The priory was founded in 1202 (or, according to
William of Ware, 1205) by
Adam de Hereford, one of the
Anglo-Norman leaders of the
Norman conquest of Ireland. It was founded for canons of the
order of St Victor and was named after the recently canonised
Saint Wulfstan (died 1095). The early buildings were nicknamed
Scala Coeli, "stairs of heaven." The monastery was granted the lands around
Donaghcumper Church. In 1271 William de Mandesham,
seneschal to
Fulk Basset,
Archbishop of Dublin, granted to the priory the lands of Tristildelane, modern
Castledillon. In 1308 a bridge across the
River Liffey was built at his own expense by
John Le Decer,
Mayor of Dublin, next to the gate of St. Wolstan's. In 1314 the churches of Stacumney and Donaghmore were granted to the sole and separate use of the prior. In 1536 the priory and lands were seized by
King Henry VIII as part of the
Dissolution of the Monasteries. It was the first monastery in Ireland to be suppressed and the last prior, Richard Weston, was granted a room in the monastery and supplied with food and fuel for the rest of his life. It was granted to
John Alan,
Lord Chancellor of Ireland, in 1538. The Alen family lived at St. Wolstans for 216 years. They resided in the priory for much of this period and later built the house. In 1955 the site was purchased by the
Holy Faith Sisters, who established
St. Wolstan's Holy Faith Convent School. The school has since moved site but retains the name of
St Wolstan's Community School. It was partially excavated in 2002 as part of an archeological assessment, but nothing of significance was found. ==Remains==