forgotten treasure, castlebridge conservatory

Forgotten Treasure Castlebridge Conservatory

Liam Driscoll

Applied Building Repair and Conservation

Trinity College, Dublin

2014

Declaration

I have read Trinity College’s policy on plagiarism for the submission of academic work.

I fully understand this policy and agree to abide by the rules of Trinity College,

University of Dublin. I understand failure to credit information obtained from another

source may be considered plagiarism. I declare that the work contained within this

document is my own original work and it has not been submitted to any other

University. All direct quotations have been identified in the text and referenced at the

end in the reference section

Signed : Liam Driscoll

Date: 1/5/2014

Abstract

This thesis has focused on the Rotunda Conservatory attached to Castlebridge House in

County Wexford. It has also researched the past occupants of the house and the contribution

they have made to the Castlebridge area. The builder of the conservatory and the contribution

he made to the foundry business in Wexford has also been acknowledged.

The research was undertaken as part of my thesis while studying for a Diploma in Applied

Building Repair and Conservation, in Trinity College, Dublin.

Information was gathered from various sources and papers written about the subject.

Interviews were also held with past employees of Castlebridge House and Gardens. Visits

were made to the National Library of Ireland, The Architectural Archives and The Register of

Deeds Office. Information was also obtained from site visits and a survey was carried out by

a specialist Ironwork Conservation Contractor.

It was found that this historical structure has suffered such neglect that, if immediate action is

not taken it may become unrepairable. It was also found that the people from the area of

Castlebridge have a great affinity for the Conservatory and Castlebridge House and would

like to see the restoration of these structures and become part of the village again. There are

similarities with other conservatories in the South East and there may be a connection

between them. Further investigation of this possibility should be undertaken.

The findings within this paper are significant as they emphasize how important this

conservatory is to the Castlebridge area and also to the area of Wexford Town. The builder

of Castlebridge Conservatory, James Pierce, has provided much needed employment in

Wexford for over one hundred and fifty years. The conservatory is part of our Industrial

Heritage and should be recognized as such. The rate of deterioration which has taken place

since the last survey shows that the conservatory is on its last journey and there is not much

time left to save it.

Acknowledgements.

Although this work has been researched and compiled by the author, it would not have been

possible without the help and guidance of people who were willing to give their time,

provide information, and help in any way they could. I would like to acknowledge this help

and I am eternally grateful to them for partaking in this project.

The following are the names of people without whose help this thesis would not have been

possible;

Brian Murphy (Castlebridge)

Barney Murphy (Castlebridge)

Micheal O’Rourke (Castlebridge)

Ann Marie Laffin (Wexford County Council)

Sonia Hunt (Wexford County Council)

John Cullen (Wexford County Council)

Phil Cully (Dublin Institute of Technology)

Edward Bisgood (Bushy Park Ironworks)

Pat Doyle (Edermine House)

Celestine Murphy (Wexford County Library)

Michael Dempsey (Wexford County Library)

Staff (Wexford County Library)

Claire Goodwin (Kilkenny County Council)

Ciaran O’Connor (Office of Public Works)

Gerard O’Sullivan (Office of Public Works)

A special mention must be given to my wife Breda, who has provided the help and support to

me on this project for the last eight months.

Contents Introduction 1.0 .......................................................................................................................... 1

1.1 Castlebridge. ................................................................................................................... 1

1.2 Outline.............................................................................................................................. 1

1.3 Objective ......................................................................................................................... 2

2.0 Literature Review................................................................................................................. 3

2.1 Report from the Office of Public Works 1992 ................................................................. 3

2.2 Meeting of Wexford County Council 1992 ..................................................................... 4

2.3 Report from National Building Agency on Castlebridge House ..................................... 4

2.4 Grant Aid for Building Conservation .............................................................................. 4

2.5 Report by Sonia Hunt (Executive Planner) ...................................................................... 5

2.6 Interview with Brian Murphy (former gardner) ............................................................... 5

2.7 Interview with Barney Murphy (former worker of W.B.Nunn) ...................................... 6

2.8 Interview with Mr. Micheal O’Rourke ............................................................................ 6

2.9 Restoration of Turner Glasshouse in the National Botanic Gardens ............................... 7

2.10 Archival Search .............................................................................................................. 7

2.10.1 National Library of Ireland ..................................................................................... 8

2.10.2 Visit to Registry of Deeds, Kings Inns ................................................................... 8

2.10.3 The Irish Architectural Archives. ........................................................................... 8

2.11 Castlebridge and the Guinness Connection 150 years (1836 – 1986) ........................... 9

2.12 Houses of Wexford ........................................................................................................ 9

2.13 English Heritage Technical Handbook Volume 4 ( Metals) ......................................... 9

2.14 Iron. The repair of Wrought and Cast Ironwork ......................................................... 10

2.15 Sights and Scenes of our Fatherland ............................................................................ 10

2.16 Pierce Centenary Publication ....................................................................................... 10

2.16 Woodstock Gardens and Demesne .............................................................................. 11

3.0 Methodology ...................................................................................................................... 13

3.1 James Pierce ................................................................................................................... 14

3.1.1 Pierce Foundry ....................................................................................................... 14

3.3 The Design of the Conservatory ................................................................................... 15

3.4 Castlebridge Village...................................................................................................... 16

.............................................................................................................................................. 17

3.5 Previous Occupants of Castlebridge House ................................................................... 17

3.5.1 The Dixon Family (1814- 1826) ............................................................................. 18

3.5.2 Breen Family 1827 - 1875 .................................................................................... 18

3.5.3 The Nunn Family 1875 - 1974 ............................................................................. 19

3.5.4 Wexford County Council 1974 – 2013 ................................................................ 19

3.6 The Guinness Connection ............................................................................................. 19

3.7 Early Iron production .................................................................................................... 20

3.7.1 Henry Cort 1740-1800 (Master of the iron trade) ................................................. 20

3.7.2 The Puddling Process .............................................................................................. 21

3.7.3 Pig Iron.................................................................................................................... 22

3.7.4 Wrought Iron ........................................................................................................... 22

3.7.5 Characteristics of Wrought Iron.............................................................................. 23

3.7.6 Cast Iron .................................................................................................................. 23

3.7.7 Corrosion................................................................................................................. 24

3.8 Early Glass .................................................................................................................... 25

3.9 The History of Glasshouses ......................................................................................... 26

3.2 Richard Turner (1798-1881) .......................................................................................... 28

3.2.1 Palm House Conservatory Belfast (1839) ............................................................... 30

3.2.2 Palm House, Key Royal Botanic Gardens ( 1844) ................................................. 31

3.2.3 Botanic Gardens Glasshouse Dublin (1884) ........................................................... 32

4.0 Site Visit........................................................................................................................... 33

4.1 Observations ................................................................................................................. 33

4.2 Observations .................................................................................................................. 40

4.3 Specialist Contractor Survey......................................................................................... 47

5.0 Presentation of Results ....................................................................................................... 52

5.1 The Iron Conservatory ................................................................................................. 52

5.1.1 Condition of the Metalwork .................................................................................... 53

5.1.2 Conservatory Floor ................................................................................................. 55

5.1.3 Bottom Panels ......................................................................................................... 56

5.1.4 Main Supporting Columns ...................................................................................... 57

5.2 Current site conditions. ................................................................................................. 59

5.3 Main house history. ........................................................................................................ 60

5.3.1 Occupants of Castlebridge House ........................................................................... 61

5.4 Planning and Co-ordination. ......................................................................................... 61

5.5 Legal protection. ........................................................................................................... 62

5.5.1 Legislation.............................................................................................................. 62

5.5.2 Funding of Protected Structures............................................................................. 63

6.0 Analysis of Results ............................................................................................................ 64

6.1 Structure ......................................................................................................................... 64

6.2 Glazing. .......................................................................................................................... 64

6.3 Floor. .............................................................................................................................. 64

6.4 Protection category. ....................................................................................................... 65

6.4.1 National Inventory of Architectural Heritage ......................................................... 66

6.4.2 Wexford County Council ........................................................................................ 66

6.5 Historic Building Protection .......................................................................................... 66

6.5.1 Legal Protection ...................................................................................................... 67

6.5.2 The Granada Convention ........................................................................................ 67

6.5.3 The Dublin Principals. ............................................................................................ 67

6.5.4 The Heritage Act 1995 ............................................................................................ 67

6.5.5 County Heritage Plans. ........................................................................................... 68

6.6 Comparison between Castlebridge House and Edermine House Conservatories .......... 68

7.0 Discussion. ......................................................................................................................... 74

7.1 Conservatory. ................................................................................................................. 74

7.2 Castlebridge House and Gardens. .................................................................................. 75

7.3 Wexford County Council ............................................................................................... 79

7.4 Castlebridge Village....................................................................................................... 79

7.5 Designer ......................................................................................................................... 80

7.6 State Agencies ................................................................................................................ 81

7.6.1 Office of Public Works ........................................................................................... 81

7.6.2 The Heritage Council .............................................................................................. 81

7.6.3 Teagasc (Agriculture and Food Development Authority) ...................................... 82

8.0 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 83

8.1 Designer ......................................................................................................................... 83

8.2 Potential Sources of Funding. ....................................................................................... 84

8.2.1 National Lottery ...................................................................................................... 85

8.2.2 European Union ...................................................................................................... 85

8.2.3 The Duty of the Owners. ......................................................................................... 85

8.2.4 Guinness .................................................................................................................. 85

8.2.5 Local Fundraising ................................................................................................... 86

8.3 Wexford County Council. .............................................................................................. 86

