Church

The National Monuments Service's description

St John's Church was probably located on the N side of Thomas Street and formed part of the range of buildings associated with St John the Baptist's Hospital (DU018-020062-). The present Augustinian friary of St John the Baptist and the buildings of John's Lane Distillery occupies the site of the 12th century friary and hospital (Fratres Cruciferi/Crutched Friars) along with the parish church of St. John the Baptish which was situated outside the Newgate [DU018-020377-] on the N side of Thomas Street (Gwynn & Hadcock 1970, 212; Bradley and King 1987, 147-8; Clarke 2002, 17).
In 1540 after the Dissolution of the Monasteries the Hospital of St. John Baptist outside the New Gate, Dublin was described as follows; 'The church and site. After the dissolution, the church was thrown down, and the stones, tiles, timber, glass, and iron were sold by William Brabazon under-treasurer of Ireland to divers persons of the city of Dublin, whose names, and the sums paid by them, are not known. In the precinct, a house lately the chapel of St. Eligius (Eloi) [DU018-02073-], now occupied by Edmund Redman. A chapel of St. Margaret, now unoccupied for want of a tenant and of repairs, and worth nothing at present. A cemetery cont. about ½ acr., now unoccupied and worth nothing at present. A house in which there are 50 beds (grabata] for the sick, with a small parcel of ground adjoining; these of no value beyond their use for the sick. A kitchen with a curtilage commonly called a baline [bawn] and chambers and rooms and other accomodations; these were formerly occupied by the prior for his own use, and are now occupied by Thomas Stephyns merchant for 23.s. 4.d. A house within the cemetery called the Revestre; Patrick Carde, smith; 5s. A house; Richard Harold; 14s. Do.; Richard Workeman, a.v.; 13s. 4.d. A house now occupied by [blank] late abbot of Balkynglasse alias Vallis Salutis for 13.s. 4.d. A house; Nicholas Benet merchant, a.v. ; 13.s. 4.d. A garden (o.) near the mills; Patrick . A garden; Clement Curragh, for term of his wife's life; 2.s. Within the precincts, 3 watermills [DU018-020226-/0096-/230-] operating on a stream [DU018-020374-/0739-] drawn from the Odder; Nicholas Benet, per ind. p.t.a.; rent, 220 pecks of good wheat and malt, value (measure of 12 gallons, 12.d.), II.li. The lessee is exonerated from the twentieth due to the king and from the rent for water due to the city and from all other charges. Total, 13.li. 3.s. 4.d. Memorandum. The king by 1.p. 16 Sept. 1539 granted to farm to Edmund Redman the whole site etc., church, belfry and cemetery and the rest of all the premises, excepting the watermills, for 43.s. 4.d., the lessee to bear all charges' (White 1943, 55-6).
Described in the Urban Survey of Dublin as follows; 'Originally dedicated to St John the Baptist this church was founded by Gillamichell son of Gillamurri who conferred it on the canons of Holy Trinity (McNeill 1950, 29) . It is included among their possessions in the list of Alexander III, dated to c. 1179 (McNeill 1950, 7). In 1350 a licence was granted for the enlargement of the parish church and the erection of a new chapel dedicated to St Mary.' In 1417 the Corporation of Tailors were authorized to found a chantry there (Gilbert 1854—9, i, 48)' (Bradley and King 1987, III, 114). No surface remains visible and the precise location of the church has not been identified.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 30 June 2023

References

White, N.B. 1943 Extents of Irish monastic possessions, 1540-1541. Dublin. Irish Manuscripts Commission.

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.

McNeill 1925 Hospital of St. John Without the New Gate. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 30, 58-64.

McNeill, C. (ed.) 1950 Calendar of Archbishop Alen's Register c. 1172-1534. Dublin. Royal Society of Antiquaries.

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

Bradley, J. & King, H. (1987) Urban Archaeological Survey, Dublin. A report commissioned by the Office of Public works (Unpublished).