Survey Data
Reg No
12323021
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Historical, Social
Original Use
Almshouse
In Use As
House
Date
1785 - 1790
Coordinates
263547, 137773
Date Recorded
06/07/2004
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Terraced seven-bay two-storey almshouse, built 1786-8, on a rectangular plan. Vacated, 1973. Replacement pitched artificial slate roof centred on replacement pitched (gabled) artificial slate roof with ridge tiles, and uPVC rainwater goods on roughcast eaves. Roughcast walls on rendered plinth with "Cavetto" floating pediment. Square-headed door openings including square-headed central door opening below cut-white marble plaque in cut-limestone frame with cut-granite block-and-start surrounds centred on cut-granite keystones framing replacement timber panelled doors. Square-headed window openings with cut-granite sills, and concealed dressings framing replacement casement windows replacing six-over-six timber sash windows. Street fronted with concrete flagged footpath to front.
Appraisal
An almshouse erected by Sarah Tighe (née Fownes) (1743-1822) of Woodstock House representing an important component of the late eighteenth-century built heritage of Inistioge with the architectural value of the composition confirmed by such attributes as the elongated rectilinear plan form; the restrained doorcases demonstrating good quality workmanship in an overpainted silver-grey granite; the uniform proportions of the widely spaced openings on each floor; and the floating pediment embellishing a high pitched roof. NOTE: The almshouse was designed by Henry Watters 'on the plan of an almshouse at Ross' (see 15605119) and was completed (1788) at a cost of £364 0s. 0d. including £2 13s. 1d. for an inscription from the King James Version of Saint Luke's Gospel Chapter 16 Verse 9: "MAKE TO YOURSELVES FRIENDS WITH THE MAMMON OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS THAT WHEN YE FAIL THEY MAY RECEIVE YOU INTO EVERLASTING HABITATIONS". The almshouse was occupied by 'eight aged widows' who were provided with 'two small rooms and sufficient subsistence' (Tighe 1802, 536; Lewis 1837 II, 18). The Tighe Papers in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland mention that 'each of the 8 women residing in the Almshouse has a bedstead – a tiken bag for holding straw – a blue serge quilt – a table – a stool and a wheel for spinning flax provided by R.T. [Richard Tighe (1744-1828)] at the expense of S.T. [Sarah Tighe] and W.T. [William Tighe (1766-1816)]... Each of the women receives 1s. 7½d. weekly from Mrs. S. Tighe's steward [Thomas Long] and three stone weight of potatoes; two cows are appropriated for their use and fed at Woodstock; four stone weight of wool is to be divided amongst the eight women yearly and the flesh of four sheep' (PRONI D2685/8/7). The almshouse was occupied by eight retired general labourers in 1901 but that number had reduced to four old age pensioners by 1911. The almshouse was vacated in 1973.