Church

The National Monuments Service's description

On the N side of Walkin St, at the SW edge of a triangular green, within an almost square graveyard (KK019-026002-). According to Hogan (1883, vol. 3, 15, 23-4), St Rock's or Rioc's parish church was here before the foundation of the walled town of Kilkenny, but fell into disuse. Only the graveyard is mentioned in an Inquisition of 1623 and in 1633 Edmond Grace paid the Corporation 6 shillings for a garden at the corner of "St. Roch's churchyard" (Carrigan 1905, vol. 3, 192-3). Any trace of the church at ground level had disappeared by the 19th century, however, a number of the headstones appear to be reused architectural fragments, probably from the church (Farrelly et al. 1993, 105).

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 23 September 2020

References

Carrigan, Rev. W. 1905 (Reprint 1981) The history and antiquities of the diocese of Ossory, 4 vols. Kilkenny. Roberts Books and Wellbrook Press.

Farrelly, J., O'Reilly, B., and Loughran, A. 1993 Urban archaeological survey - county Kilkenny (2 vols.). Unpublished report commissioned by the Office of Public Works, Dublin.

Hogan, J. 1883 Enquiry respecting the history of three of the ancient parish churches of Kilkenny known as St. Patrick's, St. Maul's and St. Rocks. Transactions of the Ossory Archaeological Society 3, part 1, 16-34.