Survey Data
Reg No
13312009
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Artistic, Historical
Original Use
Demesne walls/gates/railings
In Use As
Demesne walls/gates/railings
Date
1840 - 1850
Coordinates
220162, 268891
Date Recorded
22/07/2005
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Demesne walls to the west of the Ardagh House estate, erected c. 1845, which run along either side of the main road into the village from the north. Composed of random rubble stone masonry with rounded roughly dressed stone coping over. Wall stepped at various stages along length. Features such as piers and cast-iron gates along the course of the walls. Located to the north and northwest of Ardagh and situated to the current west boundary of the estate.
Appraisal
This section of wall forms part of a series of boundary walls associated with the former Ardagh House demesne. Its regular form and rounded coping are consistent and visually pleasing. Good craftsmanship is evident in the piers and the gates that occur at intervals along the walls. According to local tradition, these estate walls were erected during the Great Famine (1845 - c. 1849); where they provided relief work for the local population during this traumatic event in Irish history. These walls and gateways are pleasing features along the roadscape to the east of Ardagh and form part of an important collection of related structures.