Thomastown Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Thomastown Church |
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Cill Bhaile Mhic Andáin
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Aisle arcade
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 Thomastown Church
Location in Ireland
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| 52°31′34″N 7°08′21″W / 52.526122°N 7.139052°W | |
| Location | Pipe Street, Thomastown, County Kilkenny |
| Country | Ireland |
| Denomination | Church of Ireland |
| Previous denomination | Pre-Reformation Catholic |
| History | |
| Founder(s) | Thomas FitzAnthony |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | inactive |
| Heritage designation | |
| Official name | Thomastown Church |
| Reference no. | 191 |
| Style | French Gothic |
| Years built | between 1215 and 1229 |
| Specifications | |
| Number of floors | 1 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Ossory |
Thomastown Church is a very old church in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is a special place known as a National Monument. This means it is protected because of its important history.
Contents
Where to Find Thomastown Church
Thomastown Church is right in the middle of Thomastown. It is located behind the main Protestant Church. You can find it just north of the River Nore.
A Look Back at History
How the Church Started
This church was built a long, long time ago. It was started by a knight named Thomas FitzAnthony. He was a Cambro-Norman knight. This means he was from a group of people who came from Wales and settled in Ireland. King John of England gave him land here in 1215.
The church was connected to a place called Inistioge Augustinian Priory. This priory was a type of monastery. It was built in 1210. The church might also have had links to the Dominican monks.
Changes Over Time
Later, a big change happened in Europe called the Reformation. This was a time when many people changed how they practiced Christianity. Because of this, parts of Thomastown Church were changed. The main part of the church, called the nave, was used by the Anglican Church of Ireland.
In 1809, a new Church of Ireland building was constructed. It was built where the old south aisle of Thomastown Church used to be. The old south aisle was later fixed up. Between 2003 and 2004, it was even turned into a private home.
What the Church Looks Like Today
Thomastown Church was originally built with a nave (the main part) and a chancel (the area near the altar). It also had aisles on both the north and south sides.
Today, you can still see some of the old parts. The most impressive part is the north aisle arcade. This is a row of five arches. These arches are supported by special pillars. The pillars have cool designs called quatrefoils. The tops of the pillars, called capitals, are also decorated. Above the arches, there was a clerestory. This was a row of windows high up to let in light.
You can also see the west gable. This is the triangular upper part of the wall at the west end. There is also a small piece of the crossing tower. This was a tower where the nave and chancel met.
