Survey Data
Reg No
13312006
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
220828, 268585
Date Recorded
21/07/2005
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Demesne wall to the southeast of the Ardagh House estate, erected c. 1845. Composed of random rubble stone masonry with rounded roughly dressed stone coping over. Double-leaf wrought and cast-iron gates to the centre of section and a dressed limestone gate pier (on square-plan) with moulded capstone over to the east end of wall. Located to the east of Ardagh and situated to the current southeast 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 pier and the simple but well-crafted wrought and cast-iron iron gates. 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.