Church

The National Monuments Service's description

The Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1985, 326) recorded the following about St. Laurence's Church; 'A tithe of the corn of "all the citizens of Cottheun" is listed among the possessions of the diocese of Limerick in the inquisition of 1200-1 (MacCaffrey 1907, 27, 29) while the tithes of Cotheann "outside the city" are mentioned in Bishop Donatus O’Brien’s ordinance of 1204-6 (ibid., 116). In the taxation of 1418 it is listed as "ecclesie de Cottyn, alias sancti Laurencii extra murum" (ibid., 146). It was located near the County Hospital but no trace now remains (Westropp 1904-5, 359).
In 1827 the following details were recorded; 'St. Laurence's Church stood near the present County Hospital on the Cork road, but of it no vestige remains. The parish, which contains 1,134 inhabitants, is in the gift of the Corporation. It is an entire Rectory, valued in the King's books at 6s. 8d. and possesses no glebe house nor glebe land' (Fitzgerald 1826-7, 560).
Westropp gives the following details about St. Laurence's Church; 'Inq., 1201, also called "Cotthenu," Tythes of fish at "Cotheann extra civitat," named 1204 (B.B.L., p. 109), "Ecc, de Cottyn, alias Sci. Laurencii," Tax. Proc, 1418. See also Martin Arthur's will, 1376, and Royal Visitation, 1633. Site - It stood near the County Hospital, and has been long since demolished' (Westropp 1904.5, 359).

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 3 October 2018

References

Bradley, J., Halpin, A., and King, H.A. 1989 Urban archaeological survey - county Limerick (3 vols.). Unpublished report commissioned by the Office of Public Works, Dublin.

Westropp, T.J. 1904-5 A survey of the ancient churches of Co. Limerick. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 25C, 327-479.

MacCaffrey, J. 1907 The black book of Limerick. Dublin.

Fitzgerald, P. 1826-7 The history, topography, and antiquities of the county and city of Limerick. 2 vols. Dublin.