Religious house - Augustinian, of Arrouaise nuns

The National Monuments Service's description

Known as 'St Mary de Hogges' Abbey which was a convent of Arroasian nuns situated in the vicinity of the present church of St. Andrews (DU018-020072-). Founded c. 1146 by Diarmaid MacMurchada, King of Leinster, and attached to the principal House at Clonard, Co. Meath (ME047-007----) (Gwynn and Hadcock, 1970, 316). According to Clarke (2002, 5) Ragnall mac Torcaill; 'established a community of Arroasian nuns next to the former Viking assembly place [DU018-020132-] and the burial ground of pagan rulers. This abbey came to be known as St Mary de Hogges', after the haugar still standing outside the nuns' boundary wall'. It appears to have been rebuilt in the reign of John (Gilbert 1854-9, 3, 2). In 1536 it possessed a church with bell tower, dormitory, chapter house, other buildings and a two acre walled pasture (Clarke 2002, 19). After the Dissolution of the monasteries the church and other buildings were demolished by William Brabazon (Gilbert 1854-9 3, 351). St Andrews Street was formerly known as 'Hog Hill' as depicted on Rocque's 1756 map of Dublin City.
Described in the Urban Survey of Dublin City as follows; 'It was situated in the vicinity of the present St Andrew's church (C of I) [DU018-020072-], and the appellation "de hogges" is derived from the Viking burial mound [DU018-020132-] which was located nearby. These mounds also gave their name to Hoggen Green, later College Green. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries the church and other buildings were demolished by William Brabazon, under-treasurer of Ireland, and the materials were used to repair Dublin castle (Gilbert 1854-9, iii, 351). In 1550 the site was granted to Richard Fyant and others that they might establish six "lowmes [lloms] of lynnen and woolen yarne" which were intended to employ weavers, spinners, and others who would otherwise be idle (Gilbert 1854-9, iii, 6). The convent seems to have owned a considerable stretch of land, extending from College Green to Merrion Square and from Stephen's Green North to Nassau Street (Donnelly 1905, ii, 128).
The present de-consecrated 19th century Church of Ireland St Andrew's Church and graveyard was built on the site of the 17th-century St. Andrew's Church (DU018-020072-) and graveyard and partially on the 'Site of' the 'Nunnery of St. Mary de Hogges' as annotated on the OSi 25-inch map and on the 1892 OSi City of Dublin: sheet 57.

See attached section of 1892 OSi City of Dublin: sheet XVIII.57 ("City of Dublin," held by Ordnance Survey Ireland. © Public domain. Digital content: © Ordnance Survey Ireland, published by UCD Library, University College Dublin <http://digital.ucd.ie/view/ucdlib:40905>).

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 26 July 2023

References

Clarke, H.B. (ed.) 2002 Dublin, Part 1, to 1610. Irish Historic Towns Atlas, No. 11. Dublin. Royal Irish Academy.

Gwynn, A. and Hadcock, R.N. 1970 (Reprint 1988) Medieval religious houses of Ireland. Dublin. Irish Academic Press.

Gilbert, J.T. 1854-9 (Reprint 1978) A history of the city of Dublin, 3 vols. Dublin. Gill and Macmillan.

Donnelly, N. 1905 A short history of some Dublin parishes. Dublin. Carraig Books.

Clarke, H.B. 1978 Dublin c. 840 - c. 1540: the medieval town in the modern city. Dublin.

Bradley, J. and King, H.A. 1988 Urban archaeological survey - county Dublin (4 vols.). Unpublished report commissioned by the Office of Public Works, Dublin.

Rocque, J. 1756 An exact survey of the city and suburbs of Dublin. Available at https://libguides.ucd.ie/findingmaps/mapshistDublin Accessed on 5 January .