St. Mary's Abbey was founded as a town and
parish church c.1210 and extensive remains of
the original are located near the top of the hill in a
commanding position overlooking the town. It was
one of the first perpendicular Gothic churches built
in Ireland in this period, and probably the largest.
The present St Mary's Church was built in 1811 on
the site of the nave of the Abbey. The East wall of
the chancel is built into the 13th Century transept
arches of medieval church. Internally, the original
church furniture is intact (much as in a photograph
of 1909), but prayer desk and baptismal font
positions have been altered. It is a very fine early
19th Century interior of dignity and simplicity.
Since it was built, St Mary’s church has always been an important part of life in New Ross and today is the oldest surviving building in the town. The medieval buildings are in the care of The Office of Public Works, and the more modern building is included on the Record of Protected Structures. It has now been a centre for Christian worship for 800 years, and in recent years has also been used by the wider community as a venue for concerts and music due to its exceptional acoustic properties