8.3.1 Forward Planning. ................................................................................................... 87

8.4 Alternative Location ...................................................................................................... 87

8.5 Master Craftsmen ........................................................................................................... 89

8.6 Comment ........................................................................................................................ 89

Works Cited ............................................................................................................................. 90

Table of Figures

All photographs by the author unless otherwise referenced

Page

Fig. 1 Map of County Wexford 1

Fig. 2 Restored Conservatory ,Woodstock Gardens 11

Fig. 3 Castlebridge Conservatory 13

Fig. 4 James Pierce 14

Fig. 5 Centre of Castlebridge Village 16

Fig. 6 Former mill at Castlebridge Village 17

Fig. 7 Diagram of Puddling process 21

Fig. 8 Diagram of Pig iron. 22

Fig. 9 The Ha'penny Bridge, Dublin 23

Fig. 10 Early photograph of glassmaking 25

Fig. 11 Drawing of early glasshouse 26

Fig. 12 Richard Turner 28

Fig. 13 Palm House Conservatory, Belfast 30

Fig. 14 Key Gardens, Glasshouse, England 31

Fig. 15 Great Palm House, Dublin 32

Fig. 16 Castlebridge House grounds 33

Fig. 17 Centre flower stand 34

Fig. 18 Heating pipe of conservatory. 35

Fig. 19 Inside conservatory 36

Fig. 20 Inside conservatory 37

Fig. 21 OPW Photograph (1992) 37

Fig. 22 Porte Còchere 38


Fig. 24 OPW Photograph (1992) 39

Fig. 25 Discarded metal 40

Fig. 26 Vulnerable metal 40

Fig. 27 Damaged metal 41

Fig. 28 Internal supporting column 42



Fig. 31 Granite base 45

Fig. 32 Granite base 45


Fig. 34 Internal supporting column 46

Fig. 35 Roof section 47










Fig. 45 Floor section 55

Fig. 46 Drawing of floor tiles 55

Fig. 47 Panel section 56

Fig. 48 Section of column 57

Fig. 49 Section of column 57



Fig. 52 View from village green 59

Fig. 53 Steps leading to gardens 59


Fig. 55 Edermine Conservatory 70







Fig. 62 Former workers enjoying their lunch break 76

Fig. 63 The former gardens at Castlebridge House 76

Fig. 64 Castlebridge Conservatory in its former glory 77

Fig. 65 Aerial photograph of Castlebridge house 78

1

Introduction 1.0

__________________________________________________________________________

This thesis will be focusing on the Rotunda Conservatory at Castlebridge Co. Wexford which

was built circa.1858. The history of the conservatory will be researched, as well as the

previous occupants of Castlebridge House and the important role they have played in the

local Village. It will also examine the possibility of a restoration project being undertaken

and how such a project would be of benefit to the local community.

1.1 Castlebridge.

Castlebridge village is situated three miles

north of Wexford Town. In this small

village stands a very important piece of

Wexford’s history, Castlebridge House

Conservatory. The ironwork in the structure

is an example of the great skills of the

craftsmen which were once employed in the

local Pierce Foundry in Wexford Town.

Wexford County Council purchased the site

in 1975 and had plans to restore the

conservatory,these plans never came to

fruition. Meanwhile the years have taken

their toll on the beautiful ironwork and today

it is in danger of becoming beyond repair.

1.2 Outline

There is a strong connection between the conservatory and the local village. The conservatory

has been the centrepiece of the village since c.1858. A search of records in the Registry of

Deeds Office, has shown that Castlebridge House has been the home of the Dixon, Breen and

Nunn families who were once the main employers in the village since c1816.

A recent article in the local newspaper prompted a closer look at what the future holds for the

conservatory. A public representative, Cllr. Padge Reck, has suggested that the conservatory

be dismantled and placed in storage until the Council decides what to do with it (Ryan, 2010).

The local community have been very vocal about this suggestion and they feel that the

conservatory should not be moved from its present location. Cllr. Reck also stated that a

property developer from Castlebridge made three solid attempts in the last ten years to save

the conservatory (Ryan, 2010). The views expressed locally are that if the conservatory is

dismantled it may never return to the village. Mr Ciaran O’Connor, Chief State Architect

Figure 1

2

with the Office of Public Works, who was involved in the restoration of the glasshouse in the

Botanic Gardens, Dublin has stated during a recent lecture; “to carry out the restoration of a

project such as this, it needs to be done in a controlled environment, dismantling the

conservatory is the only option” (O'Connor C. , 2013).

Although the comment by Cllr. Reck was made out of concern for the structure, dismantling

it and storing it off-site is not an option the people of the village would agree to readily,

unless it is for the process of restoration.Meanwhile, as the debate goes on, the elements are

taking their toll on the conservatory. The glass has suffered from vandalism and is mostly

broken. The metalwork is covered in rust and the entire area is overgrown.

1.3Objective

The main objective of this thesis is to bring a focus on the conservatory and to examine how

information gathered during research may benefit any future conservation project. It will also

examine why this conservatory has been allowed to deteriorate to this level without

intervention to conserve it. The research will also examine possible links to other local

conservatories by the builders and designers and compare similarities. It will also examine

what role the main house and the families who lived there have played in the development of

the village of Castlebridge.

Points which will be explored include;

The history of the conservatory.

The builder of the conservatory.

The history of previous occupants of Castlebridge House.

The importance of the conservatory and house to the local area.

Potential connections with other conservatories in the South East area.

Survey of the present condition and the possibility of a restoration project being

undertaken.

3

2.0 Literature Review

__________________________________________________________________________

The literature review focused on any information that could be obtained and which was

considered relevant to the project. The Registry of Deeds, The National Archives of Ireland,

The Irish Architectural Archives and Wexford Library were visited in search of literature on

the subject. There have been several conservatories restored in Ireland and the United

Kingdom and they are also manufactured from wrought and cast iron, these were also

researched to gain an insight into how the project may be advanced. English Heritage and the

Office of Public Works in Ireland have developed the skills and processes which are needed

when undertaking delicate work such as this. Some of the methods and materials used in

previous restoration projects are also reviewed in this section.

2.1 Report from the Office of Public Works 1992

The Office of Public Works carried out a detailed survey of the conservatory in 1992. This

report concentrated solely on the conservatory. The main house was described within the

report as not being a significant architectural period residence, as was usually the case where

other conservatories from this period were located (O'Connor C. , 1992). At the time of this

report in 1992 the conservatory was considered to not have suffered serious vandalism with

the exception of broken glass and that a restoration project should be undertaken as part of

our architectural heritage.

The reports suggests that the conservatory could be relocated from the grounds of the house

and installed in a more prominent or secure position. It went on to suggest if the conservatory

was to be moved, the location chosen should be carefully considered. The chosen location

should allow the Porte-Còchere attached to the conservatory to be a prominent part of the

display. (O'Connor C. , 1992)

A suggested method of dismantling, tagging and cleaning the metal components is also

outlined in the report. The method of how the different components are inspected for defects

and howthe parts are determined for replacement is clearly described within the report.

Detailed instructions are also given on the methodology and preparation of the elements for

restoration.

The report concludes with the recommendation “ … we would strongly advise that the

Castlebridge Conservatory be preserved and restored. It deserves nothing less”(O'Connor

C. , 1992)

This report was of significant value to this thesis. The report was drafted in 1992 but no

copies of the report could be located. Contact was made with the Office of Public Works and

with the assistance of their staff, a copy was located. It must be stated that the report was

obtained from Mr. Gerard O’Sullivan, Senior Architect in the Office of Public Works. Mr

Ciaran O’Connor, Chief State Architect was the author of the report and also assisted in its

4

discovery. It gives valuable information on all parts of the conservatory including the floor

and granite stone base. It also contains scaled drawings and an exploded view of the various

components. The report, having being compiled by experts from the Office of Public Works,

is invaluable to the restoration of the conservatory. The author, having being the main

Architect on the restoration of the Richard Turner Conservatory at the National Botanic

Gardens, is very knowledgeable of this type of restoration project, and has developed many

new techniques in restoration from working on the Turner project

2.2 Meeting of Wexford County Council 1992

Wexford County Council held their statutory Monthly Meeting on 27th of April 1992. As

part of this meeting, a discussion took place regarding Castlebridge Conservatory. The local

representative Cllr. Sinnott, stated that a committee had been formed in Castlebridge and they

were concerned that the conservatory may be moved from Castlebridge. It was

recommended by Cllr. Sinnott that the Council re-examine their intentions for the future of

the house and conservatory. A proposal that the conservatory be repaired and retained in

Castlebridge was passed by the Council. It was also proposed that assistance be sought from

the Office of Public Works for the restoration of the conservatory. (Wexford County Council

Archives, 1992)

2.3 Report from National Building Agency on Castlebridge House

Wexford County Council commissioned the National Building Agency to compile a report on

Castlebridge House in 1994. The report was compiled by Conservation Architect, Jacqueline

M. Donnelly. This report gave a detailed description of each room in the main house and

recommendations as to how the house could be prevented from further deterioration. Paying

particular attention to the conservatory she states; “The conservatory is a structure of

national importance. It is arguably one of the finest small conservatories in the country”

(Donnelly, 1994). The report is clearly very concerned about the condition of the

conservatory at this time

2.4 Grant Aid for Building Conservation

A report was commissioned upon instruction from the Heritage Council, Department of

Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Department of Finance. (Carrig

Conservation Ireland , 2011)

This is a comprehensive report and analysis on how the grant system for maintenance and

conservation of structures has been administered since 2000. It makes recommendations as

to how the grants scheme may be structured in the future, to take account of the work which

is needed to maintain the buildings and protect them from further deterioration.

