Kells Priory – Kilkenny's Seven Castles

Overview

Most ruined priories are a single church; Kells is a walled town in miniature. Medieval towers are linked by a curtain wall around a riverside site beside the King’s River, which is why locals call it the Seven Castles of Kells. The Augustinian foundation sits south of Kilkenny city and is a National Monument managed by the Office of Public Works.

The Office of Public Works lists free, self-guided access year-round, with access currently via the car park on the L1023. The on-site guide service ended for 2026 on 30 August. Check the access notice and visual guide before travelling.

If your time is short, look at the enclosing wall first. The scale of the defences makes more sense of the church ruins inside once you have seen how heavily the place was fortified.

History

Geoffrey FitzRobert, an Anglo-Norman knight, founded the priory in 1193, replacing an earlier church dedicated to St Mary. It became the focus of the settlement of Kells. Then the trouble started. The priory was attacked three times in its first century and a half: Lord William de Bermingham burned it in 1252, Edward Bruce’s army damaged it in 1316, and a second William de Bermingham burned it again in 1327. The towers and defensive walls that give the site its name were the answer to those raids.

In 1324 Bishop Richard de Ledrede visited during a heresy inquisition. The trial of Alice Kyteler, Ireland’s first recorded witch trial, and her associate William Outlawe took place in the region, ending with the execution of Petronilla de Meath. The priory ran until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in March 1540, when it was surrendered to the Earl of Ormond.

Archaeology and discoveries

Large-scale excavations began in 1972 under state archaeologist Tom Fanning and were completed by Miriam Clyne. Archaeologists recovered roughly 20,000 artefacts.

• Ham Green pottery and floor tiles
• Painted window glass, used to reconstruct the original stained-glass designs
• Metal objects including nails, buckles and a bronze crucifix
• Carved stone fragments and grave goods

Together they give a clear picture of monastic life and medieval craft production in Kilkenny.

What to see

• The enclosing walls and towers – Walk around the outside and look at the towers and wall. Keep off the masonry and expect uneven ground.
• Nave and chancel – The remaining walls show the scale of the church, whose east window once held painted stained glass.
• Crossing tower – Added in the later medieval period, it carries four pointed arches.
• Chapter house and cloister – Stone benches and doorways mark out the daily meeting spaces.

Walking and cycling

Kells sits on quiet country roads near the King’s River. Use public roads and signed paths only, and check the OPW notice for access to separate trails. Sheep graze the fields around the ruins, so keep dogs on a lead.

Nearby

• Kilree Round Tower and High Cross – About 4 km south-east; the 9th-century tower appeared in Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon.
• Jerpoint Abbey – A Cistercian abbey a short drive east.
• Kilkenny Castle – In the centre of Kilkenny city.
• Kilfane Glen & House – A historic woodland garden walk nearby.

Practical information

Getting there – From Kilkenny city, follow the R697 south; the priory is signposted off the road beside the King’s River. Driving is the only practical option.