Newtown Jerpoint

History

• The lost town of Newtown Jerpoint. It was founded by either Earl Marshall or Griffin Fitzwilliam in 12th century where the main crossing of the River Nore was formed by a toll bridge, giving Jerpoint its name as it means 'Nore bridge'.
• It was a vibrant town, with approx 27 dwelling houses, a court house, woollen mill, a tannery, a brewery and reputed to have had 14 taverns.
• Newtown Jerpoint lasted at least into the 17th century, but eventually declined, perhaps from the loss of its bridge and the re-routing of the road. Its visible remains and its close proximity to one of Ireland’s best-known and well-preserved Cistercian abbeys makes Newtown Jerpoint one of the most important sites in the study of medieval settlements in Ireland.
• The ruins of St Nicholas’ medieval parish church dates from the 12th to the 13th century, with a late medieval rood gallery and a tower where the parish priest would have resided.
• Belmore House was commissioned as a hunting lodge by Earl Belmore in the 18th century and designed by the Irish architect Sir Richard Morrison. An extension of the house was planned as a square villa at the east end of the house with the rest of the house to become a service wing, but it was never built. The Earl of Belmore's main residence was Castle Coole, in Co. Fermanagh

  Legends

Archaeology