Church

The National Monuments Service's description

The site of the parish church of St. Peter's (1863-67) was the site of an earlier church. This was a T-shaped building with a N transept and galleries built on a site donated by Francis Aungier in 1680 (Bradley & King 1987, 2, 128; FMD map 1978, F17). Excavations in 1999 revealed paving tiles and 69 burials (Coughlan & Nellis 2001, 4, 6). The church of St Peter is located in one of the 'oldest parishes of Dublin, and is listed among the possessions of Holy Trinity in Alexander III's bull of 1179' (Bradley 1992). Certainly it was in existence prior to the arrival of the Anglo-Normans, as evidenced by its full name, St Peter's de la Hulle. It functioned as one of the original parochial churches of Anglo-Norman Dublin. By 1370 it was in such a state of disrepair that it was described as 'ruined to its foundations', and a papal indulgence was granted of '1 year and 40 days to repair it' (Donnelly 1911, ii, 135). St Peter's is believed to be the best candidate among the medieval churches on the south side of the city to have been a pre-Norse foundation (Clarke 1990).

Compiled by: Geraldine Stout

Date of upload: 19 November 2012.

References

Bradley, J. & King, H. (1988) Urban Archaeological Survey, Dublin, Volume 4. A report commissioned by the Office of Public works (Unpublished).

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

Bradley, J. 1992 The topographical development of Scandinavian Dublin. In K. Whelan & F.H.A. Aalen (eds), Dublin City and County: From Past to present, 43-56. Dublin. Geography Publications.

Coughlan, T. 2000 St. Mary's Church, St. Mary's Street, Wolfe Tone Street, Dublin. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 1998: summary accounts of excavations in Ireland, 55. Bray. Wordwell.