St. Bride's Church, Dublin
Encyclopedia
St. Bride's Church is a former Church of Ireland
church located in Bride St., Dublin, Ireland
.
The original St. Bride's church was an ancient Irish church located south of the walls of Dublin, dating back to pre-Viking times, and dedicated to St. Bridget . It was located north-east of where St. Patrick's Cathedral
now stands. By a grant of St. Laurence O'Toole in 1178, its revenues were appropriated to the Priory of the Holy Trinity (Christ Church Cathedral
), but his was later transferred to the Economy Fund of St. Patrick's Cathedral. Until the Reformation
its history was devoid of incident.
The church (now belonging to the Church of Ireland) was rebuilt in 1684 by Nathaniel Foy
, rector of St. Bride's, born in York
but educated in Dublin. He later became Bishop of Waterford where he founded Bishop Foy's School.
St. Bride's was closed in in 1898, but its fine organ-case can still be seen in the National Museum of Ireland
. It was demolished to make way for the housing development for the poor, the Iveagh Trust
, financed by Edward Guinness, 1st Earl of Iveagh
, which still stands on the spot.
when the land was developed at the turn of the 20th century.
Thomas Carter
(1690–1763), politician and Master of the Rolls in Ireland
, was buried in the church.
O'Hanlon, keeper of the Record Tower in Dublin Castle
, who was killed by Howley, one of the insurgents during the rebellion of Robert Emmet
in 1803, is buried here.
The developer and philanthropist Thomas Pleasants
(1729–1818, after whom Pleasants Street was named) and his wife Mildred Daunt (died 1814) were buried in the churchyard. Among his donations were over £12,000 in 1814 for the erection of a large stove-house near Cork St. for poor weavers in the Liberties
, £8,000 for the building of the Meath Hospital
, and his own house (67 Camden St.) for the provision of a school and orphanage for Protestant girls, along with £1,200 a per annum operational grant and funding for modest dowries for the girls.
In 1707 parts of the parish were taken, along with parts of the parishes of St. Peter
and St. Kevin, to form the new parish of St. Anne
. The parish extended along Bride St. as far as Ship St. (the location of the church of St. Michael de la Pole) on one end and Golden Lane at the other, and eastwards as far as George's St. and Stephen St. (location of the original St. Stephen's church). The parish corresponded to the civil parish of St. Bridget. In 1766, the government ordered a religious census to be carried out by the Protestant clergy, which showed the parish had 430 Catholic families and 84 Protestant families.
Owing to an influx of civil servants and its central location close to the centre of power at Dublin Castle
the parish initially did have some wealthy parishioners. However, a number of economic slumps affecting workers in the Liberties
during the 18th century meant that by the 19th century the parish was one of the poorest in the city, containing many tenements which were unhygienic slums. In 1813 the parish population was 4,367 males and 5,272 females, of whom only a small minority were members of the Established (Church of Ireland
) Church. The population continued to increase, especially during and after the Famine, when this part of Dublin was flooded with poverty-stricken country people looking for work and lodgings.
During a bad economic downturn in 1863 the Carmelite priest Father Spratt, from nearby Whitefriar St. Church
, conducted house-to-house collections throughout the city to raise funds for the most destitute in the parish, which numbered 6,000. The then rector of St. Bride's, Rev. William Carroll, also spent much of his time caring for the poor of the parish, both Catholic and Protestant - he was known as "Father" Carroll by the Catholics of the neighbourhood.
In 1901 the population of the parish was 6,155 and in 1971, after many of the older houses in the neighbourhood had been demolished, it was 1,335.
Sir William Petty (1623–1687) while in Dublin was a pew-holder, vault-owner and prominent member of the parish. He lived firstly in Exchequer St., then on the north side of St. Stephen's Green, where the Shelbourne Hotel now stands.
The writer and politician Sir Richard Steele
was christened in St. Bride's parish Church on 12 March 1672.
Arthur Keene (died 1818), a prominent member of the Methodist community in Dublin in its early days, was married to his wife Isabella by John Wesley
in this church in April 1775.
