St David's Church

About

St David's Church is located in the center of Naas, on the east side of North Main Street, 160 m (170 yd) southeast of the Moat of Naas. It is not to be confused with Naas's Roman Catholic church, which is called the Church of Our Lady and Saint David.

St David's Church was built on the site of an earlier Celtic Christian church dedicated to Saint Corban or St Patrick. Following the Norman conquest of Ireland (1169–75), William Fitzmaurice and the Cambro-Norman barons who settled in the Naas area rebuilt the church and dedicated it Saint David, patron saint of Wales. Up until about 1800 it was the custom in Naas to wear a leek on 1 March in honour of the saint.

In 1212 St David's was listed as one of the possessions of the Knights Hospitaller. By 1606, when St David's featured in the inquisition of James I, contained three chantries – Holy Trinity, St Mary, and St Catherine. The priests were appointed by the burgesses and provost of the town. William Pilsworth was named vicar in 1604. In 1620 the current building was constructed, incorporating much of the old Norman church. By 1767 the steeple was in a ruinous state and was pulled down. Joseph Bourke, 3rd Earl of Mayo decided to replace it but never completed the new tower; a plaque on the inside wall of the tower states "I found a ruin and left a steeple, Mayo 1783″.

The bell dates from 1674 and originally hung in the old steeple. The baptismal font is believed to be very old, predating the Norman church. [ citation needed ]

The church was excavated by T. Fanning in 1987–91, with many medieval tiles found.

Early Christians in Naas and the date of the present building

The stone structure of the church can be dated to around 1212 when we find the first recorded reference to St David's church listed as a possession of the Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem. [ citation needed ]

However, there was a Christian witness in Naas long before the existing building. St Patrick is said to have visited the present site in the 5th century, where an early wooden church was constructed soon afterwards. The church at that time was probably dedicated to St Patrick or St Corban. In 1175, Naas was occupied by Anglo Normans of Welsh extraction who constructed the present building. St David is the patron saint of Wales and they felt that it was fitting to re-dedicate the newly constructed church to their national saint. [ citation needed ]

In 1606 the church was mentioned in the Inquisition of James 1 which noted that it had expanded to contain three chanceries – The Holy Trinity, St Mary's and St Katherine. [ citation needed ]

Thomas Drew R.H.A. writing in 1878 conjectured that the Protestant settlers established in Naas by the Duke of Ormond in 1648 probably altered the church in many respects according to the Jacobean style. In 1789 the sum of £118.11s3d was expended on the roof. In 1830 major work was carried out, including the addition of the wooden ceiling. [ citation needed ]

The building was completely renovated in 1989-1993 and subsequently there has been a constant effort of conservation and improvement, such as the renovation of the sanctuary in 2009, the tower in 2015 and ongoing work in the churchyard. [ citation needed ]

The church is one foot wider at the east end, than at the west end, and the east wall is remarkably out of square, the south wall being about two feet longer than the north wall. The chancel has the appearance of inclining to the north side. This is common to many medieval buildings. One theory is that it mimics the head of Christ tilted on the cross. Another theory is that medieval builders deliberately left some form of imperfection in the building as no one is perfect but God alone. There may have been a building or wall from an earlier church whose orientation did not happen to suit the ideas of the Welshmen, or they may have built the church close to an existing wall without regard to it being square. [ citation needed ]

There is a lack of significant architectural evidence due to the centuries of plundering inflicted upon this historic building. From Edward Bruce in 1316 to Rory Og O’Moore in 1577, and throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the building was ransacked, burned and despoiled, but survived it all. [ citation needed ]

The Baptismal font dates to the 11th century and is a fine example of its period, predating the present church. Its black marble is decorated with leaf shaped ornaments representing God's creative power and Christ's in-dwelling in our lives through baptism. This font may be regarded as an important relic of the Celtic Christian Church. It was found abandoned in the church grounds around 1860 by Archdeacon De Burgh, who brought it into the church, where it rested on props of turned wood for many years before restoration by Thomas Drew in 1878. This font is still used regularly today for baptisms and is a visual reminder of our Celtic heritage and history.

The memorial on the south wall is dedicated to the Earl of Mayo, stipulating a bequest of £20 per annum forever to the trustees of the Church.

On the north side there are two plaques dedicated to the Eustace Family of Robertstown.

Also on the north side are memorials dedicated to The De Burgh Family. The De Burgh's came to Naas in 1700.

On the Chancel Wall the Wolfe Family of Forenaughts are remembered.

The Brass Eagle was presented by the De Robeck family who dedicated it to the memory of Coralie.

Many of the dedicated plaques that hang on the back gallery wall came from Killashee Church which was closed in the 1950s.