Knocktopher 2.88

Knocktopher is a village in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is situated on the R713 road between the villages of Stoneyford to the north, and Ballyhale to the south. It was formerly situated on the N10 national route until being by-passed by the M9 motorway. It is also a civil parish in the eponymous barony of Knocktopher.The village has two pubs, two shops, a petrol station, a three star hotel, a restaurant and a glass gallery.HistoryAn ogham stone was erected about a mile south of Knocktopher in the medieval period: see Ballyboodan Ogham Stone. A mile to the west was Sheepstown Church.In 1312 it was listed as having four farmers holding between 5 and 74 acres of arable land, 45 free tenants holding from as much as 2,520 acres of arable land all the way down to a one-house plot. Ninety-seven burgesses held 360 acres of arable land, and there was a settlement of betaghs farming 120 acres of arable land. Knocktopher was home to a monastery, built in 1356 by James Butler, 2nd Earl of Ormond for the Carmelite friars. Following the implementation in Ireland of the dissolution of the monasteries in 1542, it was acquired by the Kingsland branch of the Barnewall family, later Viscount Barnewall. Its only remains are part of a residence built upon the site. The Carmelities returned to Knocktopher in 1735, where they remain to this day.