Rothe House
A Tudor merchant's complex of three houses around three courtyards in Kilkenny, with a reconstructed period garden behind.
Updated 19 October 2026
John Rothe Fitzpiers, a Kilkenny merchant, built the first house on this plot in 1594 and added two more behind it as his family grew, connected by three enclosed courtyards - the only surviving example in Ireland of a complete merchant's townhouse complex of the period. He had twelve children. The family lost everything in the Cromwellian confiscations of the 1650s. The buildings later became a school, a shop and a Gaelic League hall, and the Kilkenny Archaeological Society has held them since 1962, running a museum and the county's genealogy service from them. Behind the third house the burgage plot - the long narrow strip of land that came with a medieval town house - has been excavated and replanted as a period garden with an orchard, herbs and vegetables of the kinds a merchant family would have grown. It is the reconstruction of a burgage plot that makes the site unusual rather than the houses alone.
History
The complex was built by John Rothe Fitz-Piers between 1594 and 1610, three houses with three enclosed courtyards, and it is the only complete burgage plot left in Ireland. The well in the reconstructed 17th-century garden behind was dug by Cistercian monks of Duiske Abbey, who owned the property before the dissolution of the monasteries (Wikipedia, Rothe House).
What you'll find
- The three houses - built 1594 onward around two cobbled courtyards.
- The burgage plot garden - the long medieval strip excavated and replanted.
- The museum collection - Kilkenny archaeology and civic material.
- The merchant story - the Rothe family and their loss in the 1650s.
When to go
April to October for the garden, which is the strongest part; the houses are open year-round with reduced winter hours. One to two hours covers it.
Good to know
The interiors are sparsely furnished - the museum displays rather than a recreated home. The garden is a reconstruction based on excavation, not surviving planting. Stairs between floors are steep and narrow.
Nearby
Saint Canice's Cathedral is north; Kilkenny Castle is at the other end of the Medieval Mile.
Key facts
Source: Wikidata, item Q3752845, read on 18 October 2026.
What to pack for Rothe House
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- Comfortable walking shoes - Sightseeing means kilometres of pavement and cobbles daily. Find on Amazon
- Modest clothing - Shoulders and knees covered - the single most common requirement. Find on Amazon
- A slim anti-theft daypack - Zips that close properly; keep it in front in crowds and on transit. Find on Amazon
- A scarf or shawl - To cover the head or shoulders on entry; women especially at mosques. Find on Amazon
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