Church of St. John the Evangelist, Dublin

The Church of St. John the Evangelist was a former Church of Ireland church located on the west side of Fishamble Street in the centre of Dublin, Ireland. It was founded in the 12th century, and a great many of its parish records survive.The ChurchAccording to Sir John Gilbert the church was built in 1168 by a native Irishman called Giolla Michell. It was then attached to the Church of the Most Holy Trinity (Christ Church), which was run by the Augustinian Order. Fishamble St. in those times reached only as far as the Music Hall, the rest, where the church was located, was called Bothestret. In the church there was a chapel to St. Mary and one to St. John, which was used by the Guild of Tailors.In the 14th century at Easter a Miracle Play, on the subject of the Resurrection, was performed in the church.An Arland Ussher (died 1557), nephew of the Mayor of Dublin, rebuilt the church. The new church consisted of a chancel, nave and two aisles. There were vaults underneath the church and a belfry contained three bells.The church was re-built in 1681. Its walls were only 24 feet (7.5 meters) high. There were 42 pews, which were shared among several families. The names Bladen, Hutchinson, Forster, Crumpe, Crossart, Thompson, Grimes, Reeves, Stacey and Shipley, among others, are recorded.In the mid 18th-century a committee was formed to raise funds for yet another renovation of the church. They were successful in raising thousands of pounds from the government and smaller sums from other sources, so that the church was rebuilt and re-opened in 1773. The pews were auctioned to the highest bidders, providing those with the most money with the best seats. Alderman Robert Smith contributed funds to buy an organ, from William Gibson of Grafton St., but unfortunately it never worked properly.