St. Audoens Church, Dublin City

St Audeon's is the only medieval parish church remaining in Dublin City (Wheeler and Craig 1948, 12) and is a National Monument (No. 34) in state care. It is located on a prominence W of Christchurch Cathedral within the medieval town wall and on the probable site of St Columba's church. There is a cross-slab extant of late 10th early 11th century (DU018-316----). Dedicated to St. Ouen, Bishop of Ronan (d.684) it was originally granted to the Augustinian Convent of Gracedieu c. 1190 (DU007-015----). In 1219 it was assigned to the Treasurer of St. Patrick's Cathedral. In 1431 a chantry chapel, dedicated to St. Anne was established for the Guild of the fraternity of St. Anne in the S aisle of the Nave of the church and in 1482 a chantry chapel was erected on the S side of the chancel by Roland FitzEustace.

The present church comprises a nave and chancel with a S aisle that runs the full length of both and W tower attached. The W tower rises to three storeys, incorporating a ground floor, first floor bell-ringing chamber and belfry. It is built of coursed limestone masonry. The upper portion was restored in the 1670's following its collapse in 1669 (H. 27.28m; ext. dims. L. 9.12m Wth 7.32m). A spiral stone stair in the NE corner of the tower provides access to the upper chambers and roof. The windows, louvres, large double doors and archway are the work of the 1820's restoration. Three of the six bells date from 1423. The tower contains three late medieval monuments; the Portlester monument originally in the chancel aisle chapel, comprising a large granite slab which depicts two recumbent figures a knight in armour and his lady; these are Roland Fitzeustace, Lord Portlester (ob.1496) and his wife Margaret Jenco (DU018-317----). The second monument is a recumbent figure dressed in ecclesiastical vestments originally from the central arch between the chancel and Portlester chapels (DU018-318----) and thirdly a graveslab set in the floor of the tower, carved with a ornamental Latin cross and Latin inscription to Johannes Burnell, Balgrffin (DU018-319----).

A porch was added to the N side of the church in 1932 to protect the early arched entrance. The nave is the earliest portion of the building and still functions as a parish church. It is entered through a 12th century, moulded round-headed doorway which has been partially reconstructed (dims. L 24.8m Wth 6.84m). The N windows of the nave are 19th century inserts and the arcade of the nave aisle is blocked. There are ornamental arches and columns ending at the E end with a plain arch. Corbels which supported the former timber roof are visible above the piers. There are also a number of large grave-slabs in the floor the earliest commemorates Bartholomew Gowan (d. 1619) (DU018-320----). Within the church is a font dating from the late 12th century, found beneath the floor of the church in 1848 (DU018-321----). This is a large square font with a central drum-shaped column. The sides are decorated with semi-circular panels containing shell designs in false relief with bead ornamentation. A date of 1192 is incised in Arabic numerals. There are 17th century monuments of plaster on a wooden frame commemorating Stephen and Joan Seagrave and their children (d. 1597) (DU018-322----) and Sir William Sparke (ob. 1632) (DU018-323----) and Edward Parris, Bishop of Killaloe (ob. 1650) (DU018-324----). The chancel is not in line with the nave and inclines towards the NE. It is roofless (L 17m, Wth 6.70m). An arcade of three ornamented arches and columns divides the interior. The windows in the N wall are 19th century insertions. There is a 16th century doorway in the N wall.

St. Annes Chapel replaced an earlier nave aisle. (dims. L 15.2m Wth 5.49m). In the S wall is a small pointed arched doorway which led into a guild house. It contains a piscina and an arched recess which may have served as a sedilia with a mural, no traces of which exists. There are also remains of a large plaster wall monument to the Malone family dated 1592 (DU018-325----). It has been re-roofed and serves as an exhibition space. Portlester chapel at the S side of the chancel has a five three-light E window under a flat arch with a single light up in each side. In the E walls are the remains of a piscina (int. dims. L 17m; Wth 5.49m). (Gilbert 1854-9, 1, 277; Hunt 1974, 138; Crawford 1986, 39). There are medieval tiles extant (Eames & Fanning 1988, 63). Excavations in 1992 revealed the remains of a possible domestic range to the S of the church (McMahon 1993, 24-25). Stone foundations of its boundary wall were revealed (Simpson 2002, 37-38; Clarke 2002, 18, A3).