5

As part of the report it examines the amount of finance each Local Authority has received for

each year and how they were administered.

For the year 2010 it states; “ In Wexford County Council the allocation for the conservation

grant scheme in 2010 was €110,000 with grants ranging between €2,000 and €13,000”

(Carrig Conservation Ireland , 2011)

According to the Record of Protected Structures Draft list 2010 (Council, Wexford County,

2010), there were 833 listed structures for County Wexford. If each of these structures

required annual maintenance and they applied for a grant, the maximum amount they could

receive per property would be €132 from the allocation of €110,000. This fact highlights the

inadequate grant allowance which is provided to maintain protected structures.

The report failed to include these statistics. There are a vast number of protected structures,

compared to the finance allocated for grant aid.Funding provided for proper maintenance of

protected structures is not sufficient. Building conservation and restoration is a very

expensive process. Allocating finance for reports, instead of for the structures which are in

urgent need of repair, is counterproductive.

2.5 Report by Sonia Hunt (Executive Planner)

A report by Executive Planner, Sonia Hunt of Wexford County Council on the history of the

families who lived in Castlebridge House and the contribution of the families to the economy

of the Castlebridge area. This is a very detailed report and the author is clearly very

interested in the house and conservatory. Ms. Hunt has done a great deal of research on this

subject and is clearly passionate about the history of the area. The information contained

within this report was very beneficial to the compilation of this thesis. Sonia Hunt has

managed to interview past domestic employees of Castlebridge House and obtain very

important details of the everyday life there. She has also produced a drawing of the house

with descriptions of what each room was used for. This information is invaluable as a record

of past times and it shows great foresight on her behalf in doing so. The report gave a

direction to the author of this thesis and provided a starting point on which to commence

gathering information about the history of the past occupants of Castlebridge House.

2.6 Interview with Brian Murphy (former gardner)

Brian Murphy was a former employee of the Nunn family. He worked in the gardens and

around the main house for many years. He has a wealth of information and photographs on

the house and garden. He relates stories of the times working for W.B. Nunn and the many

shooting parties that attended the house. He can also recall that the conservatory was

regularly painted and maintained to a high standard until the house was sold to Wexford

County Council. He also recalls how the gardens were meticulously maintained and how they

provided employment to the local people. Mr Murphy has very important information and

should be interviewed by Wexford Library to enable his memories to be recorded for the

County Archives.

6

2.7 Interview with Barney Murphy ( former worker of W.B.Nunn)

Barney Murphy also worked around the house and could recall that there was a specially

designed ladder which was used when painting the roof of the conservatory. He recalled that

when the harvesting was finished, workers would be sent to work in the garden of the house

and to carry out maintenance on the conservatory. Mr. Murphy has a great passion for the

conservation of the conservatory and house.He also has a passion for his local village and

would dearly like to see progress on eventually finding a way to have this complex restored.

Mr. Murphy also related the problems which were encountered over the years in trying to

move this project forward. He can recall several meetings which took place with the Local

Authority, all of which led to the project being frustrated by lack of funding and the

determination to make a final decision on its future.

2.8 Interview with Mr Micheal O’Rourke

In the book ‘Houses of County Wexford’ it was stated in a section describing Castlebridge

House; “At the time of writing the property has been purchased by a private owner, Mr.

Micheal O’Rourke, who plans to restore the conservatory” (Scallan,Rowe, 2004). Having

interviewed Mr. O’Rourke as part of research for this project, it has been concluded that this

information is incorrect as he has stated that the sale was never completed.

Mr. O’Rourke is a prominent businessman in Castlebridge whose business, in the supply of

construction materials, has provided employment for local people. He is also involved in the

construction industry as a building contractor. Mr. O’Rourke,submitted proposals to purchase

the house and gardens.His plans were to renovate the house and provide sheltered

accommodation for elderly people from the Castlebridge area. He also had plans to restore

the conservatory and had arranged for a former employee of Pierce Foundry to visit the site

and advise him on its restoration.

Several meetings took place between Council officials and Mr.O’Rourke. The Council agreed

to accept tenders for the purchase of the house and gardens. Mr. O’Rourke submitted a

tender and his bid was successful. Further negotiations took place between Mr. O’Rourke and

Wexford County Council. Mr. O’Rourke’s solicitor met Wexford County Council’s solicitor

to work out the details. The Council eventually decided not to proceed with the contract

before any commitment was made by either side.

It is clear that he has a strong fondness for the house, gardens and especially the

conservatory. He has tried to advance this project down through the years and is frustrated

that proposal after proposal was rejected.

7

2.9 Restoration of Turner Glasshouse in the National Botanic Gardens

Completed in 2004, a major restoration project was carried out by the Office of Public Works

on the Palm House Turner Conservatory in the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin.

An article in the newsletter OBAIR of the Office of Public Works details the work which was

carried out and some of the problems which were encountered during the restoration project.

Although there is no comparison between the conservatory at Castlebridge and the Botanic

Gardens, the article gives an insight into what problems may be encountered when such a

project is undertaken.

New techniques in restoration were developed on this project. The Office of Public Works

staff became advisors to similar projects being undertaken overseas. The Office of Public

Works won the European Medal for Restoration, the Europa Nostra Medal for its work on the

restoration of the Turner Curvilinear Range in 1997.

A detailed survey was carried out before any decision was made on which direction the

restoration would take. Measurements were recorded to produce working drawings. A

method statement as to how the project was to be carried out was also produced.

The results of this survey revealed;

Sections of the Palm House were over stressed and were subject to movement.

Temporary propping with timber was used in areas to stabilise the structure.

Humidity was a major factor in the corrosion of the metal.

The columns had suffered from loss of their carbon content which resulted from poor

quality control during their casting. This problem could not be overcome without new

columns being manufactured as replacements.

This report by the Office of Public Works sets out suitable procedures to follow for the

project at Castlebridge. It is the opinion of the author that the information presented within

this report would be of value to Wexford County Council when proceeding with the project.

2.10 Archival Search

It was decided to concentrate the search for information on locations which most likely

contained specific information of Castlebridge House and its past occupants. There are many

sources of information available but the main sources are covered in the following sub-

headings.

8

2.10.1 National Library of Ireland

A search in the archives in the National Library of Ireland uncovered personal papers of

Patrick Breen (junior). The records discovered are named “Diary of a Malt Factor in

Dublin”. These records are of the financial and personal papers of Patrick Breen, from 1838

to 1840. The initial reaction of finding these papers was of the hope that they would contain

information on the conservatory. On examination of these papers they failed to provide any

information relating to the conservatory at Castlebridge House. (Diary of a Malt Factor,

1838-1840)

2.10.2 Visit to Registry of Deeds, Kings Inns

With no solid information to confirm facts about the previous occupants of the house and

land, it was decided to visit the Deeds Office in Dublin. A search in the Registry of Deeds

uncovered information on Nicholas Dixon. The record shows that he went bankrupt in 1816

and details the amounts of money he owed and who he owed it to (Registry of Deeds, 1816).

The transfer of land between John Harvey Hogan and Patrick Breen in 1825 was also

discovered (Registry of Deeds, 1825). The land was three acres and it was registered on the

10th of September, 1825. There is also a mention of a lease of 979 years (Registry of Deeds,

1825). John Harvey Hogan was mentioned in Sonia Hunts work as described earlier.

A record of a transaction between Patrick Breen /Barbara Cardiff and Barry/Mark Doyle on

the 2nd May 1813 was discovered (Registry of Deeds, 1813). This related to the purchase of

land, a dwelling house and offices at Castlebridge, County Wexford. This may have been the

original house of Patrick Breen before he moved into Castlebridge House.

Searching in the Registry of Deeds Office is very time consuming and necessitated numerous

visits. Not all transactions were recorded in the 19th Century and those that were are difficult

to understand due to the handwriting in the registry books and phrases used at that time.

2.10.3 The Irish Architectural Archives.

This office was chosen to research information on the builder of Castlebridge Conservatory

James Pierce and the famous ironworker Richard Turner who Pierce had previously worked

under. No information could be found in the archives on James Pierce. This was surprising

as he had been involved in many projects in Wexford including bridge building (A Century

of Progress, 1939). Some material on Richard Turner was found in these archives. There

was no mention in the material of Turner having worked in the Wexford area in the mid

1800’s. It is a known fact that a lot of Turners records were lost in a fire at his premises in

Hammersmith Ironworks at Ballsbridge in Dublin (O'Connor C. , 2013).

9

2.11 Castlebridge and the Guinness Connection 150 years (1836 – 1986)

This journal gives a history of the connection between the village of Castlebridge and Arthur

Guinness and Son. It contains details of occupants of the house from the time it was built to

when the Guinness firm took over in 1973. Although this journal gives a very good account

of the history of the area, there is very little information about the subject of the conservatory

except for a photograph of men painting the conservatory.

2.12 Houses of Wexford

This book gives an in depth coverage of the many period houses in County Wexford, among

them being Castlebridge House. The article describes the fine conservatory and the

Gothicism in its design. There is a very good description of the layout of the conservatory.

The article contains an artist’s sketch of the house but no plans or drawings. The Architect

Jeremy Williams is quoted in the book as having said; …the Pierces are remembered today

for their less remarkable churches, but not for their exquisite conservatories that languish

semi-derelict yet still intact due to their superb craftsmanship superior to Richard

Turner’s(Scallan,Rowe, 2004). Mr. Williams has clearly neglected to mention that the Pierce

family who built the churches and James Pierce were of different families and were not

thought to be directly related (Dempsey, 2014).

