Naas — Naas East,naas West

According to Bradley et al (1986 vol. 4, 343-383), Naas was the site of an Early Christian monastery known as 'Cill Corbain' or 'Cill Náis' (KD019-030046----), the former's name being preserved in the present day Corban's Lane, whose curving course may preserve the line of a pre-Norman monastic enclosure. However, the precise location of the monastery is uncertain. The town is also known as 'Nás na Rí'/'The assembly place of the Kings', because between the 8th and 10th century it was a seat of the Kings of Leinster. The fort ('dún') of Naas is first referred to in 705 AD, and may subsequently have been incorporated into the Anglo-Norman motte (KD019-030009-). A second motte (KD019-030023----) may have stood at the S end of the town. After the arrival of the Normans, Naas was granted by Strongbow to Maurice Fitzgerald, and the Augustinian Priory (KD019-030010-) and parish church (KD019-030020-) were both in existence by the beginning of the 13th c. There was also a Dominican Friary (KD019-030012-) in the town. Naas had been granted a weekly market as early as c. 1186, and it may have originally been held at the N end of South Main Street where the tholsel/townhall (KD019-030008-) subsequently stood, before moving to 'the Green of Naas' (presumably the Fair Green at the S-end of the town), probably in the 16th C; and there is a 17th century reference to a market cross (KD019-030047-). Naas was reputedly burnt and plundered by Edmund Bruce in 1316. There is little information on the town in the later middle ages but some nine parliaments and 13 councils were held there between 1355 and 1484, while in 1467-8 Naas was described as the 'Key of the County of Kildare in resistance of their Irish enemies'. Increasing instability resulted in a number of murage grants to the town in the 15th century when, in 1415, there is the first mention of town defences (KD019-030001-). While there is little, if any, physical evidence that the town was ever walled, archaeological investigations associated with modern building development has uncovered evidence of a town ditch, which was presumably augmented by an earthen rampart. At least six town gates are recorded (North Gate, Watergate Castle, Corban's Gate, Green Gate, West Gate and Iago's Gate), and the town also contained some six tower houses or fortified houses, the precise locations of some of which are uncertain: they include the Black Castle (KD019-030013-), Eustace Castle (KD019-030014-), Lattin's Castle (KD019-030015-), The Rose and Crown/Wheatley's Castle (KD019-030016-/KD019-030017-), the White Castle (KD019-030018-) and St David's Castle (KD019-030019-). Naas was incorporated by charter of Elizabeth in 1568. It was burnt again in 1577, when a (probably exaggerated) report by Sir Henry Sidney claimed that between 700 and 800 houses were destroyed. Large garrisons of crown forces were stationed at Naas from the late-16 century, particularly between c. 1598-1601, and during the wars of the 1640's, when the town changed hands on several occasions. Naas did, however, maintain its status in the 17th C: it was described in 1606 as 'the chief corporate town in the County of Kildare' and a new charter was granted by James 1 in 1609. A population of 303 was recorded in 1659. The town has a linear street pattern centred on North and South Main Streets, off which several small lanes run at right angles. South Main Street is wider than North and is reminiscent of 17th century town layout. A burgage plot pattern survives mainly on the W side of North Main Street and on both sides of South Main Street, and the most common dwellings were likely to have been the 'lowe thatched housies' mentioned by Sidney. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 10 June 2011