Many members of the Lloyd family of New Ross
, two of whom (Bartholomew Lloyd (1772–1837) and his son) were provosts of Trinity College, Dublin
were baptized, married or buried in this church. These included Dr Thomas Lloyd (baptized 1756), Christopher Lloyd, Dean of Elphin
(buried 1787) and Alderman Edward Lloyd, Lord Mayor.
The Rev. Peter Le Fanu (1749–1825), a relative of Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
became curate in this parish in the 1770s. He became known as one of the most popular preachers in Dublin and was also a playwright.
Several members of the Domville family were parishioners, one of whom, the father-in-law of William Molyneux
, wrote A Disquisition Touching That Great Question Whether an Act of Parliament Made in England Shall Bind the Kingdom and People of Ireland Without Their Allowance and Acceptance of Such Act in the Kingdom of Ireland, which influenced Molyneux. They were descended from William Domville (1565–1624), who came to Ireland during the reign of James I.
A highly-regarded rector of St. Bride's in the second half of the 19th century was the Rev. William George Carroll (1821–1885), historian and writer. He was an uncle of George Bernard Shaw
and was the first Protestant clergyman in Ireland to declare for Home Rule. He collected a large amount of information regarding his church and parish, discovering a mine of wealth in the old registers, dating back to 1633. It is considered one of the most valuable parochial collections in 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 located in Bride St., Dublin, 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...
.
The church
St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin
Saint Patrick's Cathedral , or more formally, the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Patrick is a cathedral of the Church of Ireland in Dublin, Ireland which was founded in 1191. The Church has designated it as The National Cathedral of Ireland...
now stands. By a grant of St. Laurence O'Toole in 1178, its revenues were appropriated to the Priory of the Holy Trinity (Christ Church Cathedral
Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin
Christ Church Cathedral is the cathedral of the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough and the cathedral of the Ecclesiastical province of the United Provinces of Dublin and Cashel in the Church of Ireland...
), but his was later transferred to the Economy Fund of St. Patrick's Cathedral. Until the Reformation
English Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
its history was devoid of incident.
The church (now belonging to the Church of Ireland) was rebuilt in 1684 by Nathaniel Foy
Nathaniel Foy
Nathaniel Foy, D.D. , was bishop of Waterford and Lismore.Foy was the son of John Foy, M.D., was born at York, and educated at Trinity College, Dublin, of which he became a senior fellow. He was ordained priest in 1670, and in the same year was installed as a canon of Kildare. On 20 December 1678...
, rector of St. Bride's, born in York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
but educated in Dublin. He later became Bishop of Waterford where he founded Bishop Foy's School.
St. Bride's was closed in in 1898, but its fine organ-case can still be seen in the National Museum of Ireland
National Museum of Ireland
The National Museum of Ireland is the national museum in Ireland. It has three branches in Dublin and one in County Mayo, with a strong emphasis on Irish art, culture and natural history.-Archaeology:...
. It was demolished to make way for the housing development for the poor, the Iveagh Trust
Iveagh Trust
The Iveagh Trust is a provider of affordable housing in and around Dublin, Ireland. It was initially a component of the Guinness Trust, founded in 1890 by Edward Guinness, 1st Earl of Iveagh, great-grandson of the founder of the Guinness Brewery, to help homeless people in Dublin and London...
, financed by Edward Guinness, 1st Earl of Iveagh
Edward Guinness, 1st Earl of Iveagh
Edward Cecil Guinness, 1st Earl of Iveagh, KP, GCVO, FRS was an Irish philanthropist and businessman.-Public life:...
, which still stands on the spot.
The churchyard
A large number of parishioners were buried in the churchyard, some of whose remains were transferred to Mount Jerome CemeteryMount Jerome Cemetery
Mount Jerome Cemetery is situated in Harold's Cross on the south side of Dublin, Ireland. Since its foundation in 1836, it has witnessed over 300,000 burials...
when the land was developed at the turn of the 20th century.
