The abbey of St Thomas

What do we know about its design ?

Roger Stalley

Trinity College Dublin

St Thomas’ Abbey

1177 Foundation: how soon was a church erected ?

1192 How much of the church was complete ?

The change in status – any effect on the design ?

1227 Abbot Adam embarks on a new stone church

1251 Stone being shipped from Bristol for the church

1250/1 January: ‘Mandate to the mayor and Bailiffs of Bristol to deliver to the Abbot and canons of St Thomas, Dublin, the stone which the latter had caused to be collected at Bristol to construct their church at Dublin, and which the bailiffs had caused to be arrested to repair the King’s cast of Bristol. If any of the stone has been employed on the King’s works in the latter city it shall be restored to the Abbot and canons; and as often as they make a collection of stone there there they shall be permitted to convey it whither they will’.

Stone from the Quarry at Dundry

January 1250/1

‘Mandate to the mayor and bailiffs of Bristol to deliver to the

Abbot and canons of St Thomas, Dublin, the stone which the

latter had caused to be collected at Bristol to construct their

church at Dublin, and which the bailiffs had caused to be

arrested to repair the King’s castle of Bristol. If any of the stone

has been employed on the King’s works in the latter city it shall

be restored to the Abbot and canons; and as often as they make

a collection of stone there they shall be permitted to convey it

whither they will’.

Dundry stone (yellow oolitic limestone)

Site of the quarry at Dundry (Somerset)

T

‘that Dublin Castle 1243

‘that out of the King’s profits they cause to

be constructed in the castle of Dublin, a hall

120 feet in length and 80 feet in breadth,

with glazed windows after the hall of

Canterbury; and that they cause to be made

in the gable beyond the dais a round window

30 feet in diameter. They shall also cause to

be painted beyond the dais the King and

Queen seated with their baronage: and a

great portal shall be made at the entrance to

the hall…’

Winchester, royal Hall

Abbey and St Catherine’s church

The Inner Court

The great Court of

Thomascourt, where

anciently the Abbey

was built

Site of the cloister ?

Site of the medieval church ?

Monastic refectory ??

Claire Walsh

Excavations 1996

Cloister walk ? (approx 3.0m wide)

Cloister garth ? cobbled

Outer wall of church –2.75 m thick

How far did the church extend ?

Church interiorbut why cobbled?

The Church

* Did it have aisles?

* Was there a transept?

Tiled floors -sanctuary / altars ?

Function of wall ??

Claire Walsh

Kells Priory, cloister arcade

Mellifont

Bristol, St Mary RedcliffeInner porch c.1200

Bristol, St Augustine’s abbey

Chapter house

Bristol St

Augustine’s

Elder Lady Chapel

c.1220

Athassel Priory

Newtown Trimchoir, north wall

Newtown Trimchoir, north wall

Dublin St Patricks c.1831

Lincoln main transepts c.1210

Newtown TrimChapter House

Christ Church DublinChapter House – c. 1240?