Chapel

The National Monuments Service's description

The medieval chapel known as the 'Lady Chapel' or 'St. Mary's Chapel' was located at the E end of Werburgh Street and stood on the S side of the chancel of St. Werburgh's Church (DU018-020090-) which stands on the site of St. Werburgh's Church of Ireland church (Clarke 2002, 20). In 1346 there is a reference in Christ Church Deeds to the new chapel of Blessed Virgin Mary (Clarke 2002, 18). In 1577 St. Mary's Chapel was annexed to St. Werburgh's Church (Holinshed 1577, 44). According to Robinson (1914, 135-6); 'St. Werburgh's [DU018-020090-] had, as we have seen, two chapels - the Lady Chapel and St. Martin's Chapel [DU018-020068-]. They were not, as was often the case, merely a part of the church fenced off by wooden screens, like the former Kildare Chapel in Christ Church Cathedral; they were buildings standing north and south of the chancel. That on the north was St. Martin's Chapel, and it gave its name to St. Martin's Lane, a short lane between the church and Castle Street, which disappeared only in the eighteenth century. Each chapel was lighted by a single window; at their east ends they had images of the Blessed Virgin and St. Martin, which seem to have stood, not in recesses, but upon brackets or 'thrones' affixed to the wall. The floors were tiled, and were strown with rushes on special occasions. A few entries relating to these chapels may be given. 1495-6. 'Item for the telyng (tiling) of ye mary chapell xiid.', 1496-7. 'Item for castyng away stones from oure lady chapell wall and all othere filth in a whele barow caried into the lane vd.' 1567-70 Item for a newe barr Iron for the wyndowe in the mary chapell xvid'. No surface remains visible of this chapel which stood on the S side of the chancel of St. Werburgh's medieval church (DU018-020090-).

Robinson, J.L. 1914 Churchwardens' Accounts, 1484-1600, St. Werburgh's Church, Dublin. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Vol. 4, No. 2, 132-142.

Compiled by: Geraldine Stout

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 2 June 2023

References

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

Clarke, H.B. 2002 Irish Historic Towns Atlas No. 11: Dublin, part I, to 1610. Royal Irish Academy. Dublin.

Holinshed, R. 1577 Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande.