Almshouse in Gardens (kilkenny City By., St. Mary’s Par.)

Site of the Ormond almshouse at No. 4 High Street, known as the ‘Hospital of Our Blessed Saviour’, which was established by Royal Charter in May 1631 and remained here until the building was demolished in 1841 (Farrelly et al. 1993, 40; Bradley 2000, 26). In 1783, the 'Poorhouse called a “hospital”' was repaired and it held at this time eight widows with their families ((Bradley 2000, 26). In c. 1839 its residents were transferred to the Ormonde Almshouse on Barrack Street and the building was subsequently demolished in 1841 (Hogan 1884, 270). The site is currently occupied by the N side of the Allied Irish Bank building. Fabric belonging to the almshouse may survive within the basement level of the bank building. Excavations carried out in advance of construction of the present multi-storey carpark and leisure centre on the N side of Ormonde Street by Judith Carroll (97E0468; Areas 1, 3, 5) included the plot to the rear of the site of the almshouse, which extended 130m W from Pudding Lane to the town wall (Carroll 2000, 121-3; 2002, unpublished). The precise limits of the property plot for the almshouse are unclear but are probably represented by the northernmost boundary to Kellys Lane shown on John Rocque's 1758 map of Kilkenny. Within this area the excavations uncovered six human skeletal burials. Two of the burials were excavated on the E side of the plot, 30m to the west of the site of the almshouse and the other four were located 130m from the almshouse at the rear of the plot. The pair closest to the almshouse were orientated E-W, with their heads to the W, whilst three of those to the rear of the plot were orientated N-S and one E-W. The disarticulated partial remains of an adult female were also recovered from a nearby post-medieval pit. Whilst the date of these burials was not established it is likely they were burials associated with the use of the nearby hospital/almshouse. Extensive pitting, gullies and slots for earth-fast sill-beam structures were also identified within the excavated portion of the plot. Excavations ceased at the formation level of the present multi-storey carpark development and significant archaeological features thus remain in situ below this level. Compiled by: Cóilín Ó Drisceoil Date of upload: 14 December 2020