KNOCKTOPHER

In 1868, the parish of Knocktopher contained the following places:

"KNOCKTOPHER, a parish and post town in the barony of its own name, county Kilkenny, province of Leinster, Ireland, 12 miles S. of Kilkenny, and 78 from Dublin. The parish is 3½ miles long by 2 broad. The surface is traversed by the road from Stony-ford to Waterford. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Ossory, value with others, £510, in the patronage of the bishop. The church was built by means of a loan from the late Board of First Fruits in 1826. There are a Roman Catholic chapel and several day schools. Knocktopher House is the seat of Sir R. Langrishe, Bart. The town is a poor place, containing a decayed market house. It was once a place of no small importance, and a quondam parliamentary borough. There are a police station and a dispensary, which latter is within the Callan Poor-law Union. The town and vicinity anciently belonged to the Ormondes, who built Knocktopher Castle, which was dismantled by Cromwell in 1649. A Carmelite friary was also founded by this family in 1356, which, at the Dissolution, was granted to the Barnewell and White families. Fairs were formerly held on Easter Tuesday and St. Bartholomew's Day."

[Transcribed from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868]
by Colin Hinson ©2018