Waterford Ireland

The cathedral consists of a nave and chancel; it has a remarkable series of panels on the outer west face, containing representations of various scriptural and other scenes. The pointed east window of the chancel has been built up ; the chancel arch is a fine piece of transitional architecture. An ogham inscribed stone was found in the north wall of the chancel.

Only the western wall and more eastern part of the south wall of Teampull Deisceirt remain, and the building does not contain any architectural features of interest. St Declans well is close to the west end of the church ; it is covered by a small building supposed to have been erected about 1798. Three curious representations of the Crucifixion are built into it. This well was formerly a favourite resort, and twelve to fifteen thousand pilgrims arc stated to have visited it at St Declans pattern in 1841.

The round tower stands about 66 ft. from the cathedral and is a very perfect specimen of these structures. It measures 95 ft. 4 in. in height, and is decorated with string-courses of sandstone

Lismore (Lios mor, the big fort), in Co. Waterford (Holiday Cottages, Waterford, Ireland): The See of Lismore, founded by St Carthach in the seventh century, became one of the great schools of Ireland, and many notable names arc connected with it, such as Cormac MacCarthaigh, and Malachias of Armagh. Lismore became a famous and holy city, into the half of which (there being an asylum) no woman dare enter. It is filled with cells and holy monasteries, and a number of holy men arc always in it. The religious flow to it from every part of Ireland, England, and Britain, anxious to remove thence to Christ. Most of the present cathedral dates from the seventeenth century, when it was rebuilt after it had almost been reduced to ruin by Edmond Fitzgibbon the White Knight. Some portions, such as the chancel arch and a few windows in the south transept, probably belong to the. twelfth century. In plan the cathedral is a cruciform, aisleless church with a tower, crowned by a graceful spire at the west end. It contains an interesting sixteenth century altar tomb erected to the memory of John Magrath and his wife ; five early grave slabs inscribed in Irish are built into the west wall of the nave.

The ancient cathedral of Waterford was founded by the Norsemen about 1050 a.d. From extant plans and illustrations it appears to have been a building of much interest. By an act of vandalism it was completely pulled down in the latter part of the eighteenth century, when a new cathedral in the Georgian style was erected in its place.

Churches

Waterford Castle, generally known as Reginalds tower, is stated to be of Danish origin. It is circular in plan and some 80 ft. high. A tablet placed over the main entrance records that the tower was built in 1003 by Reginald the Dane, that it was afterwards held as a fortress by Strongbow, that it was later used as a mint, and finally turned into a police barracks.

Posted on April 17th, 2008 under Architecture. Tags: Architecture, cathedral, churches, ogham, police barracks, reginalds tower, teampull deisceirt, Waterford. RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback.