286 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



A. L. Elliott, and the trustees. The present rector, Eev. Hugh W. B. 

 Thompson, b.d., with the other trustees, no less interested than their pre- 

 decessors in the history and records of this old Dublin parish, have con- 

 sented to their being brought before the Academy, with a view of adding to 

 the number of ancient parochinl instruments that in recent years various 

 wor):crs have printed, which are of great importance and interest in making 

 us better acquainted witii tli6 localities and inhabitants of our city in 

 mediaeval days. 



St. Catherine's is generally supposed to have been founded about the 

 year 11 90, in connexion with the celebrated abbey of St. Tliomas the Martyr ; 

 but the earliest documentary evidence for its existence is contained 

 in the Chartularies of St. Mary's Abbey, in which it is mentioned in tlic 

 year 1244. ($<■/• Gilbert, vol. i, p. '^h'i.) In ITGO tlic then edifice was 

 reliuilt at a cost of about £9000, of wliich sum the Irish Parliament con- 

 tributed £7000. In the chancel of the old building stood a stately monu- 

 ment, erected to the memory of Sir William IJrabazon, ancestor of the Earls 

 of Meatli. who died in 1552. Sir William was Vice-Treasurer, and on 

 sevcnil occasions actt'd as Lord Justice, of Ireland. Tliis old limuuiiient 

 appears to have been taken down, and no trace of it remains. 



In the year 1196 King John granted the church of St. James, with the 

 chinxli of St. Jolin tlio Bajitist. Kilmainham. to the abbey of St. Thomas 

 the Martyr; and abnut the year l.'i06 their districts were divided, one 

 Iw>rtioii being a.«signe<l to the paiish of St. Catherine, and the other to that of 

 St. James. In 1545 these parochial districts were again joined together, 

 and liofame known a.s the United Parishes of St. Catherine, St. James, and 

 St. John of Kilmainham. In the year 1707 tliey were once more separated. 

 All tlie district lying to the west of the city watercourse, which divides 

 Dolphin's IJaru from the Earl of Meath's Liberty, ami running to the Pipes 

 at St. James's Gate, and on the we.'*t nide of that gate to the river Li Hey, in 

 a straight line over against tlie Bowling Green House, was to constitute the 

 pari.nh of St. James. St. Catherine's was to include all the residue. The 

 Act of Parliament authorizing the division (6 Anne, cap. 21, s. 13) granted 

 lil-erty to tlie rector of St. Catherine's to lease a house in St. Thoma.s' Street, 

 which had lieen given under lettei-s patent of King Charles II (I(J69) to 

 Rev. John Kigby, then incumbent, and his successors, as a residence. This 

 however, liad been found incommodious. It was described as a timber liouse, 

 slated, with stable and garden, formerly the property of William Plunkett, 

 of Beauly. 



- The trustees of St. Catherine's parish, in the year 1880, brought an 

 aetion, which was trie<l in the Rolls Court, against certain persons for the 



