[1] The boundaries of this liberty were first drawn up by John, when Lord of Ireland, in 1192, referring to a former charter of local franchises granted by King Henry II of England which are now lost.
It was incorrectly recorded by Walter Harris as originally belonging to the Knights Templar, an order founded in 1118 for the protection of pilgrims in the Holy Land.
[3] Until the time of Queen Elizabeth I, when Dublin Castle became the centre of English power, the Lord Lieutenants often held court at the manor of Kilmainham.
In 1559, the earl of Sussex, on being again appointed lord lieutenant, found that the building at Kilmainham had been damaged by a storm, and had to hold court at the Palace of St. Sepulchre.
These allowed the manor to have its own courts of justice (Court leet, where it was allowed to try all crimes except "forestalling, rape, treasure-trove and arson"), free customs, freedom from certain taxes and services, impose its own fines, have its own coroners, rights of salvage, maintain its own fairs and markets, regulate weights and measures, etc.