Historic town in Garrynamann Lower,glebe (kells By.),kells,kellsborough,rathduff (madden)

The town of Kells and the Augustinian Priory were founded in 1193 by Geoffry fitz Robert de Monte Marisco (Killanin and Duignan 1967, 314). The town was granted a borough charter in 1211-16 but there are appear to be no murage grants (Thomas 1992, vol. 2, 243-4). The privileges granted to the burgesses of Kells by his foundation charter were further augmented by subsequent charters granted by his sons and successors to Kells, William and John de Monte Mauriso (Carrigan 1905, vol. 4, 53-4). The town suffered numerous assaults from the late 13th into 14th century. In 1252 the town was burned by William de Bermingham, in 1316 it was taken by Edward Bruce and in 1327 it was again burned by the de Berminghams, this time with the Geraldines (Carrigan 1905, vol. 4, 54; Killanin and Duignan 1967, 314). In 1346 the town, formerly the property of Eustace le Poer, was granted to Walter de Bermingham when the former was hanged for treason (Carrigan 1905, vol. 4, 54). The town may originally have been centred on the motte (KK027-029001-). On the Down Survey map (1655-8) and area called ‘Common Green’ is depicted between the present RC church and the Augustinian Priory. Recent aerial photographs (Simon Dowling, 14 December 2013; http://aerialarchaeology.blogspot.ie/2013/09/kells-priory-co-kilkenny.html) have shown earthworks which appear to indicate the remains of a borough S of the priory, in the fields immediately S and SW of the medieval parish church (KK027-029009-) which was incorporated in a later, now ruinous, C of I church. The earthworks consist of boundaries running roughly E-W, probably denoting burgage plots, with a roadway running roughly N-S through the middle. The boundaries on the E side of the roadway have been truncated by a modern public road running N-S. A market cross base (KK027-029012-) is located at the N end of these earthworks. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 19 March 2014