Thomas Carter
Thomas Carter (1690–1763)
Thomas Carter was a politician, a Member of Parliament, Master of the Rolls, Privy Councillor and Secretary of State for Ireland. He was "an able and intriguing man" - Horace Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford.-Political career:...
(1690–1763), politician and Master of the Rolls in Ireland
Master of the Rolls in Ireland
The office of Master of the Rolls in Ireland originated in the office of the keeper of the Rolls in the Irish Chancery and became an office granted by letters patent in 1333. It was abolished in 1924....
, was buried in the church.
O'Hanlon, keeper of the Record Tower in Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle off Dame Street, Dublin, Ireland, was until 1922 the fortified seat of British rule in Ireland, and is now a major Irish government complex. Most of it dates from the 18th century, though a castle has stood on the site since the days of King John, the first Lord of Ireland...
, who was killed by Howley, one of the insurgents during the rebellion of Robert Emmet
Robert Emmet
Robert Emmet was an Irish nationalist and Republican, orator and rebel leader born in Dublin, Ireland...
in 1803, is buried here.
The developer and philanthropist Thomas Pleasants
Thomas Pleasants
Thomas Pleasants was a notable merchant, property developer and philanthropist in Dublin, Ireland, after whom Pleasants Street in Dublin is named.-Life:...
(1729–1818, after whom Pleasants Street was named) and his wife Mildred Daunt (died 1814) were buried in the churchyard. Among his donations were over £12,000 in 1814 for the erection of a large stove-house near Cork St. for poor weavers in the Liberties
The Liberties
The Liberties of Dublin, Ireland were jurisdictions that existed 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 most important of these liberties were the Liberty of St...
, £8,000 for the building of the Meath Hospital
Meath Hospital
The Meath Hospital in Dublin, Ireland was founded in 1753. Situated in the Earl of Meath's Liberty, the hospital was opened to serve the sick and poor in the crowded area of the Liberties in Dublin....
, and his own house (67 Camden St.) for the provision of a school and orphanage for Protestant girls, along with £1,200 a per annum operational grant and funding for modest dowries for the girls.
The parish
This parish (which was also known as St. Bridget's) consisted of a union of three smaller parishes: the ancient St. Bride's, St. Stephen's (which dated from the 13th century), and St. Michael de la Pole (also an Irish pre-Norse settlement).In 1707 parts of the parish were taken, along with parts of the parishes of St. Peter
St. Peter's Church, Aungier Street, Dublin
St. Peter's Church was a former Church of Ireland parish church located in Aungier St. in Dublin, Ireland, where the Dublin YMCA building now stands. It was built on land that formerly belonged to the Whitefriars in Dublin...
and St. Kevin, to form the new parish of St. Anne
St. Ann's Church, Dawson Street
St. Ann's Church, Dawson Street, in Dublin, Ireland, was built in the early 18th century following the establishment of the Anglican parish in 1707. In the early 21st century the church presents itself as ecumenical within the tradition of the Church of Ireland.-Building history:The building of the...
. The parish extended along Bride St. as far as Ship St. (the location of the church of St. Michael de la Pole) on one end and Golden Lane at the other, and eastwards as far as George's St. and Stephen St. (location of the original St. Stephen's church). The parish corresponded to the civil parish of St. Bridget. In 1766, the government ordered a religious census to be carried out by the Protestant clergy, which showed the parish had 430 Catholic families and 84 Protestant families.
Owing to an influx of civil servants and its central location close to the centre of power at Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle off Dame Street, Dublin, Ireland, was until 1922 the fortified seat of British rule in Ireland, and is now a major Irish government complex. Most of it dates from the 18th century, though a castle has stood on the site since the days of King John, the first Lord of Ireland...
the parish initially did have some wealthy parishioners. However, a number of economic slumps affecting workers in the Liberties
The Liberties
The Liberties of Dublin, Ireland were jurisdictions that existed 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 most important of these liberties were the Liberty of St...
during the 18th century meant that by the 19th century the parish was one of the poorest in the city, containing many tenements which were unhygienic slums. In 1813 the parish population was 4,367 males and 5,272 females, of whom only a small minority were members of the Established (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 population continued to increase, especially during and after the Famine, when this part of Dublin was flooded with poverty-stricken country people looking for work and lodgings.
