Lacken

Area

158,727 m² (15.87 ha, 39.22 acres)

Buildings

37 buildings touch it, 12,544 m² on the ground

Zoning

S5 Community Facilities (Kilkenny City and County Development Plan 2021-2027) The objective
G5 Amenity / Green links/Biodiversity conservation/ Open Space/Recreation (Kilkenny City and County Development Plan 2021-2027) The objective
P1 Agriculture (Kilkenny City and County Development Plan 2021-2027) The objective

Townland

Lacken

Planning applications on this parcel

• 6 May 2025Conditional

  for the following works. The site is located within the Lacken Architectural Conservation Area. Building fabric upgrade works to include: external insulation to the building façade including new plaster finish, replacement of existing windows and external doors, installation of Solar PV panels and associated plant on the building roof. Permission is also sought for the demolition of existing reception area and construction of a new entrance reception with associated hard and soft landscaping to the front of the building and the reconfiguration of the existing car parking areas, and all associated site & ancillary works

  Permission · Kilkenny County Council, 2560240

• 2 May 2023N/a

  for provision of additional car parking spaces and for alterations to existing parking layout, provision of accessible access footpaths and associated site works and ancillary related works. The premises is included in the Record of Protected Structures, Ref. B216.

  Permission · Kilkenny County Council, 2360177

Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.

Designated sites

• Special Area of Conservation: River Barrow and River Nore SAC 002162
• Special Protection Area: River Nore SPA 004233

Recorded monuments around it

This parcel is in the zone of notification of 2 recorded monuments.

• KK019-028 Water mill - vertical-wheeled
  Description

  On the N bank of the River Nore, between the river and the Dublin Road, on the outskirts of Kilkenny City. Bradley (2000, 17) cites a medieval reference to a mill at this location in 1307. A watermill is indicated here on the Down Survey (1655-6) parish map of ‘The Parrish of St. Johns in the Liberties of Kilkenny’ (Hibernia Regnum, courtesy of Trinity College Dublin). The accompanying terrier of the parish map mentions, ‘in Sherlockeland is a Mill in repaire’, this property is listed as being Corporation Land in 1640 (ibid.). Doyle (1985, 152) suggests that, ‘Lacken mill may have been once owned by the Sherlock family, as it was part of an area formerly called Sherlock’s land. In 1425 the Earl of Ormond granted two mills to Walter Sherlock’. In the Civil Survey (1654-6) the mills, located, ‘Lying within half a mile from ye Citty Southward upon ye river Neor’, are described as, ‘Lackings Mills being 3 in number und[e]r one ruffe [roof], whereof there are 2 Corne Mills & 1 Tuck Mill ye walls stone and ye ruffe [roof] Thatch: 1 Corne loft’ and the ‘Ten[an]ts when ye Towne was Taken’ is given as Tho[mas] Lein [Lea, Ley or Leigh] (Simington 1942, vol. 6, 549). According to Doyle (1985, 152), ‘the medieval origins of this mill are all too visible’. He describes how the mill was modernized in the 19th century by the Sullivan family who built a brick façade onto, ‘what looks like a fifteenth or sixteenth century structure’ (ibid.). A wall in the mill has ‘an arch of the period’ and an armorial plaque, bearing part of an Archer coat of arms, was discovered in this wall, with ‘an incised carving of a man in sixteenth century costume’ (ibid.). Doyle mentions another Archer coat of arms at the former Archersgrove mills (KK019-050----) c. 1.2km to the SE (ibid. 153). Adjacent to the mill building, ‘there is a silted-up mill stream, besides the one that turned the twin mill wheels’ (ibid. 152). The mills have been disused since 1946 and are currently roofless (Bradley 2000, 17). See attached extract from the Down Survey (1655-6) parish map of ‘The Parrish of St. Johns in the Liberties of Kilkenny’ (Hibernia Regnum, courtesy of Trinity College Dublin) Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 5 October

