Bishops’ Palace, Kilkenny, County Kilkenny  

Mark Bence-Jones. A Guide to Irish Country Houses (originally published as Burke’s Guide to Country Houses volume 1 Ireland by Burke’s Peerage Ltd. 1978); Revised edition 1988 Constable and Company Ltd, London. 

p. 167. “A Georgian house built on the foundations of the medieval palace probably by Charles Este, who was (C of I) Bishop of Ossory from 1736 to 1745. Plain façade with Gibbsian doorcase. Panelled staircase hall, staircase of handsome joinery with Corinthian newels; doorcase with Corinthian pilasters. In 1760, Bishop Pococke built a Doric colonnade joining the Palace to St. Canice’s Cathedral, which incorporated a delightful singe-storey pedimented and bow-ended Robing Room. The colonnade was subsequently demolished, but the Robing Room remains a feature of the palace garden. The Palace was well restored ca 1963 by the then Bishop, Dr. H.R. McAdoo.” 

https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/12003012/kilkenny-bishops-palace-church-lane-gardens-st-canice-par-kilkenny-co-kilkenny

Kilkenny Bishop’s Palace, Church Lane, GARDENS (ST. CANICE PAR.), Kilkenny, County Kilkenny 

Detached five-bay three-storey over basement Church of Ireland bishop’s palace, reconstructed 1735-6, incorporating fabric of medieval undercroft, between 1354-60, to basement with single-bay three-storey return to north-east. Extensively renovated and extended, c.1825, comprising single-bay three-storey flat-roofed central return having three-bay two-storey flanking range to right (north-west). Restored, 1962-3. Now disused. Hipped slate roofs (behind parapet to main block) with clay ridge tiles, cut-limestone chimney stacks (most on axis with ridge), and cast-iron rainwater goods on rendered eaves. Flat roof to central return not visible behind parapet. Unpainted rendered, ruled and lined walls with cut-limestone stringcourses to each stage, moulded cornice having blocking course to parapet, and rendered coping to parapet to central return. Square-headed window openings (Venetian window openings to central return) with cut-limestone sills, six-over-six and three-over-six (top floor) timber sash windows (twelve-over-eight (first floor) and eight-over-eight (top floor) timber sash windows to Venetian openings having four-over-four and four-over-two sidelights). Square-headed door opening with cut-limestone block-and-start surround having keystone, and timber panelled door. Interior with timber panelled reveals to window openings with most having timber panelled shutters. Set back from road in own grounds with gravel forecourt, landscaped grounds to site (including terrace with flight of six steps having parapet with ball finials), unpainted rendered piers with coping, ball finials, iron double gates, random rubble stone boundary wall to perimeter of site having camber-headed pedestrian gateway with red brick dressings including camber relieving arch, and iron gate. 

Appraisal 

A large-scale house reconstructed under the patronage of Bishop Griffith Williams (1589?-1672) representing an artefact of national significance in the architectural heritage of Kilkenny. A regular entrance elevation displaying Classically-derived proportions together with a distinctive doorcase is counterbalanced with a garden front incorporating a complex massing attesting to a period of evolution spanning five centuries: retaining portions of a medieval undercroft in the basement incorporating the fabric of three separate churches dismantled by Bishop Richard Ledrede (fl. 1317-60) the present edifice not only continues a long-standing occupation of the grounds but represents an integral component of the archaeological legacy of the region. Although now no longer fulfilling the original intended use the house has historically been well maintained following a restoration project undertaken by Doctor Henry McAdoo (1916-98) retaining most of the historic fabric both to the exterior and to the interior where elements exhibiting high quality craftsmanship enliven the design significance of the composition. Set in extensive grounds the palace forms a neat group alongside the associated Cathedral (12005018/KK-4766-08-18) with the resulting assemblage significantly enhancing the character of an historic townscape. 

https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/12003011/kilkenny-bishops-palace-church-lane-gardens-st-canice-par-kilkenny-co-kilkenny

Detached three-bay single-storey over basement Classical-style robing room, built 1756/60, on an ovoid plan incorporating fabric of medieval town wall, post-1300, with three-bay single-storey pedimented breakfront, and single-bay single-storey bowed side elevations. Now disused and derelict. Hipped slate roof (continuing into half-conical roofs; gabled to pediment) with clay ridge tiles, slightly sproketed eaves, and remains of cast-iron rainwater goods. Unpainted rendered, ruled and lined walls over random rubble stone construction with limestone ashlar dressings including quoins to breakfront, and band supporting pediment having moulded surround. Square-headed window openings with moulded cut-limestone sills, limestone ashlar voussoirs having keystones, and four-over-four timber sash windows (now boarded-up) having some six-over-six timber sash windows to side elevations. Round-headed door opening with four cut-stone steps, cut-limestone block-and-start surround, and glazed timber panelled double doors having fanlight (now boarded-up). Interior with remains of plasterwork including panel over fireplace having lugged surround, round-headed recessed flanking niches having moulded archivolts, and timber panelled shutters to window openings. Set in grounds shared with Kilkenny Bishop’s Palace with rear (west) elevation forming part of random rubble stone boundary wall to perimeter of site. 

Appraisal 

An elegantly-appointed small-scale range built to designs attributable to Saunderson Miller (1716-80) for Bishop Richard Pococke (1704-65) forming an important element of the architectural heritage of the locality enhancing the group and setting values of the Kilkenny Bishop’s Palace complex: representing the last surviving fragment of a mid eighteenth-century redevelopment of the grounds the robing room provides an indication as to the appearance of the nearby Saint Canice’s Cathedral (12005018/KK-4766-08-18) following the completion of a comprehsive ‘restoration’ programme there in what has been described as the Grecian Doric style. Despite the diminutive proportions the building is distinguished by robust cut-stone dressings producing the pleasing Classical theme enhancing the architectural design value of the composition. Although no longer in use most of the historic fabric survives intact behind protective boarding while an attractive interior space incorporates early joinery displaying high quality craftsmanship together with traces of decorative plasterwork enhancing the artistic design value of the site. Incorporating the fabric of a tower originally forming part of the medieval town wall the site remains an important element of the long-standing archaeological legacy of Kilkenny City.