Underneath Christ Church is the crypt, the oldest surviving structure in Dublin’s city centre. This amazing structure extends under the entire length of the building, making it the largest crypt in Ireland and one of the biggest crypts in these islands. The rows of stone pillars and arches carry the entire weight of the cathedral above and have not been faced with stone so the original stonework and mortar are still visible. Among the artefact’s contained in the crypt are the stocks, formerly situated in Christ Church Place. They were made in 1670 and used for the punishment of offenders before the Court of the Dean’s Liberty, the small area under the cathedral’s exclusive civic authority.
Other interesting items include the mummified remains of a rat and cat found in the 1870s in an organ pipe. the 18th century statues of Kings Charles l and Charles ll, a collection of precious cathedral gold and silver plate and a rare 13th century transcription of the Magna Carta. Another curiosity is an assembly of costumes from the television drama, The Tudors. The series often used the environs of the cathedral and its Chapter House in various scenes.