From research into the families who occupied Castlebridge House, some anomalies were

found which contradict the information in this article. The article states that Patrick Breen

married into the Dixon family and that the Breen family built Castlebridge House in 1863.

This information is incorrect as Patrick Breen married Barbara Cardiff in 1813 (Murphy C. ,

2014), it was also found that the Breen family first occupied Castlebridge House in 1825

(Registry of Deeds, 1825).

2.13 English Heritage Technical Handbook Volume 4 ( Metals)

English Heritage has developed skills which are used in many conservation projects. Their

learning has been achieved by practical application to various projects and intensive research

into conservation methods. The information compiled in these technical handbooks has been

gathered from a diverse group of people employed within English Heritage, from Scientists

and Architects to Craftsmen and Historians. Their Technical Advisory Service has produced

five books on the different materials which are encountered in the conservation of buildings

and monuments. Volume 4 deals with the various metals and associated problems which

have been encountered in restoration work.

10

2.14 Iron. The repair of Wrought and Cast Ironwork

This advice series was published by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local

Government. It gives a detailed description on historic ironwork and how to repair and

preserve it. It covers all aspects of preservation including conservation principals. It gives a

short history of ironwork in Ireland. Dublin being the centre for ironwork in Ireland in the

19th century is covered comprehensively in the booklet. A great deal of background

information for this project was obtained from this book.

2.15 Sights and Scenes of our Fatherland

Thomas Lacy was employed to negotiate the rights of way for an extension of the railway

line from Dublin to Wexford in 1840. As he travelled through the countryside he recorded a

great amount of information of the areas he visited. He later published these details in the

book, ‘Sights and Scenes In Our Fatherland’. His records detailed the interior of Residences,

Churches and Public Buildings. In his travels through the Village of Castlebridge in 1860,

his reference to Castlebridge House was; “This house has been recently almost rebuilt, and,

with its beautiful pleasure grounds and splendid conservatory, is exceedingly fine and worthy

of admiration” (Lacy, 1863). This piece of information is important as it gives an

approximate date as to when the conservatory was built. We know from his statement that it

was before 1860.

2.16 Pierce Centenary Publication

For their centenary celebration in 1939, Pierce Foundry commissioned a booklet charting the

history of the company over the past one hundred years. Much information was obtained

from this booklet which contradicted information from other publications. As this is the

official company document, it is to be assumed that the information within is authentic and

therefore this is the information which was used regarding Pierce Foundry in this thesis.

Unfortunately there is no information on any conservatories in the booklet. Was this because

the booklet only referred back one hundred years, or because they were manufactured in the

early stages of the company and there were no records kept of them.

Alternatively the reason may be that because they were bespoke pieces for wealthy clients,

records were not kept at the time. These conservatories would have been expensive pieces of

ironwork in the mid 1800’s. Other than invoices for work carried out, drawings of these

conservatories were surely in existence.

11

2.16Woodstock Gardens and Demesne

Figure 2

With kind permission of Jim &Kathleen White

The restored glasshouse at Woodstock, Inistoige, Co.Kilkenny

This project was of interest to the research being undertaken on the Castlebridge

Conservatory as it is similar in size and is also a Rotunda Conservatory. The Turner

Conservatory at Woodstock had basically collapsed to the ground and had to be rebuilt from

scratch. It was built circa 1853-1855 for Lady Louisa Lennox to the design of Richard

Turner. (Jupp, 2000)

The conservatory was demolished by employees of the forestry commission in the 1940’s, the

only section to survive was the base and rear walls. There were no drawings available and the

conservatory had to be redesigned from old photographs.

The conservatory is described in the book “Woodstock Gardens and Demesne” by Belinda

Jupp and Terence Reeves Smyth. There are several similarities to the conservatory at

Castlebridge. One such similarity is the belief that there was a revolving shelf in the centre

like the one in Castlebridge. Another similarity is that a hot water pipe was placed under the

bottom shelf to act as a heating source just as in the case of the conservatory in Castlebridge.

12

“ … it has been noted that the ‘elevation’ of the Woodstock conservatory was very like one

Turner erected at Aclare House, Co. Meath and similar to the elevations of the

conservatories erected by James Pierce at Castlebridge and Edermine Co. Wexford”(Jupp,

2000)

Kilkenny County Council decided to rebuild the conservatory and work got underway in

2006. The contract was won by the Power family from New Ross, County Wexford. The

total cost of the conservatory, according to figures obtained from Kilkenny County Council,

came to €303,710 (Goodwin, 2013). These glasshouses were only affordable by the very

wealthy. The project was also featured in the RTE series ‘Hands’ which followed its

progress. The conservatory turned out to be a fine piece of craftsmanship and it is a

testament to the skills of the Power family.

The one aspect to be critical of is that the conservatory is referred to as a “recreated Turner

Conservatory”. This goes against the principals of conservation which frown on reproduction

and in effect it has little connection with Turner. The Turner Conservatory was demolished

and this conservatory was rebuilt from scratch to new plans drawn from historic photographs

and patterns designed by the Power family. Nevertheless it is a superb piece of craftsmanship.

It would be a fitting tribute to the now deceased Mr. Power to call it the Power Conservatory.

.

13

3.0 Methodology

__________________________________________________________________________

Designed and built by James Pierce of Pierce Foundry, Wexford the conservatory was added

to Castlebridge House as part of an extension which was carried out in c.1858 (Hunt, 2013).

It was constructed using cast and wrought iron.Thedome of the roof is constructed using

wrought iron glazing bars. The top part of the glazing is scalloped into a decorative pattern.

The guttering has a decorative cast iron pattern attached adding to its artistic design. Twelve

cast iron main supports sit on a circular granite base, while in sections cast iron panelling is

used as infills. There are four window openings at lower level in the glazing. Inside the

conservatory there is a circular cast iron plant display fitted in the centre. This plant display

would have been rotated during the day to allow all plants face the sun at different times.

There is also cast iron shelving around the inside circumference of the conservatory. The

conservatory connects to the main house by a covered walkway which was known as aPorte

Còchere. The owners of the house, the Breen family, were wealthy grain merchants in

Castlebridge in the 1800’s (Hunt, 2013)

Figure 3 (Brian Murphy)

14

3.1 James Pierce

The conservatorybuilt by James Pierce

c1858(Basset, 1885). James Pierce was born in

Kilmore, County Wexford. The parish register

shows he was baptised on the 13th of August,

1813(Murphy H. , 1989). His father had a forge in

Kilmore where he most likely learned the skills of

ironwork. His main trade was as a Millwright but he

was also a gifted Ironworker. He moved to Wexford

Town to commence his foundrybusiness. Pierce

Foundry was established in 1839 by James Pierce.

He was commissioned to build a conservatory at

Edermine House for Sir James Power, of the Power

Whiskey family. This conservatory was designed by

Richard Turner and built by James Pierce(Basset,

1885). It is believed but cannot be substantiated, that

Pierce may have used some of Turners ideas and

pattern designs when going on to build his own conservatories. The only conservatories

known to have survived in Wexford are Castlebridge House, Edermine House and Johnstown

Castle.

It is stated in Bassets Wexford County Guide “he worked from the plans of Turner, a

celebrated Irish Engineer, and executed the contract so skilfully and carefully that many

orders of similar construction followed”(Basset, 1885). Basset made referenceto “a

conservatory built by James Pierce for a Capt. P.M.Harvey, Londsdale”. The conservatory

at Castlebridge is the only known Rotunda conservatory by James Pierce in Ireland. He was

a man of exceptional skill who embraced the modern developments in metal manufacturing

(A Centenary of Progress, 1939).

3.1.1 Pierce Foundry

In 1856, Pierce obtained a contract for the construction of a bridge over the River Slaney in

Wexford(A Centenary of Progress, 1939). This was a great undertaking at that time, as the

bridge was to be over a quarter of a mile in length at this spot. Without the use of machinery,

and in challenging conditions, the bridge was constructed and remained in operation for over

a hundred years. From the success of this project, Pierce Foundry obtained many other

contracts most notably the iron railings on the twin churches in Wexford Town (A Century of

Progress, 1939). The railings were forged by hand in their foundry and their elaborate

designs are still marvelled at today.

In 1866 James’s son Philip joined his father in the running of the firm. Father and son

worked together until 1868 when James Pierce passed away. Philip’s brother Martin joined

the firm after the death of their father and both brothers took control of the running of the

Figure 4

(A Centenary of Progress, 1939)

15

company. The brothers inherited much of their father’s skill and acumen for business. They

were also very inventive and were not afraid to embrace change or try out new products, this

attributed greatly to their success. Pierce Foundry had offices in Paris, Buenos Aires, and

Argentina. For a company to open offices in such distant places as Buenos Aires at this time

was an extraordinary achievement. The firm’s policy became “The World is our Market” and

products were shipped all over the world. One can only imagine the problems with

communication from Ireland to Argentina in the late 1800’s. Their main products

wereagricultural machinery. This machinery was famous around Ireland, with many old

pieces still in existence, bearing the company name stamped prominently on them. They

later moved into various metal products including at one stage bicycles. The bicycle which

the famous Michael Collins, Commander of the Free State Army was once photographed

standing with, was made by Pierce Foundry.

