Ecclesiastical site

The National Monuments Service's description

Described in gothic lettering as a monastery in ruins on the 1839 and 1940 eds of the OS 6-inch map and situated at the bottom of a S-N valley, with the stream known as the Maudlin River c. 70m to the E. John O'Donovan writing c. 1840 (O'Flanagan 1933, vol. 2, 341) records the existence of a wall of what he calls a ‘monastery' here. This may have been a leper hospital of the 13th century since the townland name is derived from Mary Magdalene, a name that was applied to leper hospitals, and it was known locally as St. Magdalen's (OSFM). However, the leper hospital of Rosse appears to have been at Durbard’s Island in the River Barrow/Nore (Lee 1966-7, 148-9) that is now Great Island (WX039-028005-). There are no visible remains of a structure at ground level in a lorry park.

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Wexford' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1996). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload/revision: 31 August, 2012

References

OSFM. Ordnance Survey Field Memorandums. A collection of survey notes and descriptions of monuments on pro-forma sheets compiled by Ordnance Survey field staff in the course of the 1:2500 map revision of various counties, mostly dating from 1931 – early 1960s. These unpublished manuscripts form part of the records of the Archaeological Survey of Ireland, National Monuments Service Archive, Dublin.

Lee, G.A. 1966-7 The leper hospitals of Leinster. Journal of the Kildare Archaeological Society 14, 127-51.