Waterford - Bishops Palace, Christ Church, and Blackfriars/Greyfriars Abbey

After we left the tower we walked through the town for a little while and looked down some of the small streets. L liked Waterford's coat of arms especially since it had a lion and seahorse on it. 

A little alley

Then we went to the Bishop's Palace museum which is in the former mansion of the local Protestant bishop. This museum was mainly a history of Waterford since the 1700's and its residents. It also contains the largest collection of old Waterford glass.  

The Bishop's Place and Christ Church to the left

The children did the audio tour

L was not happy they were eating a pig's head for dinner

Beautiful harp

L was so excited because she thought this was a real cat...it was stuffed! 

Could you imagine pushing a baby in a metal pram?

Behind the Bishop's Palace is the Protestant cathedral - Christ Church. This is the church where the Norman conquerer Strongbow was married. He married a Gaelic princess Aoife (pronounced Ee-fa) and because of this marriage he was next in line for the King of Leinster (one of the 4 provinces of Ireland). 

Christ Church Cathedral

Waterford chandeliers hanging in the church

Then we walked down to Blackfriars Abbey which was a few streets down. This belonged to the Dominicans which was founded in 1226. It was returned to England in 1541 during the persecution of Catholics by Henry VIII, then used as a courthouse, and in the 17th century it was destroyed by the English.

Then right next door is the Greyfriars Church. This was once a great Franciscan Friary and again was dissolved by Henry VIII. 

Then we walked over to the Waterford Factory for our tour...