3.3 The Design of the Conservatory

In their book on Houses of Wexford, Scallan and Rowe outlined how architect Jeremy

Williams described the work on the conservatory as superior to Richard Turner’s. This

was a bold statement by Mr.Williams, but there are similarities of Turner’s work in the

design. Whether Mr. Turner was involved in the design, or some of his patterns were

used, is not possible to determine.To have this conservatory described to being superior

to these works is not a true statement. There is in fact no comparison. Yet it has to be

remembered that this conservatory was constructed by a man who was not trained in

this type of work and who did not have the benefit of working on such large projects as

Turner. The intricate work on the scrolls and other ornamental designs are a great

tribute to the skills of the metalworkers at that time. The conservatory was designed at

a time when all the calculations for the design had to be done by hand which in itself

called for great mathematical skills by the designer.

This fact was realised by the author when the task of drawing the conservatory was

undertaken. Having the benefit of visiting the site and measuring the conservatory, the task

of drawing it was difficult, even though it was being drawn by computer. One can only

imagine the skill it took to draw it in 1858.

16

Figure 5

3.4 Castlebridge Village

The Village of Castlebridge, is located on the road between Gorey and Wexford. It also has a

minor road passing through which connects with the main N11 Rosslare- Dublin route.

Situated at the junction of these roads, the village enjoys a lot of passing traffic and is a

regular stop for people travelling these routes.

The population of Castlebridge has greatly increased in the last number of years. Its

proximity to Wexford Town and local beaches such as Curracloe, has made it a popular place

to live. The people in the locality have a great passion for their village. There has been a

journal published regularly about local history and general local news. Many people have

contributed stories and other interesting facts about the area to the journal. The house and

conservatory has featured in many publications of the journal. A horticultural show takes

place annually in which there is a great community involvement.

In recent years a village green was developed in the centre. Part of this green area once

belonged to Castlebridge House. The conservatory can be seen at the top of the village green

behind a stone wall. It is a shameful sight to see it in its current condition. If it was restored

to its former glory, it would look spectacular in the background of the small park.

17

Figure 6

The mill developed by the Dixon family was powered by water, fed from the higher ground

behind the church. This wheel was restored by the developer who converted the old mill into

apartment accommodation. It has again fallen into disrepair due to the lack of a maintenance

plan. The wheel once provided electric power to the main house of which the conservatory is

attached (Murphy B. , 2013)

3.5 Previous Occupants of Castlebridge House

Castlebridge House has been occupied by five families, all but one were related. The Dixon

family were the original owners but were not related to the other families. The following are

the previous occupants of Castlebridge House.

18

3.5.1 The Dixon Family (1814- 1826)

“The Dixon dynasty created a village…. where industry brought change, where the people

came from other districts to form a new community and to work together” (O'Donahoe, 2002)

Believed to have originated from Yorkshire, England, the Dixon family have been associated

with Castlebridge Village since 1742 (O'Donahoe, 2002). The family of Nicholas Dixon

built mills and malthouses in Castlebridge at a time when this area of Wexford had very little

inhabitants. The site for this business venture was well chosen being just a few miles from

Wexford Town and close to the River Slaney. When he had his business established, he then

cut a canal out to connect with the River Slaney in order to move his produce down river for

shipment from Wexford, avoiding the tolls on Wexford Bridge (O'Donahoe, 2002). This is

an example of the great business acumen of this man.

The Dixon’s were the main business family in Castlebridge and as such the main employers.

They provided a great deal of employment for the people from the area. Castlebridge House

was built by Nicholas Dixon in 1814 (O'Donahoe, 2002). It was the finest house in the

village but it did not have the class and style associated with houses of the wealthy of this

period. It is believed that the Dixon family occupied a previous house on the same land but

not on the site where Castlebridge House is now situated (O'Donahoe, 2002). After all the

hard work and shrewd business planning of the previous years, Nicholas Dixon went

bankrupt in 1816. A record discovered in the Register of Deeds Office showed the amounts

he owed tobe substantial. A total of £9,237,14s ,1p was owed to various creditors and only

£2,191.16s available to pay his debts (Registry of Deeds, 1816). John Breen subsequently

purchased the house and mills in 1827, no record could be found of any occupant for the time

between 1816 and 1827.

3.5.2 Breen Family 1827 - 1875

In 1825, Patrick Breen (senior) started into business as a flour miller and grain merchant.

The Breen family occupied Castlebridge House from 1827 to 1875 (Registry of Deeds,

2013).

“The Breen family have been associated with the Castlebridge area since 1771” (Hunt,

2013). The family were interested in plants and gardening and they had a magnificent

garden. On the death of Patrick Breen (senior) in 1858, his son Patrick (junior) inherited

Castlebridge House. It was in this year that the house was extended (Hunt, 2013). Thomas

Lacy gives a description of the house in his book;“The house has been recently almost rebuilt

and with its beautiful pleasure grounds and splendid conservatory, is exceedingly fine, and

worthy of admiration” (Lacy, 1863).

The Breen family commissioned the glasshouse from James Pierce in 1858, which was part

of other work which they were undertaking on the house at that time. The iron conservatory,

known as the Pierce Atrium, which was designed, built and erected by James Pierce(Hunt,

2013).

19

3.5.3 The Nunn Family 1875 - 1974

The Nunn family took up ownership of Castlebridge House in 1875 (Registry of Deeds,

2013), and Patrick Breen’s daughter, Barbara Breen, married William Bolton Nunn a year

earlier 1874. The Nunn family can be traced back to the arrival of Oliver Cromwell in

Wexford in 1649 (Hunt, 2013). Richard Nunn was part of Cromwell’s army and he was

granted a house and land at Lady’s Island in the south of the county (Hunt, 2013). The

Nunn’s were gentry, and would hold hunting and shooting gatherings for other high society

people. William Bolton Nunn also took over the Breen family business at this time and

commenced trading under his own name W.B.Nunn (Castlebridge And The Guinness

Connection, 1986). He also set about expanding the business and bought premises in

Wexford Town. Tolls at Wexford Bridge had been abolished by this time and there was no

longer an obstacle to moving produce into town. W.B.Nunn continued the business

partnership which had beenestablished with the Guinness Company and Patrick Breen. There

was a great friendship between W.B.Nunn and the Guinness Company and he often invited

them down for shooting and hunting on the nearby land (Castlebridge And The Guinness

Connection, 1986).

On the death of William Bolton Nunn in 1918, his nephew Joshua Nunn took over the

business and Castlebridge House. On his death in 1974 the house was purchased by Wexford

County Council.

3.5.4 Wexford County Council 1974 – 2013

In 1974 Wexford County Council purchased Castlebridge House and its adjoining land for

£35,000. The main reason for the purchase was for land to build local authority housing but

the purchase required that the house and conservatory be included. The Council had various

ideas as to what to do with the house and conservatory. It appears that not much interest was

shown in the significance of the house and conservatory as it lay idle for four years, slowly

decaying and becoming the victim of vandalism. The Council later decided to develop the

site into a training centre for Firemen. Extensive alterations were carried out to the internal

layout of the house. These alterations changed the layout of the original house. This training

centre only lasted a couple of years and since then the site has been virtually abandoned.

3.6The Guinness Connection

The Guinness Company had been associated with The Breen family through business

dealings in the purchasing of malt for their brewery at St. James’s Gate, Dublin. The first

recorded sale by Patrick Breen to Arthur Guinness was in 1836 (Castlebridge And The

Guinness Connection, 1986). The mills were originally built by the Dixon Family in 1742.

A strong friendship developed between the Breen family and the Guinness Company, not

only in a business sense but in a social context also. This friendship followed on to the Nunn

Family as William Bolton Nunn was the son in law of Patrick Breen (jnr). The family often

invited senior people within the firm down to Wexford to visit and take part in social

20

gatherings. The nearby North Slob bird sanctuary was a favourite place for the men to visit

to partake in shooting parties.

Castlebridge House was the location where the idea for the Guinness Book of Records

was first conceived. In 1951, after a day’s shooting on the North sloblands of Wexford,

the owner of the house Mr. Nunn and the Managing Director of Guinness, Sir Hugh

Beaver and guests, who were also attending the shoot, were relaxing in the

drawingroom. A debate took place as to what was the fastest game bird. With no way

of proving one way or another, Sir Hugh Beaver came up with the idea for the book of

records which was to be sponsored by Guinness. They were relaxing in the drawing

room which overlooks the conservatory. This fact gives the conservatory an extra

relevance. It has a place in the history of Guinness as well as being a part of Wexford’s

history in its own right. It is a unique piece of craftwork important to Wexford, but it will also

have significant importance as the birthplace of the Guinness Book of Records.

3.7 Early Iron Production

Iron has been used in Ireland for over two thousand years. It can be found in all rock types

and it is the fourth most common metal on earth(Ashurst J. &., 1988). The earliest

information available is that iron was introduced by the Celts from Europe around 500 BC.

The earliest objects made from iron were discovered by archaeologists in Egypt and were

dated to have been made around 4000 BC. Wrought Iron was the main metal used in

ironwork until the middle of the nineteenth century. It was obtained by smelting iron ore

which produced a metal that had strength and flexibility. Historic ironwork is very corrosion

resistant and durable.

3.7.1 Henry Cort 1740-1800 (Master of the iron trade)

“... Henry Cort …, who first planted the metallurgy and manufacture of iron squarely on its

feet, as a complete, practical lasting success” (Alexander).

