Kilbarry Church (in ruins); Monastery (in ruins) — Kilbarry

Situated at the W edge of a broad marshy basin. The church of St Barry was granted to the Knights Templar before 1180 and passed to the Knights Hospitallers in 1311. It was farmed out sometime before 1527 (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 330, 336; Wood 1906-07, 369-70) although it continued in use as the parish church of Kilbarry. It is described as in repair in 1615 (Anon. 1902, 111). Described by O’Donovan c. 1840 as a church ‘40ft by 17ft’ (c. 12.2m x 5.18m) with a double belfry over the W gable (O’Flanagan 1929, 1-2). A fragment of the S wall survives (L 4m) within a subrectangular graveyard (WA017-003002-) (dims. 36m NW-SE; 19m NE-SW at NW; 30m NE-SW at SE) defined by a high masonry wall (int. H c. 2m). A smaller building (WA017-003003-) described by O'Donovan as ‘17ft by 15ft’ (c. 5.18m x 4.5m) and attached to the church at its SE angle, and a larger building (WA017-003004-) (L 58ft; c. 17.67m) S of the church (ibid.), have been removed, but traces of the latter have been discovered in excavation (04E0285) during 2007 (Pollock 2010b). This is a masonry structure, but just to its S is another contemporary timber structure (WA017-003009-). A table tomb (WA017-003005-), possibly late 16th century in date, is S of the church but the cover described by Ryland (1824, 288) is missing. Architectural fragments (WA017-003007-) including the remains of a pointed doorway, are within the rectangular graveyard. Archaeological testing (04E0285) during 2004 and 2007 identified three phases of a roadway (WA017-003008-) extending SW from the graveyard (Pollock 2007b). In its last form it was a silt-coverd cobbled surface (Wth c. 10m; L c. 90m) defined by field banks on either side. This is a continuation of a country road marked on the 1840 and 1951 OS 6-inch maps and continues today as Lacken Road. (Pollock 2004b) Anon. (1902) Documents illustrating the history of Waterford: 1 – The Protestant diocese of Waterford in 1615. WAJ 8, 103-19. Gwynn, A. and Hadcock, R. N. (1970) (reprint 1988) Medieval religious houses in Ireland. Irish Academic Press, Dublin. O’Flanagan, M. (Compiler) (1929) Letters containing information relative to the antiquities of the county of Waterford collected during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1841. Typescript. Bray. Pollock, D. (2004b) Second interim report on archaeological monitoring of ground works assocaited with a houseing development at Lacken Road, Kilbarry, Waterford. Unpublished report. DOEHG. For S and K Carey Ltd. Pollock, D. (2007b) Kilbarry. Medieval: monastic. in I. Bennett (ed.) Excavations 2004. summary account of excavations in Ireland, 426, No 1678. Wordwell. Dublin. Pollock, D. (2007c) Archaeological excavations and monitoring at Lacken Road, Kilbarry, Waterford, June, July 2007. Unpublished report. DEHLG. Archaeografix Pollock, D. (2010b) Lacken Road, Kilbarry. Medieval preceptory. in I. Bennett (ed.) Excavations 2007. summary account of excavations in Ireland, 514, No 1818. Wordwell. Dublin. Ryland, Rev. R. H. (1824) The History, topography and antiquities of the county and city of Waterford. John Murray. London. Wood, H. (1906-07) The Templars in Ireland. PRIA 26C, 327-77. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Waterford' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 26 September 2011