Newtown Jerpoint
Encyclopedia
The medieval lost town of Newtown Jerpoint is just west of the Cistercian Jerpoint Abbey, near Thomastown
, County Kilkenny
, Ireland
. It is located 3.2 km south west from Thomastown
just off the N9 national primary road.
In the grounds of the privately owned Jerpoint Park.
St. Nicholas’s Church and graveyard are in the town, where the earthly remains of St. Nicholas of Myra are said to buried.
Belmore House stands at the top of the town.
is believed to have been buried in Newtown Jerpoint some 800 years ago. The grave slab features a cleric with the heads of two knights behind each shoulder and is said to be St Nicholas and the heads, the two crusaders who, so the story goes, brought Nicholas' remains back to Ireland
Evidence lends some possible credence to this tale as the Normans
in Kilkenny
were keen collectors of religious relics. And it is known that Norman knights participated in the Holy Land Crusades
Another version of the story tells of a French family, the de Frainets, who removed Nicholas' remains from Myra
to Bari
, Italy
, in 1169 when Bari
was under the Normans
. The de Frainets were crusaders
to the Holy Land
and also owned land in Thomastown
, Ireland
. After the Normans
were forced out of Bari
, the de Frainets moved to Nice
, France
, taking the relics with them. When the Normans
lost power in France
, Nicholas de Frainet moved to Ireland. This story has the relics being buried in Jerpoint in 1200.
and the Discovery Programme that used Lidar
to show the extent of Newtown Jerpoint.
“One of Ireland’s best surviving examples of a deserted 12th Century Medieval Town” ....... Quote from The Heritage Council of Ireland
Thomastown
-Landmarks:Kilfane Glen is a restored historic 1790s garden of romantic era with waterfall, woodland walks and cottage orne. The garden is listed as an Irish Heritage garden and was awarded assistance in 1993 by the European Union Cultural Commission...
, County Kilkenny
County Kilkenny
County Kilkenny is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. The territory of the county was the core part of the ancient Irish Kingdom of Osraige which in turn was the core of the Diocese of...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. It is located 3.2 km south west from Thomastown
Thomastown
-Landmarks:Kilfane Glen is a restored historic 1790s garden of romantic era with waterfall, woodland walks and cottage orne. The garden is listed as an Irish Heritage garden and was awarded assistance in 1993 by the European Union Cultural Commission...
just off the N9 national primary road.
In the grounds of the privately owned Jerpoint Park.
St. Nicholas’s Church and graveyard are in the town, where the earthly remains of St. Nicholas of Myra are said to buried.
Belmore House stands at the top of the town.
History
- The lost town of Newtown Jerpoint. It was founded by either Earl Marshall or Griffin Fitzwilliam in 12th century where the main crossing of the River NoreRiver NoreThe River Nore is a long river located in south-east of Ireland. Along with the River Suir and River Barrow, it is one of the constituent rivers of the group known as the Three Sisters. The river drains approximately of Leinster. The river rises in the Devil's Bit Mountain, North Tipperary...
was formed by a toll bridgeToll bridgeA toll bridge is a bridge over which traffic may pass upon payment of a toll, or fee.- History :The practice of collecting tolls on bridges probably harks back to the days of ferry crossings where people paid a fee to be ferried across stretches of water. As boats became impractical to carry large...
, giving Jerpoint its name as it means 'Nore bridge'. - It was a vibrant town, with approx 27 dwelling houses, a court house, woollen mill, a tanneryTanneryTannery may refer to:* Tannery , a facility where the tanning process is applied to hide to produce leather* Paul Tannery , a French mathematician and historian of mathematics...
, a breweryBreweryA brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
and reputed to have had 14 taverns. - Newtown Jerpoint lasted at least into the 17th century, but eventually declined, perhaps from the loss of its bridge and the re-routing of the road. Its visible remains and its close proximity to one of Ireland’s best-known and well-preserved Cistercian abbeys makes Newtown Jerpoint one of the most important sites in the study of medieval settlements in Ireland.