• KK019-111 Water mill - vertical-wheeled
  Description

  On the S bank of the River Nore, c. 600m ENE of Kilkenny Castle (KK019-026078----) and c. 200m E of the Ormonde Mills (KK019-027----) complex. Known as the 'Archers Mills'. The medieval Lacken Mills (KK019-028----) and Magdalen Mills (KK019-026076-) are located on the opposite/N bank and all the mills on this stretch of the Nore were sited to take advantage of the increased flow of the river as it exited a meander. The Ormond Deeds record that in 1399 James, earl of Ormonde, granted to William Archer, carpenter, the use and profits of four mills in and near Kilkenny (Curtis 1934, vol. 2, no. 343, 242-3). These mills were to be repaired by Archer and remained in the possession of the family until the 17th century (Doyle 1985, 247). The terrier accompanying the Down Survey (1655-6) parish map of ‘St Patrick’s Parish’ mentions that there is, 'in Archersgrove a Thatcht House [KK019-080001-] and two mills in repaire' [KK019-050----] and lists 'Thomas Archer Ir[ish] P[apist]' as the proprietor in 1640 (Hibernia Regnum, courtesy of Trinity College Dublin). The Civil Survey (1654-6) describes the mills belonging to Thomas Archer as, 'being 3 in num[ber] [ ] distinct building [ ] wherein stands a corne ye [ ] walls stone ye ruffe p[ar]t Slate and p[ar]t Thatch. A Building joyning thereunto wherin stands a ruinous Tuck Mill) ye walls stone and ye ruffe Thatch. Another building (wherein stands a Corne mill) ye walls stone and ye ruffe thatch' (Simington 1942, vol. 6, 549). Though not indicated on the Down Survey maps, it is possible that the third mill may refer to one in Dukesmeadows, known as Archers Mills and later as Dullard's Mills (Bradley 2000, 16). In 2002, following excavations (licence no. 01E1041), these mill buildings, referred to locally as the 'Tuck Mill' and consisting of two ruinous but upstanding buildings of 18th/19th-century date, were removed to facilitate the widening of the River Nore as part of the OPW Kilkenny City Drainage Scheme (Doyle 2004, 247). In the course of the excavation the earliest building was identified by an E-W oriented wall, which partially cut into the silted-up river channel. Two N-S aligned walls ran off this latter wall at right angles. The walls were roughly built with limestone rubble and coarse limestone mortar (ibid.). This U-shaped structure had no northern wall or floor levels associated with it, presumably owing to their removal in later phases (ibid.). The excavator speculated that these may represent the remains of a 17th-century mill building (ibid.). Compiled by: Jean Farrelly and Cóilín Ó Drisceoil Date of upload: 13 November 2020

Architectural heritage

• Saint Canice's Hospital, hospital/infirmary, 1845–1855 · National interest
  Description