Henry Cort was born in Lancashire, England in 1740. He married the granddaughter of John

Attwick, a businessman who supplied ironmongery to the Navy. He entered the iron business

and in 1765 he was employed by the Royal Navy in charge of purchasing iron for anchor

chains. The iron produced in England at that time was of very poor quality and most of their

iron was imported from other countries, a lot of which came from Russia, which made it very

expensive. He saw an opportunity to develop his own ironworks and to improve the quality

of iron, so he began production in Portsmouth which was also a major naval base at that

time.There were several patents for refining metal lodged in the Patents Office before Cort’s,

but they were using coal as a heat source. These methods made the metal impure because of

the sulphur content within the fuel. Cort received his first English patent in 1783 but his

Puddling process was not included until his second English patent in 1784 (Steel City

Founders, 2011)

21

3.7.2.The Puddling Process

In 1784 a process called the “Puddling

Process” was developed by Henry Cort which

involved melting pig iron and removing the

carbon by stirring the molten metal. The

furnace used for this process was called a

Reverbatory Furnace. The fire was located at

one end of the furnace while the pig iron was

positioned in the centre between the fire and

chimney. When the pig iron was molten it was

stirred with a Puddling bar to remove any

carbon and it was then allowed to solidify. It

eventually formed into a single lump but

contained slag which made it unsuitable for use

as a metal.

The next stage required this lump of iron to be forged using a Shingling Hammer to remove

the slag. The Shingling Hammer hit the metal and would remove the slag as it pounded it.

The material was then run through a roller which further removed the slag and formed a

shape such as a square or round bar which could be worked into a finished product.

This new development in producing wrought iron reduced the cost and made it more

available and affordable. The famous Eiffel Tower in Paris was built with Puddled iron. The

tower was erected in 1889 with an expected lifespan of twenty years. A recent survey of

thetower has suggested that it would last for at least another two hundred more years, a great

endorsement for Puddled iron.

The Puddling process was directly responsible for increasing the quantity of wrought iron and

by the end of the 19th Century, Britain was producing more iron than the whole of Europe.

Production increased from 90,000 tons in 1780 to 400,000 tons in 1820 (Steel City Founders,

2011)

Figure 7

(The Processes of Iron and Steel Making)

http://www.topforge.co.uk

22

3.7.3 Pig Iron

Pig iron is the initial ingredient for wrought

and cast iron. The raw material of pig iron is

a combination of iron ore, limestone and

charcoal. In a blast furnace air would be

passed through this combination to form pig

iron. Before the advent of blast furnaces,

bellows would be used. Charcoal is a carbon

which removes the oxygen out of the iron

ore and will also produce heat to enable the

smelting process to take place. The burning

of wood in the furnace produces the

charcoal. Wood was used in the early years

as it was in plentiful supply. The end result from this process is called pig iron which forms a

spongy solid lump. It is high in carbon and can contain up to 4.5%. The name pig iron came

from the traditional shape of the moulds used to gather the ingots which resembled a litter of

piglets suckling on a sow. When hardened these ingots would be snapped off and re-melted

which made handling the product easier. Pig iron contains impurities which prevents it from

being forged. Its melting point is low at 1100 degrees and as such makes it suitable for

casting.

Pig iron was first used in the far east in places such as China in the 1100’s but didn’t come to

Europe until the 1300’s. There are many types of pig iron, each have different amounts of

silicon, phosphorous, manganese and sulphur within their make up. Different types of pig

iron would have been used for various types of casting to obtain a certain degree of strength

and hardness. It took a skilled Metallurgist to determine the type of pig iron that should be

used for a certain cast(Steel City Founders, 2011).

3.7.4 Wrought Iron

Historic ironwork has stood the test of time and it can be seen today in perfect condition in

cities and towns throughout Ireland. Wrought iron is known to have been in production 4000

years ago (Ashurst J. &., 1988). The initial process of production was heating iron ore

combined with charcoal. The carbon from the charcoal and oxygen from the ore burned off

leaving the iron behind. Blacksmiths shaped the iron into many decorative railings, gates,

bridges and other ornamental items. The skill and labour required to manufacture such

ironwork made it very expensive. For this reason, ironwork was only used on the houses of

the wealthy and on important buildings. Only the wealthy could afford such luxuries as

glasshouses and it was a symbol of wealth to have one in your garden. The amount of

ironwork used in a building added significant value to the property.

Figure 8

(The Process of Iron and Steel Making)


23

Although wrought iron is a tough material it cannot be expected to last forever without some

kind of maintenance. Regular painting and cleaning will extend its lifespan. Wrought iron is

a soft and ductile material and when heated it can be formed into many designs. The

invention of a rolling mill in 1730 which could shape the iron into regular sizes was a great

step forward in the standardisation and production of railings and gates.

3.7.5 Characteristics of Wrought Iron

Wrought iron is made up of layers forged together by hammering or rolling. It is recognised

for its resistance to corrosion and of being a long lasting metal. To the ordinary person

wrought iron railings look the same as any other railings. If the railings are part of a building

built in the 1800’s then they would most likely be wrought iron with cast iron parts also

incorporated. The jointing of parts would be similar to jointing used in woodwork. Mortise

and tennon joints and punching holes to accommodate rivets are some of the main methods

used. This is one way which wrought iron can be identified as the bars on a railing would

pierce through the rail and the ends of the bar hammered into a dome like shape.

3.7.6 Cast Iron

Cast iron has been used extensively in

Ireland, particularly in Dublin. The Ha’penny

Bridge in the centre of Dublin is the earliest

cast iron bridge built in Ireland (Iron-The

repair of Wrought and Cast Iron, 2014). Cast

iron is made from melting iron ore and

removing the impurities which come to the

top during this process. When the impurities

are removed, the molten metal can be poured

into a shaped mould of compressed sand.

Once the metal has cooled it is removed from

the mould and the edges filed where

unwanted projections have occurred. Cast

iron is brittle and may break on impact. Cast

iron is good in compression but weak in

tension. It was used in the construction of bridges but design and structural problems arose

and some bridges had to be demolished and rebuilt in wrought iron. This was not the fault of

the material used but rather the design being wrong for the use of cast iron. The designs

which incorporated arches were more successful. A large amount of items can be moulded

and manufactured much quicker and cheaper than the labour intensive wrought iron

method.Once the mould has been made, an infinite number of identical elements can be

produced cheaply (Webb, 2002). This led to a greater increase in the demand for railings and

gates for large estates and town houses. The introduction of cast iron also led to the

manufacture of other ornamental items. Cast iron door knockers, letterboxes, boot

scrapersand railings to hold flowerpots were mass produced.

Figure 11

Figure 9

24

Cast iron developed further in the latter part of the sixteenth century with the invention of the

cupola furnace which was used to re-melt pig iron. Many small foundries began using this

process which led to the increase in the production of cast iron products. The method was

also more economical than using the blast furnace method.

3.7.7 Corrosion

Metals deteriorate as a result of a combination of changes which take place resulting in

corrosion. Corrosion is caused by the reaction of iron with oxygen and water (Ashurst J. ,

1988). As soon as metal is produced the process of corrosion begins to take place. It is

accelerated when metal is introduced to an open environment. The metal is trying to return to

its natural state and for this reason protection of the metal from the elements is vital to its

lifespan.

Oxygen and water are the principal causes of corrosion. These two combined elements cause

a chemical reaction when introduced to metal. Different metals have different reactions to

corrosion. For example, copper or aluminium can form a protective layer and corrosion

ceases beyond this layer, while corrosion in iron continues beneath the protective layer which

was formed initially, resulting in the metal disintegrating and returning to the earth from

which it originally came from (Ashurst J. , 1988). Environmental gasses contained within

rain can also be the cause of chemical corrosion. Humidity levels as may be experienced

within a glasshouse can also contribute to the process.

Corrosion may attack metal over its entire area or it may choose selective areas of the metal.

If metal has been stressed during the manufacture of a structure by bending or hammering

into shape, stress corrosion may occur in this area first.

Galvanic corrosion may occur when a noble metal is in contact with a less noble metal and

Ashurst points out that in certain instances corrosion may occur from contact of metal of the

same type (Ashurst J. &., 1988). Metals of the same type can corrode if there is a presence of

impurities in one metal or if the other metal has been work hardened differently. The

electrons can be carried from one metal to the other by rainwater, condensation or any

conducting electrolyte. If two metals of the same type are joined together, the space between

them can trap water in a thin film and this can lead to crevice corrosion in this area.

The rate of galvanic corrosion in metal depends on the size difference of the respective

metals. Other factors such as temperature and the make up of the electrolyte also play a part.

The rate of flow of electrons determines the rate of corrosion. If the more noble protected

metal section is larger than the less noble corroded section, then the corrosion rate will be

rapid and severe (Ashurst J. &., 1988). The opposite applies if the more noble protected

section is smaller. Water traps in structures are susceptible to corrosion.

25

3.8Early Glass

Window glass was first introduced to

Ireland about the 16th Century. The earliest

record found was a petition asking for a

license to set up six facilities for

manufacturing glass in Ireland, near the

woods for fuel, the sea for sand or seaweed

or the river for pebbles (Wentrop, 2007). It

was not until the 19th Century that it was

produced in large quantities from furnaces

in Dublin, Cork, Offaly and Waterford.

The technology in glassmaking developed

greatly during the 19th century. Stained

glass and coloured glass became popular

with red and yellow being the colours most

popular. These coloured panes of glass were

usually inserted in panels around the edges of

the main clear window pane. This type of design is evident in the photographs of the doors

from the survey carried out on Castlebridge Conservatory in 1992 (O'Connor C. , 1992).