- The ruins of St Nicholas’ medieval parish church dates from the 12th - 13th century, with a late medieval roodRood screenThe rood screen is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, or wrought iron...
gallery and a tower where the parish priest would have resided. - Belmore House was commissioned as a hunting lodge by Earl BelmoreEarl BelmoreEarl Belmore is a title in the Peerage of Ireland created in 1797 for Armar Lowry-Corry, 1st Viscount Belmore, who had previously represented County Tyrone in the Irish House of Commons. He had already been created Baron Belmore, of Castle Coole in County Fermanagh, in 1781 and Viscount Belmore in...
in the 18th century and designed by the Irish architect Sir Richard MorrisonSir Richard Morrison-Life:He was born at Midleton, County Cork, the son of John Morrison, also an architect. Originally intended for the church, he was eventually placed as pupil with James Gandon, the architect, in Dublin...
. An extension of the house was planned as a square villa at the east end of the house with the rest of the house to become a service wing, but it was never built. The Earl of Belmore's main residence was Castle CooleCastle CooleCastle Coole is a townland and a late-18th-century neo-classical mansion situated in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.Set in a 1200 acre wooded estate, it is one of three properties owned and managed by the National Trust in County Fermanagh, the others being Florence Court and the...
, in Co. Fermanagh
Legends
St. Nicholas who inspired the legend of Santa ClausSanta Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
is believed to have been buried in Newtown Jerpoint some 800 years ago. The grave slab features a cleric with the heads of two knights behind each shoulder and is said to be St Nicholas and the heads, the two crusaders who, so the story goes, brought Nicholas' remains back to Ireland
Evidence lends some possible credence to this tale as the Normans
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
in Kilkenny
Kilkenny
Kilkenny is a city and is the county town of the eponymous County Kilkenny in Ireland. It is situated on both banks of the River Nore in the province of Leinster, in the south-east of Ireland...
were keen collectors of religious relics. And it is known that Norman knights participated in the Holy Land Crusades
Another version of the story tells of a French family, the de Frainets, who removed Nicholas' remains from Myra
Myra
Myra is an ancient town in Lycia, where the small town of Kale is situated today in present day Antalya Province of Turkey. It was located on the river Myros , in the fertile alluvial plain between Alaca Dağ, the Massikytos range and the Aegean Sea.- Historical evidence :Although some scholars...
to Bari
Bari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, in 1169 when Bari
Bari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
was under the Normans
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
. The de Frainets were crusaders
Crusaders
The Crusaders are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Christchurch that competes in the Super Rugby competition. They are the most successful team in Super Rugby history with seven titles...
to the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
and also owned land in Thomastown
Thomastown
-Landmarks:Kilfane Glen is a restored historic 1790s garden of romantic era with waterfall, woodland walks and cottage orne. The garden is listed as an Irish Heritage garden and was awarded assistance in 1993 by the European Union Cultural Commission...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. After the Normans
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
were forced out of Bari
Bari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
, the de Frainets moved to Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, taking the relics with them. When the Normans
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
lost power in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Nicholas de Frainet moved to Ireland. This story has the relics being buried in Jerpoint in 1200.
Archeology
A survey was commissioned in 2007 by the Heritage Council IrelandHeritage Council
The National Heritage Council is an organisation created by the Irish government to "propose policies and priorities for the identification, protection, preservation and enhancement of the national heritage."...
and the Discovery Programme that used Lidar
LIDAR
LIDAR is an optical remote sensing technology that can measure the distance to, or other properties of a target by illuminating the target with light, often using pulses from a laser...
to show the extent of Newtown Jerpoint.
“One of Ireland’s best surviving examples of a deserted 12th Century Medieval Town” ....... Quote from The Heritage Council of Ireland
Heritage Council
The National Heritage Council is an organisation created by the Irish government to "propose policies and priorities for the identification, protection, preservation and enhancement of the national heritage."...
External links
- http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/ireland/
- http://thepeerage.com/p1138.htm
- http://www.jerpointpark.com/