Church of St. Nicholas Within
Encyclopedia
St. Nicholas Within is a former Church of Ireland
parish church in Dublin city, Ireland
. It was located at the corner of Nicholas St. and Christ Church Place, where part of its entrance may be seen next to the Peace Park. The term may also refer to the civil parish
in the barony
of Dublin City which was one of nine and a half baronies in the old County Dublin
.
and the Deanery of St Patrick
. The parish was divided into two parts: St. Nicholas Within the Walls and St. Nicholas Without
.
The church fell into disrepair in the 17th century, and was rebuilt in 1707. By 1835 it was again having problems, and it was unroofed, although a chapel in the church, St. Mary's, continued to be used until 1847. It was planned to demolish the church and build a new one. However, this was never done, and the parish united with that of St. Audoen
in 1867.
The parish was the smallest parish in Dublin, measuring 5 acres (20,234.3 m²), 11 perches. At the time of its unification with St. Audoen's the population of the parish was 1,838, of which only 184 belonged to the established (i.e., Church of Ireland
) church.
The parish corresponded to the civil parish of the same name.
Alexander Montgomery
(1686–1729), soldier and politician from County Donegal
, was buried here on 22 December 1729.
gave the Earl of Worcester
permission to found a chantry
in honour of God and the Blessed Virgin Mary and to have masses said for the benefit of the founders and all the departed. It was established in St Nicholas Within in the chapel of St. Mary and was under the authority of the Provincial of the Augustinian Friars
of England. After the dissolution of the monasteries chantries in parish churches in England were abolished, but no act was passed to abolish them in Ireland and some continued to function according to the use of the Church of Ireland, and in this way the chantry of St. Mary continued to function, as a sinecure
, until 1882.
(1615–1681), from Denbighshire
, Wales
became curate at this church in 1661. He went on to become Archdeacon of Derry
.
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
parish church in Dublin city, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. It was located at the corner of Nicholas St. and Christ Church Place, where part of its entrance may be seen next to the Peace Park. The term may also refer to the civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the barony
Barony (Ireland)
In Ireland, a barony is a historical subdivision of a county. They were created, like the counties, in the centuries after the Norman invasion, and were analogous to the hundreds into which the counties of England were divided. In early use they were also called cantreds...
of Dublin City which was one of nine and a half baronies in the old County Dublin
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
.
The church
The original church was built in the 11th century by Bishop Donat and was dedicated to St. Nicholas of Myra, the patron saint of sailors. It received its name during the episcopate of Alexander de Bicknor (1317–1349), when the parish of St. Nicholas was extended outside the city so as to include the Manor of St. SepulchreManor of St. Sepulchre
The Manor of St. Sepulchre was one of several manors, or liberties, that existed in Dublin, Ireland since the arrival of the Anglo-Normans in the 12th century. They were town lands united to the city, but still preserving their own jurisdiction.St...
and the Deanery of St Patrick
Deanery of St Patrick
The Deanary of St. Patrick was one of several manors, or liberties, that existed in Dublin, Ireland since the arrival of the Anglo-Normans in the 12th century. They were town lands united to the city, but still preserving their own jurisdiction. The Lord of the Manor was the Dean and Chapter of St....
. The parish was divided into two parts: St. Nicholas Within the Walls and St. Nicholas Without
Church of St. Nicholas Without, Dublin
St. Nicholas Without is a former Church of Ireland parish church in Dublin, Ireland. For several hundred years the north transept of St. Patrick's Cathedral formed the church, with a wall separating it from the cathedral.-The church:...
.
The church fell into disrepair in the 17th century, and was rebuilt in 1707. By 1835 it was again having problems, and it was unroofed, although a chapel in the church, St. Mary's, continued to be used until 1847. It was planned to demolish the church and build a new one. However, this was never done, and the parish united with that of St. Audoen
St. Audoen's Church
St. Audoen's Church is the church of the parish of St. Audoen in the Church of Ireland, located south of the River Liffey at Cornmarket in Dublin, Ireland. This was close to the centre of the medieval city. The parish is in the Diocese of Dublin and Glendalough. St. Audoen's is the oldest parish...
in 1867.
The parish
The parish was first mentioned in Pope Celestine's Bull of 1191, listing prebends.The parish was the smallest parish in Dublin, measuring 5 acres (20,234.3 m²), 11 perches. At the time of its unification with St. Audoen's the population of the parish was 1,838, of which only 184 belonged to the established (i.e., Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
) church.
The parish corresponded to the civil parish of the same name.
The cemetery
The greater part of the graveyard was taken over by Dublin Corporation when building the Tholsel nearby. All that remained was a passage to the vaults. The names of those interred are available in the parish registers.Alexander Montgomery
Alexander Montgomery (1686–1729)
Colonel Alexander Montgomery was an Irish soldier and politician.Montgomery of the Scots Greys cavalry, lived in Convoy House, Convoy, County Donegal, Ireland. He was born in 1686, the second son of Major John Montgomery and his first wife Catherine, the daughter of the Reverend James Auchinleck...
(1686–1729), soldier and politician from County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
, was buried here on 22 December 1729.
Chantry of St. Mary
In 1469 Edward IVEdward IV of England
Edward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 3 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...
gave the Earl of Worcester
John Tiptoft, 1st Earl of Worcester
John Tiptoft, 1st Earl of Worcester KG , English nobleman and scholar, was the son of John Tiptoft, 1st Baron Tiptoft and Joyce Cherleton, co-heiress of Edward Charleton, 5th Baron Cherleton. He was also known as the Butcher of England...
permission to found a chantry
Chantry
Chantry is the English term for a fund established to pay for a priest to celebrate sung Masses for a specified purpose, generally for the soul of the deceased donor. Chantries were endowed with lands given by donors, the income from which maintained the chantry priest...
in honour of God and the Blessed Virgin Mary and to have masses said for the benefit of the founders and all the departed. It was established in St Nicholas Within in the chapel of St. Mary and was under the authority of the Provincial of the Augustinian Friars
Augustinians
The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:...
of England. After the dissolution of the monasteries chantries in parish churches in England were abolished, but no act was passed to abolish them in Ireland and some continued to function according to the use of the Church of Ireland, and in this way the chantry of St. Mary continued to function, as a sinecure
Sinecure
A sinecure means an office that requires or involves little or no responsibility, labour, or active service...
, until 1882.
Notable parisioners
Jonathan EdwardsJonathan Edwards (archdeacon)
Jonathan Edwards was born in Stansty, Denbighshire, Wales. He was educated at Jesus College, Oxford, matriculating on 3 February 1633 and obtaining degrees of B.A. on 9 June 1634, M.A. on 24 April 1637 and D.D. in November 1642. He was a Fellow of Jesus College from 1636 to 1648. He was a...
(1615–1681), from Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
became curate at this church in 1661. He went on to become Archdeacon of Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
.