Survey Data
Reg No
13008010
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Artistic, Technical
Original Use
Gates/railings/walls
In Use As
Gates/railings/walls
Date
1880 - 1900
Coordinates
213491, 275230
Date Recorded
01/09/2005
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Gateways and boundary railings serving St. Mel’s Cathedral, erected c. 1890. Sections of moulded tooled limestone plinth walls having decorative cast-iron railings over with variety of cast-iron finials. Two gateways comprising tooled limestone gate piers (on square plan) with moulded caps and having decorative cast-iron double gates. Snecked limestone boundary walls to east and north. Road-fronted to the south of St. Mel’s Cathedral (13002327) and to the southeast of Longford Town centre.
Appraisal
This elaborate and substantial entrance group serves as an appropriate prelude to the high level of design and craftsmanship apparent throughout St. Mel's Cathedral (13002327). Very high quality ironmongery is apparent in the finely executed and varied gates and railings, while the gate piers and plinth walling attest to the quality of stonemasonry available at the time of construction. The sympathetic maintenance they receive promotes their significance. This entrance group is an important element of the built heritage of Longford Town, adding artistic incident to the streetscape to the southeast of the town centre.