] Tower [DU018-020019-] to Dame's Gate was a distance of 36 yards. The gate was located at the top of Dame Street, opposite the entrance to Exchange Court. It derived its name from the nearby dam on the Poddle, which also gave its name to the church of St Mary del Dame [DU018-020080-]. Up until the reformation statue of the Blessed Virgin stood in a niche over the gate. It had two towers and a Porteculis, and was one of the narrowest entries into the city. The gatehouse was let to various tenants who are recorded from 1459. It was demolished in 1698 (Healy 1973, 21). From Dames Gate the town wall continued southwards to join the castle at the Store Tower thus completing the circuit of the city (Bradley and King 1987, vol. 1, 53-4). See attached section of Speed's 1610 Map of Dublin City showing Dame's Gate (No. 15) at the W end of Dame Street (No. 14) adjacent to St. Andrew's Church (No. 16), Newman's Tower (No. 6) to N, accessible online at http://cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/view/PR-ATLAS-00002-00061-00001/38 and 1886 OSi City of Dublin: sheet XVIII.56 ("City of Dublin," held by Ordnance Survey Ireland. © Public domain. Digital content: © Ordnance Survey Ireland, published by UCD Library, University College Dublin <http://digital.ucd.ie/view/ucdlib:40905>). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 10 July 2023