Church in Unknown Townland

Late 12th-century Church of Holy Sepulchre formed part of the Archbishop’s Palace (DU018-020118-) (Clarke 2002, 29).  In 1326-7 Common Pleas held at Dublin before Thomas Fitz John, earl of Kildare, justiciary of Ireland described the boundaries of the City of Dublin which ran past ‘the lane near the church of the Holy Sepulchre, going towards the north so far as an old lane, closed up near the common of the vicars of St Patrick’s Church extending as far as the street of that church’ (Gilbert 1889, 157).   Kevin Street Garda Station incorporates the medieval palace of St Sepulchre, which included the Church of Holy Sepulchre.   O’Donovan (2003, 258-9) suggested that a curious vaulted structure orientated east–west, may represent the church, due to its orientation. A total of three barrel-vaulted cellars also survive, which have surviving sections of wickerwork centring. Part of the eastern range also survives at the southern end, where the wall thickness of the buildings suggests that they are medieval in date. However, the north-east corner of the east range has been demolished’.     Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien