Page 73 - The Gonzaga Record 1987
P. 73
Contributions
PREP 3 VISIT CHRISTCHURCH
We set off from the school on 15 October 1986. Mr Furlong, our coach
driver, let us off at St Audeon's Arch, our first port of call. About two
hundred metres of the old Norman wall around Dublin exists, re-
constructed by Dublin Corporation during Preservation Year in 1966.
Originally built in 1240 AD by the Normans, the cement used to hold the
stone in place was a mixture of ox-blood and lime. Originally, beggars
would have stood at the gates of Dublin which were the only way for
people to get in and out of the city. As soon as we looked at the arch
we noticed its thickness. It was about two metres thick. When we went
through the arch we saw St Audeon's Church.
Our next and last port of call was of course Christchurch itself. Most
people know that Christchurch is Church of Ireland. The first thing I
noticed apart from the Cathedral when I got into the grounds was a
hollow about five metres long and two and a half metres wide with
broken pillars sticking up. I remembered it from my last visit, as the
chapter house of the Augustinian Monks which was burnt down.
While were were waiting for Mr Coady, the Dean's Verger, our guide,
I noticed that the present gutters were made in 1875, one hundred and
eleven years ago. When we went in we sat down and Mr Coady told us
the history of .christchurch.
The Cathedral was first built by the Vikings. Doomnan, the first
Bishop of Dublin asked for a grant of land from King Sitric, the
Scandinavian King of that time. King Sitric granted Doomnan the top of
Dublin Hill, which, unfortunately, was bog-land. The church was built
of wood in 1038 by Doomnan. When the Normans captured Dublin
under Strongbow in 1169-1170, Strongbow decided to rebuild the
Cathedral in stone for two reasons. The first reason was that the wooden
structure, after one hundred and twelve years, was rotting. The second
reason was that Strongbow decided that a wooden structure wasn't
suitable as a place of worship. When the cathedral was rebuilt in stone
it was the only stone structure in Dublin.
After a few years, because the Cathedral was built on a hill, one of the
walls began to slope outwards. So to prevent it from falling out, flying
buttresses were built. When the Normans came, they built the high altar
on the highest part of the hill. This was so that the priest could be nearer
God.
Christchurch Cathedral was built in the shape of a cross. The
Cathedral is not absolutely straight. The cross of Conn which is about
half way up the cathedral is out of line with the west window. The two
71
PREP 3 VISIT CHRISTCHURCH
We set off from the school on 15 October 1986. Mr Furlong, our coach
driver, let us off at St Audeon's Arch, our first port of call. About two
hundred metres of the old Norman wall around Dublin exists, re-
constructed by Dublin Corporation during Preservation Year in 1966.
Originally built in 1240 AD by the Normans, the cement used to hold the
stone in place was a mixture of ox-blood and lime. Originally, beggars
would have stood at the gates of Dublin which were the only way for
people to get in and out of the city. As soon as we looked at the arch
we noticed its thickness. It was about two metres thick. When we went
through the arch we saw St Audeon's Church.
Our next and last port of call was of course Christchurch itself. Most
people know that Christchurch is Church of Ireland. The first thing I
noticed apart from the Cathedral when I got into the grounds was a
hollow about five metres long and two and a half metres wide with
broken pillars sticking up. I remembered it from my last visit, as the
chapter house of the Augustinian Monks which was burnt down.
While were were waiting for Mr Coady, the Dean's Verger, our guide,
I noticed that the present gutters were made in 1875, one hundred and
eleven years ago. When we went in we sat down and Mr Coady told us
the history of .christchurch.
The Cathedral was first built by the Vikings. Doomnan, the first
Bishop of Dublin asked for a grant of land from King Sitric, the
Scandinavian King of that time. King Sitric granted Doomnan the top of
Dublin Hill, which, unfortunately, was bog-land. The church was built
of wood in 1038 by Doomnan. When the Normans captured Dublin
under Strongbow in 1169-1170, Strongbow decided to rebuild the
Cathedral in stone for two reasons. The first reason was that the wooden
structure, after one hundred and twelve years, was rotting. The second
reason was that Strongbow decided that a wooden structure wasn't
suitable as a place of worship. When the cathedral was rebuilt in stone
it was the only stone structure in Dublin.
After a few years, because the Cathedral was built on a hill, one of the
walls began to slope outwards. So to prevent it from falling out, flying
buttresses were built. When the Normans came, they built the high altar
on the highest part of the hill. This was so that the priest could be nearer
God.
Christchurch Cathedral was built in the shape of a cross. The
Cathedral is not absolutely straight. The cross of Conn which is about
half way up the cathedral is out of line with the west window. The two
71
