Ireland’s best-preserved medieval town

Clonmines was established in the 13th century by the great Norman knight William Marshall as an alternative port to New Ross. The remains of this once considerable town include two tower houses, two fortified churches, and an Augustinian Friary. The tower house is known as the Black Castle and is attributed to the FitzHenry family. It is believed that the Abbey was founded by the Kavanaghs for the Augustinian Friars in about 1317 and was later extended and fortified by Nicholas Fitzhenry in 1385. The friars were expelled in 1544 but continued to serve in the locality up until the 18th century. The town was largely abandoned by the 17th century probably due to its isolation, competition from New Ross, and because its port started to silt up. The site is private property and not open to the public but great views can still be seen of it by the Mausoleum on the main road out of Wellington Bridge.