Church in Kilkenny Abbey

According to Gwynn and Hadcock a monastery was founded here in the mid-sixth century by St. Canice (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 391). Medieval parish church ruins of Kilkenny depicted on the 1659 Down Survey map of Kilkenny barony (NLI, MS 723-4). In 1682 Sir Henry Piers recorded that the name west had been added to Kilkenny in order to distinguish it from the city of Kilkenny (Vallancey 1770, 81). In this year Piers wrote that in the townland of Kilkenny West there are ‘yet to be seen some reliques of an abby or monastery (WM023-026----) belonging to the Knights Templars. In this place also standeth a church in good repair’ (Ibid., 81). This reference suggests that the chapel (WM023-025002-) standing in the SE quadrant of the graveyard was the only church standing in this graveyard in 1682. Present remains consist of a 19th century Church of Ireland church, now disused & in ruinous condition standing in N quadrant of a sub-rectangular shaped graveyard (WM023-025001-). To SE of the 19th century church, within the graveyard there is a small rectangular chapel (WM023-025002-). St. Kenny's [Canice] holy well (WM023-024----) located 240m to NE, site of abbey (WM023-026----) 70m to SSE and Kilkenny Castle (WM023-023---) 100m to W. The 19th century church was described by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage as a 'freestanding Church of Ireland church, rebuilt c.1839 and possibly incorporating the remains of a earlier church, c.1550, comprising three-bay hall with cut stone bellcote over entrance gable (west). Now roofless and out of use. Originally had pitched natural slate roof with rasied limestone verges to either end having cut stone kneelers. Constructed of coursed limestone over dressed limestone plinth with raised dressed limestone quoins to the corners. Cut stone date plaque over main entrance reads "Erected by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners of Ireland AD 1839, Joseph Welland" '(www.buildignsofireland.ie). There is no evidence of any earlier church fabric in the existing 19th century church ruins. Architectural fragments consisting of a punch dressed quoin and a window mullion belonging to the medieval church have been reused as grave-markers to the S of the 19th century church. The medieval church site may have been replaced by the Church of Ireland church or was located elsewhere within the graveyard or that the chapel (WM023-025002-) standing in the SE quadrant of the graveyard represents the partial remains of the medieval parish church. The baptismal font (WM023-025003-) belonging to the medieval church is now located (WM023-024001-) beside St. Kenny's holy well (WM023-024----) Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 6 July 2015