Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Pococke's Tour in Ireland in 1752 (Author: Richard Pococke)

entry 68

On the 15th I crossed this bridge and went on the east side of the river, and soon saw on the other side a very pleasant seat on the hanging ground over it, belonging to Mr. Griffith: I soon after passed by the seat of the Lord Ikerrin, now Earl of Carrick, with fine plantations about it, and saw to the east Dungarvan, where there is near the Church, one of the round towers. I came to Thomastown, a small market town and Burrough on the Nore, to which place it is navigable for small boats: Between this and Ross is another burrough town called Innisteag. At Thomastown are remains of a fine large Church: A mile beyond the town in the way to Waterford are great remains of the Abby of St. Mary of Jerpont, it was for Cistertian Monks, founded by Donald King of Ossory in 1180, whose monument is here, as well as that of Felix O'Dallan, who transferred the See of Ossory to Kilkenny; the Abbot had a seat in Parliament. A little lower the river [gap: extent: one word] falls from the west into the Nore which rises at Kilcooly, by which I passed out of the bog of Monela, then runs by Callan a small town which I have been at, near Lord Disert's seat: and afterwards by Kells, through which I have passed in the way from Kilkenny to Carrick, at which place there is a round tower, there was a Priory of Augustinian Canons. Going on over the heathy mountain I saw to the west Knocktopher, where I


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have often been, and where there was a Carmelite Convent founded by James the Second Earl of Ormond in 1356. In seven miles from Thomastown we passed by Luke's Well, a place of great Devotion, and in seven more came to Waterford, a city which stands very pleasantly on the river Suir, having the finest quay in Europe, except that of Messina in Sicily and is half a mile long and of a good breadth. This city was built some hundred years before Henry 2nd by the Ostmen or Danes. The old town was in a triangular form with a tower at each corner, first Reginald's or Ring tower at the south east corner, then it went along by High Street westward to Turgesius's Tower in Baron Strand Street, from which it extended to St. Martin's Castle by Lady lane and so to Ringtower: It afterwards took in all to John's Gate, Stephen's Gate, Patrick gate and to the quay, and it is probable the river came anciently to the town walls: and that the pill or mill race from it washed the southern walls: The City was then enlarged by the English; and I observed the old walls to the quay were built of large stones, which are a cement of pebbles and must have been brought from the other side, all the Country being of that kind of stone. Near Patrick's Gate was a square Fort by way of Citadel, where the Barracks are now built. The Cathedral called Christ Church dedicated to the Trinity is said to have been built by the Danes; and Malchus was the first Bishop in 1096. It is a plain building consisting of the body, the Quire, two Isles and the parish Church of Trinity behind the Quire. To the north was Rices Chapel and the Chapter house, both now pulled down: In the former was a curious Monument of the Rices now in the parish Church: On the south side is St. Saviours Chapel, now the Bishop's Court, and St.

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Nicholas now the Vestry and Chapter house; there is also a chapel opposite to the Bishop's Court. The Quire has lately been much ornamented if intermixture of Grecian with Gothick Architecture be call'd an ornament by a Corinthian Altar piece, which is the gift of Mrs. Susannah Mason and cost £200;—by a very handsome Canopy over the seat of the Mayor and Aldermen, and by the same over the galleries, and the seats of the families of the Bishops and Dignitaries, by making a Gallery to the north for the Soldiers, to the west over the Organ for the Charity boys—by adorning the Galleries with handsome Ballustrades, new seating the Church and paving it with black and white marble, to which besides the white marble the Revd. Dr. Jeremiah Milles, Chantor of the Cathedral of Exeter as he was likewise formerly of this Church and Treasurer of Lismore, gave the sum of fifty pounds:49 St. Olave's and St. Patrick's Church are both paved with black and white marble, adorned with handsome Altar pieces. Pulpits and thrones, and all the seats are so disposed, that the people stand with their faces to the east, the men on one side and the women on the other: these Churches were order'd in this manner and adorned under the care of Dr. Thomas Milles Bishop of Waterford and Lismore; who published a learned edition of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, and wrote a Treatise against Mr. Dodwell of the Immortality of the Soul.50 There was a

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Dominican Convent in this city, called the White Friars, the Church of which is now the County Court house: The Benedictine Convent of St. John, founded by King John, and the Franciscan Convent of the Holy Ghost, the Church of which now belongs to the French; another part of it is an Hospital for twenty four Popish widows, founded by the Walshes. Lastly, St. Catherines Priory for Canons of St. Victor. The Lepers Hospital was founded by the Powers Lords of Tyrone, and the lands are now applied to an Infirmary, and £100 a year to ten decayed house keepers; and adjoining to it is another Infirmary founded by the late Countess of Tyrone, which are attended by the same officers: Opposite to the Cathedral is built a very handsome House called the Apartment, for ten clergymens' widows, and there are two houses more; they have £10 a year; all the Benefaction of Bishop Gore; it is built on the place where King John's house was situated. The Bishop's House is a fine building of hewn stone begun by Bishop Este, but is not finished. The city Court house and Exchange, the city jail and the fish market, are also handsome buildings of hewn stone, and the Custom house of Brick, with hewn stone windows. The Charity School founded by Bishop Foy, for 75 boys, is also of Hewn stone, a low Decent building, they are cloth'd and taught, the master has £60 a year and the Catechist £15; and there is a fund for binding them out apprentices. Mrs. Mary Mason also erected a good building of Brick, with stone window Cases for thirty girls, who are clothed, fed, lodged, taught to read and work. Behind the Bishop's House where the Mill dam was, is a fine walk, planted with double rows of trees, and is called the Mall; just beyond which at the end of the quay, is a fine Bowling green on the River. Mr.

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Barker
's hanging gardens are very beautiful. Mr. Wyse's Mills are well worth seeing, in which the preparing of wheat to make flower is performed by Water Wheels; he has also a smelting house there, a manufacture of pins and several other works. There is also a Dock in the marsh for repairing of ships with water pipes laid to it. They have a considerable trade here to Cadiz, sending Butter, Herrings, &c:
and bring back, fruit, Spanish wines, &c.: They send butter to Holland; the Newfoundland ships come here and take in Pork, coarse Linnen and other provisions: They send work'd woollen yarn, Raw hides and Tallow to England. The Linnen Manufacture is carried on here of late years with great success. Near Waterford Kilbarry is a parish where there was a Preceptory belonging to the Knights of Jerusalem, and the lands of the whole parish belong to it.