Rothe House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rothe House |
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| General information | |
| Type | Merchant townhouse |
| Architectural style | English Renaissance style |
| Address | Parliament Street |
| Town or city | Kilkenny |
| Country | Ireland |
| Coordinates | 52°39′17″N 7°15′18″W / 52.654709°N 07.254954°W |
| Construction started | 1594 |
| Completed | 1610 |
| Owner | Kilkenny Archaeological Society |
Rothe House is a special old house complex in Kilkenny, Ireland. It was built a long time ago, between 1594 and 1610. A rich merchant named John Rothe Fitz-Piers built it.
This complex is actually three houses, with three courtyards, and a big garden. Today, Rothe House is a museum. You can visit it and learn about its history.
Rothe House is very important because it's the only complete example of a "burgage plot" left in Ireland. A burgage plot was a piece of land in a medieval town. It shows how people lived and built houses long ago. The Kilkenny Archaeological Society owns the house. They keep many old items from Kilkenny city and county there.
The garden behind the house looks like a garden from the 1600s. It even has an old well. Monks used this well before the house was built. Part of Kilkenny's old city wall is also next to Rothe House.
History of Rothe House
The Rothe family were important merchants. They also took part in local politics. They were one of about ten powerful families who controlled Kilkenny for many years. John Rothe Fitz Piers bought the land where Rothe House now stands.
Each of the three houses has a date. The first house shows 1594 on John Rothe's family crest. The second house has 1604 on an old water tank. The third house shows 1610 above its entrance door. This date is on the Rothe-Archer family crest.
John Rothe is buried in an old church called St. Mary's Church, Kilkenny. He planned his own tomb in his will in 1619.
The Rothe family lost their house after King Charles I was defeated in England. This was because the family was involved in the Kilkenny confederation. This group met at Rothe House. When King Charles II came back to power, the house was given back to the Rothe family. But they lost it again after the Battle of the Boyne. The house changed owners many times. Finally, the Kilkenny Archaeological Society bought it in 1962.
For over 100 years, one part of the house was used by the Gaelic League. This group promoted Irish language and culture. Thomas MacDonagh, a famous Irish teacher, taught Irish history there. One room is now named after him. Other rooms are named after important women from the Kilkenny Archaeological Society.
How Rothe House Was Built
Rothe House is a great example of a rich merchant's home. It was built in the English Renaissance style. This style came to Ireland in the 1560s.
John Rothe built his three houses one after another. The first was in 1594, the second in 1604, and the third in 1610. It's interesting that he built three separate houses. He didn't just make the first house bigger for his growing family. He followed a building pattern like his wife's family, the Archers, did with their houses.
Other old houses in Kilkenny from the same time include 'The Hole in the Wall'. This was built by the Archer family. The Shee Alms House was built by the Shee family. There are also parts of The Bridge House and Kyteler's Inn still standing.
The Rothe House Museum
The museum at Rothe House has many old items. These items tell stories about the past. Most of them were found in the local area. Others were given by people from Kilkenny to the Kilkenny Archaeological Society.
Images for kids
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Old roof beams inside Rothe House
