Church

The National Monuments Service's description

All Saints Anglican church located on site of medieval church in the centre of the historic town of Mullingar (WM019-089----) with the River Brosna 64m to the E. The 1910 ed. OS 25-inch map depicts the building as 'All Saints' Church on Site of St. Mary's Priory'. The Urban Survey of Westmeath (Bradley et. al. 1985, 117) recorded that this ‘church is first referred to in a charter of c.1192-1202 when it was granted to the Augustinian priory of Llanthony Prima in Wales by Simon de Rochford, Bishop of Meath (Brooks 1953, 34-5). This grant was confirmed, and the dedication to All Saints specified, by William le Petit in a grant of c.1202-10 (Brooks 1953, 216). Further references to the parish church occur in 1205 (Gilbert 1889, 349) and 1465-6 (Cal. papal letters 1933, 470). In 1306 the Ecclesiastical Taxation of Ireland valued the 'Church de Mullingar, with the chapel of Kennegh' at 40 marks (Cal. doc. Ire., 258). In 1381 its cemetery (WM019-089017-) is described as lying between the church and the River Brosna (Brooks 1953, 303). At the Dissolution, the church was still held by Llanthony Priory(White 1943, 316). Bishop Dopping’s Visitation 1682-5 notes that the nave and chancel had been recently restored and were in good repair with a shingled roof and glazed windows (Ellison 1974, 99). In 1682 Sir Henry Piers recorded that ‘ the church (WM019-089016-) also of this town is handsomely rebuilt’ (Vallancey 1786, 78). This building was demolished to make way for the present structure built in 1838.
In 1836 the Dublin Penny Journal depicted the ruins of St. Mary’s Priory as ‘they appeared a few years since, before they were swept away to make room for the additions and improvements in the very handsome new church now on their site’. The illustration depicts a two storey high bell-tower with clasping angle-buttresses and a pointed ground floor doorway with window at first floor level above standing in the graveyard. The bell-tower possesses possible crenellated battlements. This bell-tower was mistakenly identified as St. Mary's Priory and could have been the remains of the residential W tower or bell-tower of the medieval All Saints' parish church before it was pulled down to make way for the present C of I building.
All Saints Anglican church described by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage as a ‘Freestanding Church of Ireland church, rebuilt c.1813 and comprising the fabric of earlier church buildings on site. Remodeled c.1860, c.1878 and c.1894. Comprises a two-bay nave to the west, chancel to the east, single-bay transepts to the north and south and a three-stage tower on square-plan to the west end having clasping diagonal corner buttresses rising to pinnacles over, a spire on octagonal-plan and a crenellated parapet with English-style battlements. Double-height two-bay gable-fronted vestry to the south side of the chancel, added c.1860. Pitched natural slate roofs with crested clay ridge tiles, raised cut stone verges and kneeler stones to gable ends and cast-iron rainwater goods. Cut stone cross finials, mainly in the form of Celtic crosses, to apexes of gables. Moulded cut stone eaves cornice. Nave, chancel and transepts constructed of limestone rubble, changing to ashlar limestone construction over where height of transept and chancel gable raised, c.1878. Vestry to the south side of chancel constructed of coursed/snecked squared rubble stone. Tower to the west side constructed of ashlar limestone with extensive ashlar/cut limestone trim, including clasping diagonal buttresses to corners, moulded pinnacles and string courses separating stages. Pointed-arched window openings to nave having chamfered cut stone surrounds, moulded hoodmouldings over and Y-traceried windows. Pointed segmental-headed multi-light Perpendicular Gothic windows to nave, chancel and vestry, added c.1860, having cut stone tracery, Victorian pictorial stained glass windows and hoodmouldings over’(www.buildingsofireland.ie).

See attached image of bell-tower WM019-089016-_01.jpg taken from Dublin Penny Journal February 27, 1836.

Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 19 June 2015

References

Bradley, J., Halpin, A., and King, H. 1985 Urban archaeological survey - county Westmeath. Unpublished report commissioned by the Office of Public Works, Dublin.

Cal. papal letters - Calendar of entries in the papal registers relating to Great Britain and Ireland: papal letters, 1198-1484 [etc.] (London, 1893-)

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

Ellison, Rev. C. C. 1971-5 Bishop Dopping's Visitation Book 1682-5, Ríocht na Mídhe, 5, 1, 28-39; 5, 2, 3-13; 5, 3, 3-11; 5, 4, 98-103; 6, 1, 3-13.

Vallancey, C. (ed.) 1786 Collectanea de rebus hibernicis, Volume 1. Dublin. Luke White.

Piers, H. 1981 A chorographical description of the county of Westmeath written AD 1682. Meath Archaeologial & Historical Society.

Gilbert, J.T. 1889 Register of the abbey of St Thomas the Martyr, Dublin, 2 vols. London.

Cal. doc. Ire. - Calendar of documents relating to Ireland 1171-1307, ed. H.S. Sweetman (5 vols., London, 1875-86).

Brooks, E. St John 1953 The Irish cartularies of Llanthony Prima and Secunda. Dublin. Irish Manuscripts Commission.