St. John's Cathedral, Cashel

On a slight rise immediately E of John Street and within a large rectangular graveyard (TS061-025035-) enclosed by a stone boundary, the SW, SE, and greater part of the NE walls of which are co-terminous with the town wall (TS061-025023-). According to Seymour (1910, 336) 'As far back as 1291 St. John's Church in Cashel is mentioned; and indeed it would seem certain that it had acted continually as the parish church of the city all through the pre-Reformation period'. The Calendar of Ormond Deeds 1463 mention that Robert Boyton, Reeve of the Town of Cashel assigned 11d per annum to be paid to the 'Parish Church of St. John the Baptist at Cashel' by William Bary, William Weyton and Donal O'Spelayn and his heirs, all of whom had been granted tenements in the town (COD III, 195). It was described as being well-slated in 1607 and in 1670 it was deemed one of eight churches in the Diocese of Cashel in fit condition for Divine Service (Seymour 1910, 336). In 1755 it was decided that due to the large number of parishioners (estimated 500), a larger church would have to be built (ibid. 337). Shortly after 1758 the old church of St. John's was demolished and on June 23rd 1763 the first stone of the new (and present) C of I cathedral was laid (ibid.). Nothing of the fabric of the former medieval church of St. John's survives above ground. The site is now occupied by an 18th-century church and library. Within the graveyard are four effigies, which are reputed to have come from the Franciscan friary (TS061-025008-), and also medieval and 17th-century graveslabs. There are architectural fragments in the graveyard, some of which, together with fragments of medieval graveslabs, have been re-used in the masonry courses of the NW boundary wall and the northern corner of the NE boundary.