During a bad economic downturn in 1863 the Carmelite priest Father Spratt, from nearby Whitefriar St. Church
Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church
The Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church is a Roman Catholic church in Dublin, Ireland maintained by the Carmelite order. The church is noted for having the relics of Saint Valentine, which were donated to the church in the 19th century by Pope Gregory XVI from their previous location in the cemetery...
, conducted house-to-house collections throughout the city to raise funds for the most destitute in the parish, which numbered 6,000. The then rector of St. Bride's, Rev. William Carroll, also spent much of his time caring for the poor of the parish, both Catholic and Protestant - he was known as "Father" Carroll by the Catholics of the neighbourhood.
In 1901 the population of the parish was 6,155 and in 1971, after many of the older houses in the neighbourhood had been demolished, it was 1,335.
Notable parishioners
The writer and politician Sir Richard Steele
Richard Steele
Sir Richard Steele was an Irish writer and politician, remembered as co-founder, with his friend Joseph Addison, of the magazine The Spectator....
was christened in St. Bride's parish Church on 12 March 1672.
Arthur Keene (died 1818), a prominent member of the Methodist community in Dublin in its early days, was married to his wife Isabella by John Wesley
John Wesley
John Wesley was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
in this church in April 1775.
Many members of the Lloyd family of New Ross
New Ross
New Ross is a town located in southwest County Wexford, in the southeast of Ireland. In 2006 it had a population of 7,709 people, making it the third largest town in the county after Wexford and Enniscorthy.-History:...
, two of whom (Bartholomew Lloyd (1772–1837) and his son) were provosts of Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
were baptized, married or buried in this church. These included Dr Thomas Lloyd (baptized 1756), Christopher Lloyd, Dean of Elphin
Elphin
In Welsh mythology, Elffin ap Gwyddno was a son of Gwyddno Garanhir, 'Lord of Ceredigion'. The earliest example of the name occurs in several of the mythological poems attributed to Taliesin in the Book of Taliesin. The date of their composition is uncertain but probably predates the Norman...
(buried 1787) and Alderman Edward Lloyd, Lord Mayor.
The Rev. Peter Le Fanu (1749–1825), a relative of Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
Sheridan Le Fanu
Joseph Thomas Sheridan Le Fanu was an Irish writer of Gothic tales and mystery novels. He was the leading ghost-story writer of the nineteenth century and was central to the development of the genre in the Victorian era....
became curate in this parish in the 1770s. He became known as one of the most popular preachers in Dublin and was also a playwright.
Several members of the Domville family were parishioners, one of whom, the father-in-law of William Molyneux
William Molyneux
William Molyneux FRS was an Irish natural philosopher and writer on politics.He was born in Dublin to Samuel Molyneux , lawyer and landowner , and his wife, Anne, née Dowdall. The second of five children, William Molyneux came from a relatively prosperous Anglican background...
, wrote A Disquisition Touching That Great Question Whether an Act of Parliament Made in England Shall Bind the Kingdom and People of Ireland Without Their Allowance and Acceptance of Such Act in the Kingdom of Ireland, which influenced Molyneux. They were descended from William Domville (1565–1624), who came to Ireland during the reign of James I.
A highly-regarded rector of St. Bride's in the second half of the 19th century was the Rev. William George Carroll (1821–1885), historian and writer. He was an uncle of George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw was an Irish playwright and a co-founder of the London School of Economics. Although his first profitable writing was music and literary criticism, in which capacity he wrote many highly articulate pieces of journalism, his main talent was for drama, and he wrote more than 60...
and was the first Protestant clergyman in Ireland to declare for Home Rule. He collected a large amount of information regarding his church and parish, discovering a mine of wealth in the old registers, dating back to 1633. It is considered one of the most valuable parochial collections in Ireland.