It is most likely that the glass in the conservatory came from the Dublin area. From research

of the Waterford Glass Works no evidence of the manufacture of glass other than for

ornamental items could be found. There was evidence of glass having been made in Birr,

County Offaly in 1623 (M.S.Dudley, 1920)

The glass for the roof of conservatories was engineered to be thicker than normal window

glass. A sample of the glass from the roof of the conservatory at Castlebridge, measured 5mm

thick, whilst a sample of the coloured glass from the doors measured a mere 2mm. The

famous designer of glasshouses, Richard Turner, was aware of the dangers of overhead glass

in structures. He had in fact voiced his concerns that the glass being used in the construction

of the Crystal Palace at the Great Exhibition held in London in 1851, was not strong enough

at a weight of sixteen ounces per square foot and that a hailstorm could demolish it with

disastrous consequences.

Glass is a very important part of any restoration project. When the conservatory in

Castlebridge is being restored, every effort should be made to obtain glass which would be in

keeping with the characteristics of the time when it was built. “Traditional glass used to

glaze windows is an often-overlooked element of traditional buildings yet contributesmuch to

their character and appearance”(Historic Scotland, 2013). While it is desirable to replicate

traditional glass, it should also be toughened to resist vandalism.

Until the mid 1700’s glass was only made in small sizes. This was known as crown glass and

was continued until the mid-1800’s (Davey, Ali, 2007). The glassmaker would spin the

Figure 10

www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/informguide-

historicglass.

26

molten glass with a rod until it would flatten into a disc, it would be formed into a disc shape

and then cut into smaller sizes. In 1839 a process called Patent Plate glass was developed by

James Chance (Davey, Ali, 2007). This process made it possible to produce a finer quality

glass and larger panes were possible. The Crystal Palace Conservatory in London was glazed

with this type of glass. The profile of the conservatory at Castlebridge House suits the

smaller panes and curving the glass to this profile should not be a problem to the

manufacturers as some of the surviving glass can be used as a template.

3.9The History of Glasshouses

The Romans are credited to the early cultivation of plants under artificial conditions.

“Royal Physicians have warned the ailing Emperor Tiberius that he must eat a cucumber

every day. So begins the construction of a specularium, a house dedicated to growing

plants”(Bruno, 2012). A house in which to grow these cucumbers was constructed with a

constant heat obtained from fires lit outside the stone walls. A roof made from the mineral

mica which let light through, was constructed.

Figure 11

www.hevac-heritage.org/.

The glasshouse can be traced back in Europe several centuries. The first practical greenhouse

in Europe was built in 1599, in Leiden Holland (McCracken, 1971). A botanist, Jules

Charles, at the university in Leiden, had the greenhouse constructed to grow tropical plants

which were used for medical purposes.“ early glasshouses had glass front and sides with a

timber or slated roof” (McCracken, 1971).

27

The word conservatory comes from the Italian word “Conservato” which translates stored or

preserved and the Latin “Ory” which means a place for. Hence conservatory means a place

to store and preserve (McCracken, 1971).

These glasshouses would be faced to the south to obtain the maximum benefit from the sun.

They were originally called orangeries, a name derived from the attempt to grow exotic fruit

inside them. The first orangeries were built of brick or stone. There were also attempts made

to install heating to boost the growth of plants.

The large houses in the 1800’s of merchants and traders displayed all the trappings of their

wealth. The houses of the wealthy at that time had large gardens and their own gardeners to

tend to them. Up until 1845 there was an excise duty on glass in England. When this tax was

abandoned glasshouses became very popular.

Glass roofs were later introduced but were flat or slightly sloped. New developments in glass

and cast iron in the 1830’s made the construction of glass domes and curved roofs possible.

Some of the earliest conservatories were large projects, such as the Belfast Conservatory

(1839-52) and Palm House, Kew Gardens (1844-48).

The initial designs were built from brick or stone with not very much glass overall. As the

industrial revolution began to take off, more elaborate designs in wrought and cast iron were

produced. Wrought iron was expensive and labour intensive. New developments in

glassmaking made very ornate designs possible.

28

3.2 Richard Turner (1798-1881)

Due to James Pierce having worked with Richard

Turner on the conservatory at Edermine House, it

was decided to carry out research on Mr. Turner

to determine if any other links between these men

existed.

Richard Turner is regarded as the supreme

Architect of glasshouses in both Ireland and

England in the nineteenth century. He was born

in Dublin in 1798. He came from a family who

had a long tradition in working with iron. His

grandfather and uncle both had iron foundries in

Dublin. A lot of the historic ironwork which can

be seen around the city of Dublin would have

been manufactured by the family. His grandfather

worked on ironworks for Trinity College Dublin,

and Richard also supplied ironwork to the college.

An example of his work can be found in the railings

to the front of the college (Iron The repair of

Wrought and Cast Ironwork, 2009). He was recognised as a master in the trade of ironwork

and was much sought after for his skills as such. He was known to be constantly designing

and planning future projects, and one such project was a design for a channel tunnel between

England and France, constructed in iron, semi-circular in shape (Irish Architectural Archives,

2014). He was involved in the design and manufacture of major projects such as;

Palm House Conservatory Belfast.

Palm House Key Royal Botanic Gardens, England.

National Botanic Gardens Dublin.

In 1834 he took a big advance in business by opening the Hammersmith Ironworks in Dublin,

specialising in glasshouses which were much sought after by wealthy people. This was a

large site covering six acres. He invested heavily in the business and had orders for work

throughout Ireland and England. The Gentry at that time spent a lot of money on ornate

railings, gates and other ironmongery. In around 1840, with great demand for his work, he

opened premises in London (Irish Architectural Archives, 2014).

Turner’s ironworks at Hammersmith, in Ballsbridge also contained fourteen substantial two

storey houses which were occupied by the workers in the foundry. Richard Turner was forced

to sell this property in 1850 by Her Majesty’s Commissioner for Encumbered Estates. An

advertisement of the sale appeared in the Glasgow Herald on the 31st May, 1850.

En.Wikipedia.org

Figure 12

29

“…to be sold on Friday 7th June 1850…the well-connected and fully established concern

known as the Hammersmith Iron Works, situate in the most prosperous and rising locality in

Dublin… they comprise of a very superior and modern dwelling house…two very elegant

conservatories…wrought iron veranda…the spacious workyard with its several range of

sheds workshops and offices….also fourteen substantial two storey houses(Glasgow Herald,

1850)

A lot of his records were lost in a fire at his Hammersmith premises and it is difficult to

acquire information on his past projects (O'Connor C. , 2013). His son William took over the

business in 1863. Richard Turner continued to be involved in the business until 1868. He

died in 1881 aged eighty three (Irish Architectural Archives, 2014).

30

3.2.1 Palm House Conservatory Belfast (1839)

Figure 13

With kind permission of http://mikelbilbao.photoshelter.com/

The Belfast conservatory was the first conservatory to use curved glass and cast iron

(McCracken, 1971). It had a curvilinear glasshouse before Kew Gardens in England or

Glasnevin in Dublin. It could be said that this conservatory was the forerunner for these later

creations. The builder, Richard Turner, was also chosen for the projects in Kew and

Glasnevin, which demonstrates how his skill was acknowledged from being involved in the

Belfast conservatory.

The construction of the Crystal Palace in 1851, to house the great London Exhibition, really

established the glasshouse. This exhibition introduced glasshouse in a modular form and

more ornamental than any made before. After this exhibition a glasshouse was a must sought

after item in the gardens of the wealthy.

http://mikelbilbao.photoshelter.com/

31

3.2.2. Palm House, Key Royal Botanic Gardens ( 1844)

Figure 14

www.astro.ufl.edu

Figure 14 shows the conservatory at Key Gardens. This was the first time wrought iron was

used to span large distances without the use of internal supports. This new concept of design,

which was modelled on the design of ribs of a ship, made vast spaces possible. It was

designed to house large palms imported from foreign countries. It was also heated by heating

pipes running in recesses in the floor. Richard Turner was the builder of this conservatory,

and he was also part of the design team.

This conservatory has undergone two restoration projects since it was built in 1844. The first

one was carried out in 1950 and the most recent restoration project in 1984. There is very

little material left from the original conservatory.

32

3.2.3 Botanic Gardens Glasshouse Dublin (1884)

Figure 15

Paul Clerkin/Archiseek.com

The Great Palm House in the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin Dublin was designed by

Richard Turner, Dublin. It was fabricated in Paisley, Scotland and shipped to Dublin and re-

assembled on site. It is 65 feet high, 80ft wide and 100 ft. long. The glasshouse cost eight

hundred pounds in 1884.

It was refurbished by the Office of Public Works and completed in 2004 at a cost of three

million Euro (O'Connor C. , 2004). Part of this cost was provided by the European Union.

The entire glasshouse was tagged, (over seven thousand pieces) dismantled and removed

from site. New parts were made from recycled wrought and cast iron. New structural

techniques were developed and incorporated in the restoration of the structure to aid in its

stability and durability.

33

4.0 Site Visit

__________________________________________________________________________

Wexford Co.Council kindly facilitated site visits to survey the condition and record

measurements for this project. The site is cordoned off with security fencing inside the

perimeter wall. The Facilities Manager from Wexford County Council attended the site visits

and a detailed Risk Assessment was undertaken before entering. Due to the dangerous

condition of the structure, entry was only possible by prior appointment.

4.1Observations

The first site visit was carried out 10th of November, 2013. The main dangers immediately

obvious were the sections of broken glass hanging overhead, the result of vandalism which

has taken place over the last thirty five years.

.

The vandalism to the glass is extensive and there is evidence of regular intrusion to the

general area. The site has been used for anti-social behaviour over a long period. Efforts

were made to prevent access by the erection of a security fence around the perimeter of the

site. This fence has been breached in places allowing current access to the conservatory by

intruders.

