Two soaring Gothic spires dominate the Wexford town skyline, visible from the quays, the bridge and miles out along the Slaney. They belong to the Twin Churches — the Church of the Immaculate Conception on Rowe Street and the Church of the Assumption on Bride Street — a matched pair of 19th-century churches so alike they are all but identical, and one of the defining landmarks of the town.
A Matched Pair
Built in the 1850s to designs by the architect Robert Pierce, a pupil of the great Augustus Pugin, the two churches were raised at the same time and to the same plan, their spires rising to an identical height of around 230 feet. Local lore holds that they were built so precisely in tandem that the foundation stones were laid on the same day. The Gothic Revival detailing — the pointed arches, the soaring nave, the stained glass — is exceptional for parish churches, and a testament to the faith and ambition of Famine-era Wexford.
Visiting the Churches
Both churches are working places of worship in the heart of the town, open to visitors outside of services. Step inside either to appreciate the scale and the light — the height of the nave and the quality of the stained glass are genuinely impressive. Seeing both, a short walk apart, lets you appreciate just how closely the “twins” mirror one another.
Practical Information
The Twin Churches are in the centre of Wexford town, a few minutes’ walk apart on Rowe Street and Bride Street and easily found by their spires. They are free to enter outside service times; please be respectful if a service or quiet prayer is in progress. They make a natural stop on any walk around the old town.
This is one of our Top 15 Things to Do in Wexford.