Old Clane

Detail from Alexander Taylor's Map of County Kildare, 1783

This map clearly shows the Millicent Road (marked in red) taking a sharp right turn and crossing the Stream (highlighted in blue) opposite the driveway into Vicar Hall (Abbeylands) (1), where the small bridge pictured on the previous page is located. The present Park was then a very wet area with a complex system of streams converging; bridging it where the present road bridge is located was quite a difficult feat and probably only done around 1800. Note also –

(2) The church shown here is the former Protestant church of St Michael, now the Community Hall. The present Roman Catholic church was not yet built at the time. In its place stood a small chapel (not shown).

(3) The ruins (Rs) shown are those of the Franciscan Friary.

(4) The Normann Motte (aka "King Mesgegra's Grave"). Note that the map shows two mills; the one near the motte is still extant, but there is no trace of the second one. From the building across the road (near the black number 4) one wall is still extant, with its only remaining feature a ventilation (slit resembling an arrow loop in a castle).

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