Beneath this very stone lies a history richer than you can imagine. This is St Werburgh’s Parish a place where centuries intertwine. St Werburgh’s Church has stood proudly on this site since 1178. It was built shortly after the Anglo-Normans arrived. They named it after St Werburgh a patron saint of Chester. This wasn’t the first church here though. In Celtic and Danish times this parish was dedicated to St Martin of Tours. The original church burned down in 1311 along with much of the city. It was rebuilt and later became associated with powerful figures. Archbishop Henry de Loundres appropriated it to St Patrick’s Chancellor. By 1559 St Mary del Dam’s parish was incorporated into St Werburgh’s. This placed Dublin Castle within the merged parishes’ boundaries.
The current building we see today dates from 1719. Colonel Thomas Burgh oversaw its construction. It cost 8000 pounds. However it was damaged by fire in 1754. It didn’t re-open until 1759. The interior you see today is from that later reconstruction. It was designed by John Smyth. Perhaps because of that history the area’s fire engines were once stored in the church porch. This church houses the oldest surviving fire appliances in Dublin.
St Werburgh’s became fashionable in the 18th century. It was the parish church for the British Lord Lieutenant and his entourage. He even had a special Viceregal pew installed in 1767. The church’s pew register is a who’s who of 18th century Dublin public life. John Smith designed an upper gallery for schoolchildren around the same time. The spire was removed around 1810 for security reasons. It overlooked Dublin Castle. The tower was felled twenty-six years later.
The interior was remodeled in 1877 by William Welland. This was when the parish united with St John the Evangelist. The organ’s history is fascinating. An accidental fire in 1754 destroyed everything except the stonework and bells. Sir Philip Hoey left money for a new organ. It was built by Millars of College Street. The organ’s first public performance was in June 1768. Handel even used this very instrument! The present organ was originally built by Ferdinand Weber. It was restored around 1870. It still has a space to pump the bellows a practice from before the 1960s. It has historical graffiti inside too.
Notable people were baptized buried and served here. John Field the composer was baptized here. So was his grandfather a church organist. Rev JH Mason Chancellor of St Patrick’s was a rector. Lord Edward Fitzgerald a United Irishman lies in the vaults below. His captor Major Sirr is buried in the churchyard. This parish holds many secrets. St Werburgh’s Parish offers a captivating glimpse into Dublin’s rich and complex past. It continues to stand as a testament to faith and resilience. Consider the layers of history here. It is much more than bricks and mortar. It is a living legacy.