Barrack Lane Kilkenny Town, County Kilkenny , R95 AK7Y

Description
This lovely townhouse was known as the Soldier\'s House when sold to the present owners in the 1930\'s by the church authorities. It backs into the graveyard of St John\'s Church of Ireland, a most lovely church built in 1815 using the ruined Ladychapel of the Priory of Saint John the Evangelist. This famous priory was founded as an Augustinian house in 1215 by Richard Marshall and was granted extensive lands around county Kilkenny for its support. The monastery buildings were extensive and the complex in the city around this church extended to over 40 acres containing its mill and every amenity a community of monks needed. With the dissolution of the monasteries in 1550 the priory fell into disuse and remained so until the time of the confederation in 1642 when it was offered to the Jesuits. The Jesuits proved too intellectual a presence in the city for the post restoration administration of Ormonde and they were replaced by the Capuchin monks who remain in the city today in Friary Street. The priory remained abandoned until the 1780\'s when its remains were quarried for material for the new military barracks on the nearby Castlecomer Road. In the early 1800\'s possibly under the board of first fruits the remaining ruins were used as the very pretty basis of the Church of Ireland of St John. We presume, but cannot be sure that at this time the house we have the privilege of selling was built too, as stylistically it looks to be from about that time. It is known that the priory buildings extended over the site of the house and we suspect the house incorporates the remain of the priory. There is a cobbled floor in the basement which may well be a floor from the cloister or courtyard of the priory. This building has an 800 year history and is possibly Kilkenny\'s oldest inhabited building. It is certainly the oldest building we have ever offered.

The house was extensively refurbished in the 1950\'s and a most charming feature of this is the many art deco light switches throughout.
It is a rare opportunity to buy and live in a piece of history and is a most quaint and attractive townhouse. Immediately beside the property the former Evans Home which may also have been built with stones quarried from the Priory is being refurbished into the new Butler Gallery art gallery at a cost of many millions. It will reinvigorate this part of the city and make this a most enviable place to live.

BER Details
BER: F

Accommodation
The house is a arranged as a refined two bedroomed townhouse over 4 levels. The basement has a cobbled floor of great antiquity is currently accessed through a hatch in the kitchen floor but a stairs can apparently be reinstated from the hall. The ground floor has a hall, dining-room and kitchen. The stairs leads to a large living-room and a bathroom on the first floor and the stairs continues to the second floor which has two bedrooms and a bathroom. The larger bedroom enjoys a wonderful large bay window overlooking the graveyard. We understand that the family of the current owners installed this wonderful window out of an interest in stargazing and ghost watching in the adjoining graveyard!
There is an attic accessible by ladder which offers useful storage.

The house enjoys mains water, electricity, sewerage services.