  Detached forty-one-bay two- and three-storey Elizabethan Revival lunatic asylum, built 1849-51, on a symmetrical plan comprising three-bay three-storey central block with single-bay two-storey lean-to projecting porch to centre ground floor having single-bay three-storey gabled projecting flanking bays with two-storey canted bay windows, nine-bay three-storey recessed flanking wings having single-bay three-storey gabled breakfronts, single-bay three-storey gabled advanced re-entrant bays, single-bay three-storey gabled terminating bays having five-bay three-storey side elevations incorporating single-bay three-storey gabled breakfronts, and three-bay two-storey linking ranges extending into eight-bay two-storey lateral wings having single-bay two-storey re-entrant bays on engaged octagonal plans. Completed, 1893, with single-bay five-storey terminating (water) towers with attics added having two-bay five-storey side elevations. Now in use as hospital. Pitched slate roofs (gabled to projecting bays and to breakfronts; half-polygonal to engaged octagonal bays) with clay ridge tiles, squared rubble limestone and red brick Running bond chimney stacks having cut-limestone coping supporting paired cut-limestone diagonal pots, carved cut-limestone coping to gables, and cast-iron rainwater goods on limestone ashlar eaves having consoles. Lean-to glazed roof to porch in timber frame with cast-iron rainwater goods. Hipped slate roofs to towers (hipped to attic windows) with ridge tiles having finials to apex, rooflights, swept eaves, and cast-iron rainwater goods on limestone ashlar eaves. Random squared rubble limestone walls with limestone ashlar dressings including quoins to corners to breakfronts, stepped buttresses (diagonal buttresses to corners; gabled buttresses to porch), round-headed blind openings to gables with cut-limestone sills, cut-limestone surrounds having chamfered reveals, carved stringcourses to gables to central block, and paired carved stringcourses to top floor to towers with square apertures having cut-limestone surrounds with chamfered reveals. Square-headed window openings (including to canted bay windows in limestone ashlar surrounds having carved cut-limestone stringcourses to each floor, and cut-limestone coping to parapet) with cut-limestone sills, cut-limestone surrounds having chamfered reveals, mullions and transoms (forming bipartite and tripartite arrangement), some having hood mouldings over, and timber casement windows. Square-headed openings to porch in Tudor-headed recesses on two cut-limestone steps with glazed timber double doors having overlight, decorative overpanel, mullions and transoms to flanking openings forming bipartite arrangement, and timber casement windows. Square-headed window openings to tower (some paired; some with cut-limestone mullions and transoms forming bipartite arrangement) with cut-limestone surrounds having chamfered reveals, and iron fittings. Set back from road in own grounds with tarmacadam forecourt, and landscaped grounds to site.

• Saint Canice's Hospital, building misc, 1845–1855 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached five-bay single-storey Elizabethan Revival mortuary chapel, c.1850, with single-bay single-storey gabled breakfront, single-bay single-storey gabled recessed end bay to left, and single-bay single-storey gabled entrance breakfront to side (south-west) elevation. Renovated and refenestrated. Pitched slate roofs (gabled to breakfronts; gabled to end bay) with clay ridge tiles, cut-limestone coping to gables, and replacement uPVC rainwater goods on timber eaves. Random rubble limestone walls mostly repointed with tooled dressed limestone quoins to corners. Square-headed window openings with cut-limestone surrounds having chamfered reveals, and replacement timber fittings. Segmental-headed opening to entrance breakfront with two concrete steps, iron gates, and segmental-headed door opening to chapel having replacement timber panelled double doors. Set back from road in grounds shared with Saint Canice's Hospital.

• Saint Canice's Hospital, church/chapel, 1890–1895 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached seven-bay double-height Gothic Revival Catholic chapel, built 1893, comprising five-bay double-height nave with single-bay single-storey gabled projecting porches to north and to south, single-bay double-height lower bay to south-west, and single-bay double-height chancel to north-east on a polygonal plan having single-bay single-storey sacristy to north. Pitched slate roofs (gabled to porches; half-polygonal to chancel with gablets over window openings) with profiled terracotta ridge tiles, sandstone ashlar chamfered chimney stack to sacristy on carved stringcourse having profiled cornice, cut-stone coping to gables having buttressed gabled bellcote to apex to north-east (with pointed-arch aperture on moulded stringcourse having chamfered reveals, bell now missing, and coping having cross finial to apex), and cast-iron rainwater goods on carved sandstone concave eaves. Broken coursed rock-faced cut-limestone walls with sandstone ashlar dressings including quoins to corners (chamfered to porches), gabled stepped buttresses to north-east, and stepped clasping buttresses to chancel. Pointed-arch window openings with cut-sandstone block-and-start surrounds having chamfered reveals, and fixed-pane fittings having leaded stained glass panels. Pointed-arch window openings to chancel on cut-sandstone sill course with cut-sandstone block-and-start surrounds having chamfered reveals, hood mouldings over, Y-mullions and tracery forming bipartite trefoil-headed arrangement (tripartite arrangement to north-east) having quatrefoils over, and fixed-pane fittings having leaded stained glass panels. Pointed-arch door openings with cut-sandstone block-and-start surrounds having profiled chamfered reveals, and tongue-and-groove timber panelled double doors. Square-headed window openings to sacristy with cut-sandstone block-and-start surround having chamfered reveals, mullions, and fixed-pane fittings having leaded glazing. Full-height interior open into roof with Gothic-style timber panelled confessional box to south-west, timber pews, exposed timber roof construction, and pointed-arch arches to south-west and to north-east (chancel) having chamfered reveals leading to moulded archivolt on decorative corbels. Set back from road in grounds shared with Saint Canice's Hospital.

