St. Wolstan's Priory is a former Augustinian (Victorine) monastery located in County Kildare, Ireland.[2]
Prióireacht San Ualstain[1] | |
 Remnants of the abbey, viewed from the north. | |
  Location relative to Dublin  St. Wolstan's Priory (Ireland) | |
| Monastery information | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Scala Caeli |
| Order | Victorines |
| Established | 1202/05 |
| Mother house | Abbey of Saint-Victor, Paris |
| Diocese | Dublin |
| People | |
| Founder(s) | Adam de Hereford |
| Architecture | |
| Status | ruined |
| Style | Norman |
| Site | |
| Location | St. Wolstan's, Celbridge, County Kildare |
| Coordinates | 53°20′37″N 6°31′02″W / 53.343605°N 6.517151°W |
| Visible remains | two gateways, tower |
| Public access | No |
Location edit
St. Wolstan's Priory is located on the eastern edge of Celbridge, on the south bank of the River Liffey; it lies 1 km (0.62 mi) southeast of Castletown House and about 1.8 km (1.1 mi) east-northeast of Celbridge's Main Street.
History edit
The priory was founded in 1202 (or, according to William of Ware, 1205) by Adam de Hereford, one of the Anglo-Norman leaders of the Norman conquest of Ireland. It was founded for canons of the order of St Victor and was named after the recently canonised Saint Wulfstan (died 1095). The early buildings were nicknamed Scala Coeli, "stairs of heaven."[3]
The monastery was granted the lands around Donaghcumper Church. In 1271 William de Mandesham, seneschal to Fulk Basset, Archbishop of Dublin, granted to the priory the lands of Tristildelane, modern Castledillon.[citation needed]
In 1308 a bridge across the River Liffey was built at his own expense by John Le Decer, Mayor of Dublin, next to the gate of St. Wolstan's.[4] In 1314 the churches of Stacumney and Donaghmore were granted to the sole and separate use of the prior.[citation needed]
In 1536 the priory and lands were seized by King Henry VIII as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries. It was the first monastery in Ireland to be suppressed and the last prior, Richard Weston, was granted a room in the monastery and supplied with food and fuel for the rest of his life.[5] It was granted to John Alan, Lord Chancellor of Ireland, in 1538.[6]
The buildings of the priory were probably converted into a house for Sir John Alan before his death in 1561.[7] The Alen family lived at St. Wolstans for 216 years. They resided in the priory for much of this period and later built the house.[5]
In 1782 the ruins were visited and sketched by Austin Cooper (1759–1830).[8]
In 1955 the site was purchased by the Holy Faith Sisters, who established St. Wolstan's Holy Faith Convent School. The school has since moved site but retains the name of St Wolstan's Community School.
It was partially excavated in 2002 as part of an archeological assessment, but nothing of significance was found.[9]
Remains edit
The remains consist of two gateways, a four-storey tower, and two fragments.[3][10]
References edit
- ^ "Prióireacht San Ualstain/Saint Wolstans".
- ^ Murray, James (21 July 2011). Enforcing the English Reformation in Ireland: Clerical Resistance and ... - James Murray - Google Books. ISBN 9780521369947. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
- ^ a b "St Wolstan's by William Kirkpatrick (1896) | Ardclough Community Council". Ardclough.wordpress.com. 5 October 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
- ^ Lewis, Samuel (1837). "A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland - Samuel Lewis - Google Books". Retrieved 15 January 2020.
- ^ a b By: Mick @ MBE (6 June 2014). "Ruins of St Wolstans Monastry [sic] Adam de Hereford, a Norman K…". Flickr. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
- ^ Betham, William "Baronetage of England" London 1803
- ^ "1730s – St Wolstan's, Celbridge, Co. Kildare – Archiseek – Irish Architecture". Archiseek.com. 14 March 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
- ^ "Holdings: Ruins of the Priory of St: Wolstan, Co:y Kildare". Catalogue.nli.ie. 26 May 1782. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
- ^ "8205 « Excavations". Excavations.ie. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
- ^ "St Wolstan's Priory, Co. Kildare: this four-storey tower has also undergone major renovations | The Discovery Programme - Europeana Collections". Europeana.eu. Retrieved 15 January 2020.