Religious house — Augustinian canons in Unknown Townland

The Augustinian Priory of St. Thomas the Martyr was founded by Henry II in 1177 becoming one of the most important religious houses in medieval Dublin (Gwynn & Hadcock 1970, 172). In 1250 Henry III ordered that a quantity of stone intended for building the Abbey Church, seized by the Mayor of Bristol in order to build their castle should be restored to the abbot (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 172). They were one of the most important ecclesiastical foundations of medieval Dublin. At the Dissolution in 1539 their monastic possessions included a hall with a tower, a chamber and an upper room and other buildings. Their possessions included c. 2, 300 acres with two manors, three castles together with many messuages, cottages and shops. In 1545 the monastery with lands were granted to William Brabazon (op cit. Bradley & King 1987, 2, 138). Shown on Speeds map of 1610 as Thomas Court (Gillespie 1973, 33). Excavations in 1995 uncovered a ditch (Wth 7m, D 1.5m) which was thought to mark the S boundary of St. Thomas's Abbey (Murtagh 1996, 18). This ditch dated to the 12th-century. Some decorated floor-tiles were amongst the artefacts recovered (Johnston 1985, 9-12, 44-7). In 1996 the S wall of the church was exposed in Meath Market. This was associated with a cobbled floor and ceramic pavements in situ. In 1999 excavations at Hanbury Lane revealed a section of clay bonded walling, Dundry stone and line impressed tiles (DU018-020972-). There were 17 burials exposed at the site (Walsh 2000, 185-202; Clarke 2002, 19, B 9)(DU018-138----). Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Date of upload: 02 August 2012