Religious house - Knights Hospitallers

The National Monuments Service's description

A preceptory of Knights Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem was founded sometime before 1212 by Maurice Fitzgerald on the site of 'Cell céli críst' (KD020-007002-) an early monastery (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 334, 338). No foundation charter or original grant of land survives and one of the earliest references to the preceptory is in the Justiciary Rolls of 1308. Three general chapters of the order were held at Kilteel in 1326, 1333 and 1334, and from the 14th century onwards Kilteel held an important position strategically between the Irish in Wicklow and the Anglo-Normans in Kildare and Dublin (Manning 1982, 176-7). On the moderate, SE-facing, pasture slope of a minor valley through which a small stream (now dried up) flowed SW, and overlooked by slightly higher ground WSW-N-NE. The surviving remains are generally very poorly preserved and comprise: A) a large, roughly rectangular, earthen enclosure; B) a ruined building; C) the remains of a gatehouse, and D) the ruins of a possible second gatehouse. A fine tower house (KD020-006----) with attached gatehouse (KD020-006001-) and possible bawn (KD020-006002-), located at the NW corner of the remains, augmented the defences in the 15th century, and presumably influenced the line chosen for the Pale Boundary, portion of which (KD020-008----) runs immediately S and W of the preceptory. Portion of high cross (KD020-007005-) stands on the roadside bordering the remains along the NW.

A) Enclosure (IG E 298495 N 221251: ITM E 698424 N 721280 ) A large, poorly preserved enclosure is visible on aerial photographs taken 23/07/1963 (CUCAP AIG064) and 1966 (CUCAP APA056/AP012). On a moderate SE-facing slope. A large, roughly rectangular area (est. dims. L c. 200m NE-SW; Wth c. 150m NW-SE) where, in 2002, limited archaeological excavation in advance of private development (Hagen 2004, 257 (947); Licence no. 02E1467) of a narrow section at the NE corner of the enclosure, found the enclosing elements to comprise a low, broad, inner earthen bank (Wth 5m), a narrow fosse (Wth 1.5m) and a second, low, broad, outer bank (Wth 7m; int. H 0.3m)

B) Building (IG E 298495 N 221251: ITM E 698424 N 721280 ) Near the SE foot of the valley slope with a dry stream bed c. 20m to the SE, and within the above enclosure. A very poorly preserved structure comprises the remains of a short S wall (L 7.15m E-W; H 4.5m; wall T 1.6m) and the corner angle of the W end of a parallel N wall (L 2.2m E-W; 2.2m N-S; H 4.5m; wall T 1.5m), built of mortared rubble masonry, both forming the W end of a ruined building (int. Wth. 6.8m N-S). The inner face of the S wall contains the undressed voussoirs of a semi-pointed arched window embrasure (H 2.2m; Wth 2.15m), and traces of the springing of a similar arch survive in the N wall opposite. Both windows, and many facing stones are robbed out.

C) Gatehouse (IG E 298567 N 221240: ITM E 698496 N721269) On the level valley floor, only 2m S of, and parallel to, a dry stream bed, and within the enclosure mentioned above. A fairly well-preserved, rectangular structure (L 10.15m E-W; max Wth 2.4m) comprising two, solid, unbattered, rubble masonry columns supporting a gate-arch (Wth 2.95m) of undressed voussoirs on the N wall face. A vaulted arch behind, to the S, is robbed out. While the W column only survives to one storey, the E column is two stories high. At first floor-level, its walls are stepped-out (av. Wth 0.15m), which, together with a squinch on the N wall face, provides a little extra floor area for a very small and now inaccessible guard room which has a vaulted roof (est. int. dims. L c. 3m E-W; Wth c. 1.7m N-W; wall T c. 0.5m). A possible second gatehouse (D, below) stands c. 55m to the ENE

D) Gatehouse (?) (IG E 298622 N 221265 ITM E 698551 N 721294) On the level valley floor, 5m S of a dry stream bed, c. 55m ENE of a gatehouse (C, above) and within the enclosure mentioned above. Two short lengths of thin, coursed, flagstone-walling meet to form an external, S-angle where a battered SW-facing wall (3.2m NW-SE; H 3.4m; wall T 2.6m) joins a vertical SE-facing wall (3.6m NE-SW; H 3.4m; wall T 1.9m). It may be the remains of a gatehouse.

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy

Date of upload: 10 June 2011

References

Manning, C. 1981-2 Excavation at Kilteel Church, Co. Kildare. Journal of the County Kildare Archaeological Society 16, 173-229.

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

CUCAP - Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photographs. Unit for Landscape Modelling, Department of Geography, University of Cambridge. See:https://www.cambridgeairphotos.com