• Saint Canice's Hospital, church/chapel, 1890–1895 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached three-bay single-storey over basement Gothic Revival single-cell Church of Ireland chapel, built 1893, with single-bay single-storey gabled projecting lower porch to right, and single-bay single-storey lean-to lower vestry off-shoot to south-east. Pitched slate roof (gabled to porch; continuing into lean-to to vestry) with profiled terracotta ridge tiles, rock-faced cut-limestone chimney stack to vestry having cut-sandstone quoins, cut-stone coping to gables having cross finials to apexes, and cast-iron rainwater goods on cut-sandstone eaves. Broken coursed rock-faced cut-limestone walls with sandstone ashlar dressings including quoins to corners. Pointed-arch window openings (trefoil-headed window openings to ends; square-headed window openings to vestry) with cut-sandstone block-and-start surrounds having chamfered reveals, and fixed-pane fittings having leaded stained glass panels. Pointed-arch door opening to porch with cut-sandstone block-and-start surround having chamfered reveals. Set back from road in grounds shared with Saint Canice's Hospital.

• Saint Canice's Hospital, outbuilding, 1845–1855 · Regional interest
  Description

  Attached eight-bay single-storey red brick outbuilding with attic, c.1850, comprising three-bay single-storey gable-fronted block with attic having five-bay single-storey recessed lateral wing to right. Pitched slate roofs (gabled to main block) with clay ridge tiles, red brick Running bond chimney stack having carved cut-limestone stringcourse, cut-limestone coping to gables having square-profiled finials to apexes, and cast-iron rainwater goods on red brick Running bond eaves. Red brick Running bond walls. Camber-headed window openings with cut-limestone chamfered flush sills, red brick surrounds having chamfered reveals, and fixed-pane timber windows having mullions incorporating casement overlights. Camber-headed door openings with red brick surrounds (including voussoirs) having chamfered reveals, and tongue-and-groove timber panelled doors having overpanels. Set back from road in grounds shared with Saint Canice's Hospital.

• Saint Canice's Hospital, chimney, 1845–1855 · Regional interest
  Description

  Engaged red brick chimney, c.1850, comprising tapered shaft on a square plan with brick in Common (fifth course headers) bond having cut-limestone concave coping. Now disused. Set back from road in grounds shared with Saint Canice's Hospital.

Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. Buildings: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Works at or in relation to a recorded monument need two months' written notice to the National Monuments Service (National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, section 12).

Ground and risks

Radon

About 1 in 10 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home

Landslides

Susceptibility moderately high, moderately low, low, low (inferred), on the 1:50,000 map; parts are made ground and water.

Terrain model

LiDAR of the Office of Public Works, flown in 2011, at 2 m: tile OPW_2184 (ZIP).

Flooding

The flood maps of the Office of Public Works: floodinfo.ie.

Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency; Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland; both CC BY 4.0. LiDAR: contains Irish Public Sector Data (Geological Survey Ireland & the Office of Public Works) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.

Download this parcel: DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its neighbours and buildings, for a drawing program; GeoJSON, in WGS 84, for a map; KML, for Google Earth.

Registered freehold land, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. A parcel is the land of a title, not an address. The owner's name is in the Land Registry of Tailte Éireann: a copy of the folio can be ordered on landdirect.ie, for a fee.