Upon entering the conservatory and looking around, the sense of history connected to the

conservatory is very strong. The craftsmanship contained within this structure is mostly hand

made and as such is unequalled today. As the conservatory was being surveyed, it was

surprising to see how sturdy the structure still is after all this time, despite all the odds

stacked against it. There is also evidence that the elements are beginning to take their toll on

the structure and it may not remain standing in the future if urgent action is not taken.

It was noticeable how relatively easy

it is for trespassers to access the site.

Although there is security fencing

around the conservatory, it has been

breached and access is available at

this point. The workers in the

community garden have also stated

that there has been unauthorised

access from the garden side also.

Figure 16

34

Figure 17

Figure 17 shows a circular jardinière, with seven shelves for potted plants. My thoughts were

surely it was long past working order. With a little push the stand begins to rotate, still

working despite being at the mercy of the elements for so long. This stand was used to rotate

plants to gain maximum use of the sun as it moved across the sky. Imagine the expense of

manufacturing an item such as this at that time. It was an exclusive piece of ironwork for this

purpose.

This stand may be unique as from research no other stand such as this was located. It may

have been specially commissioned for this conservatory. Some parts of the stand are broken

but it can be readily repaired as it is made from cast iron.

35

Figure 18 below shows an ornate tiled floor, and on clearing back the vegetation a heating

pipe was visible. This pipe followed the curve of the conservatory around the full

circumference of the structure. It was one of the earliest central heating systems developed.

The wealthy had heating systems for their glasshouses and plants, while ordinary houses at

that time, had one single fireplace to provide heat for the entire house. It is unclear whether

this heating system is originally from the time when the conservatory was initially

constructed or whether it was added at a later period.

Figure 18

36

Figure 19

Figure 19 shows where the inside cover of one of the main supporting columns has slipped

down and consequently it is putting strain on the cast iron shelve. This has resulted in the

shelving becoming bowed and if this continues the cast iron will snap at this point resulting in

further repair work being needed.

37

Looking up, the roof of the Rotunda appears like a flower in full bloom. Even though the

glass is broken, it is something extraordinary. Designed one hundred and fifty five years ago

without the benefit of CAD or calculators, each rib made exactly the same.

Take a closer look and imagine the work that went into assembling each rib and piece of

glass. Despite stones being thrown down on it from outside and being at the mercy of the

weather, not a single rib appears to be broken. If it can survive after all this neglect, it may

last for another one hundred and fifty years with a restoration and maintainance plan.

The ventilation cupola is the feature in the centre of the roof. This

was attached as shown in the photograph taken in 1992 for the

Office of Public Works survey. It is sadly now missing but the

mechanism is in place. This was used to provide ventilation to the

glasshouse by emmiting warm moist air whilst cooler air was

allowed in from the open windows. The atmosphere in glasshouses

is regarded to be high in humidity from the plants and heat from

the sun.

OPW

Figure 20

Figure 21

(O'Connor C. , 1992)

38

Figure 22

The section which joins the conservatory with the main house is known as a porte-cochère.

These were very popular in some of the grand houses in the 1800’s. It is basically a porch

which allows a carriage to be driven under so the occupants can alight and have protection

from the weather as they are entering the house.

This is another feature of the conservatory which is important. From researching other

conservatories no other conservatory has been found that has one of these attached to it. It

also allowed the occupants of the main house access the conservatory under cover providing

protection from the elements.

39

Figure 23

Figure 23 shows a section of the porte-cochere. The cover over the supporting column has

separated and various other sections are beginning to disintegrate. The ornamental designs

seem to be in good condition and the glazing bars to the side panel appear to be in good

condition also.

This section shown in figure 24once had coloured glass

inlays as was depicted in this photograph taken in 1992

(O'Connor C. , 1992). Note the design of the two small

panes of glass just below the circle to the right. Sadly

much of this glass is missing.

Figure 24


40

4.2 Observations

The site is surrounded by a 1.8m wall.

Inside the wall the conservatory itself is

protected by palisade security fencing. The

entire area around the conservatory is

overgrown with briars and bushes, with

vegetation growing into the conservatory

itself. Pieces of ornamental cast iron were

observed almost covered in vegetation on

the floor of the conservatory. No attempt

was being made to preserve and store this

historic ironwork. The floor of the

conservatory from what could be seen is

tiled in an ornamental pattern.

Another piece of ornamental cast iron was

observed lying against the perimiter fencing

in danger of being stolen or damaged. The

roadway can be clearly seen through the

fencing, as such the ironwork can be seen

from the roadway and is vunerable to theft.

This type of fencing can easily be breached

by theives using hydraulic jacts to prise the

fencing apart. The cast ironwork is not part

of the conservatory. It was part of a pergola

which at one time existed to the southern side

of the main house. All historic ironwork is of

the upmost importance and should not be left

in vunerable positions such as this.

Figure 25

Figure 26

41

In figure 27 damage to the cast iron is evident. This damage has resulted from neglecting to

preserve and store the ironwork. Although these pieces of iron work are not directly part of

the conservatory, they are integral to it.

There are several pieces of cast iron such as this discarded about the site. This ironwork is

over one hundred and fifty years old and cast iron is ten times more valuable than steel, in

fact historic ironwork can be regarded as priceless. Pieces such as this could disappear

without being noticed. The metal should be tagged and stored in a secure location.

Figure 27

42

Figure 28

Figure 28 shows one of the main supports and it can be seen that the metalwork has really

deteriorated extensively in this area. The main column looks to have only lost the cover plate

but the guttering is clearly showing a hole.

These junctions where the columns meet the guttering are critical. If this area fails then the

entire structure may collapse. The constant run of water from the hole in the guttering is

causing rapid deterioration in this part of the conservatory.

43

Figure 29

In figure 29 the overgrowth of vegetation is visible. There would be concern that shrubs or

trees may grow beneath the conservatory. Roots from vegetation are a major source of

damage to any building. If this is allowed to happen it is likely to undermine the foundation

of the structure. Thankfully there does not seem to be any major plants or trees in the vicinity.

The overgrowth is currently mainly of briars and ivy. Ivy can cause damage as it grows so

this vegetation should be cleaned back and kept clear.

44

Figure 30

The survey reveals that currently not one glazing bar is broken throughout the circumference

or in the roof. This photograph also shows the other columns and they look in reasonable

condition allowing for the circumstances in which they have been left. These areas are critical

to the integrity of the domed roof. Failure in this area would lead to collapse of the

conservatory.

45

Figure 31

In figure 31 and figure 32 below, the vegetation around the base of the conservatory was

cleaned back to reveal a granite plinth. This is a further example of the care and attention

that went into the design, where even the plinth was ornamental. The carving of the granite

mouldings took great skill on behalf of the stonemason, this section of the conservatory is

also very important.

Figure 32

46

Figure 33 shows the internal covers in place on a number of the columns. Further

investigation is required to determine if any of these supports contained a downpipe to

remove the rainwater from the guttering. In the survey carried out by the Office of Public

Works they reported evidence of a lead pipe enclosed within the supports next to the porte-

cochere. Due to the dangerous nature of the conservatory it was not possible to determine if

any more downpipes exist at this early stage of investigation. The panels covering the

supports on the inside would need to be removed. Note also the plant stand attached to the

columns of the conservatory. This plant stand would have been in place around the entire

inside. There are large sections missing at present.

Figure 34 shows one of the main supports. The internal

metal cover has been removed. The cover was bolted

on over the inside of the column. This column is in

good condition considering it has been exposed to the

elements for twenty five years. Although this support

looks in good condition, other supports have suffered

worse deterioration.

Figure 33

Figure 34

47

4.3 Specialist Contractor Survey

Wexford County Council agreed to a request to provide a cherry picker to enable the roof

section to be viewed. They also decided to engage their Conservation Consultant, Mr. Ivor

McAlveen to attend the visit and provided some of their outdoor staff to assist in any way

they could in clearing vegetation. This gesture was most appreciated by the author and it

went beyond what was requested. Some of the photographs taken are seen in the following

pages.

Figure 35

Figure 35 shows one of the photographs taken from the cherry picker. The glazing bars

appear to be in good condition. Due to the delicate nature of the structure closer examination

was not possible.

48

Figure 36

Figure 37

49

Figure 38

In figure 38 and figure 39 the guttering system can be seen. The method of jointing the

guttering is visible and also the method of how the glazing bars are connected to the structure

is visible

Figure 39

50

Figure 40

Note the size of the stones from which the conservatory was subject to attack from, and the

glazing bars are still intact. It shows the strength of the roof in this area

Figure 41

51

Figure 42

Historic Ironwork which had been discarded was retrieved and tagged. The pergola to the

side of the house, which was evident in photographs taken in 2011 was missing. From

enquiries made as to its whereabouts it could not be confirmed whether it had been removed

for safe keeping or if it had been stolen. Metalwork was eventually found on the ground

covered in overgrowth, having fallen from the wall.

Figure 43

52

5.0 Presentation of Results

__________________________________________________________________________

With no documentation available about the conservatory, it was difficult to research its

history. Pierce Foundry ceased trading in 1974 and all attempts to obtain information about

its manufacture were unsuccessful. It cannot be verified without doubt that James Pierce

actually built this conservatory in the absence of records to prove so, but the interview given

by his son to George Henry Basset in 1885 in effect confirms he was the person who

manufactured it. The same scenario can be applied to Richard Turner’s work as all his

documents were lost in a fire at his premises in Ballsbridge, Dublin. Since no other foundry

locally in Wexford had the expertise to manufacture it, all available evidence points to it

having been manufactured by Pierce.

With very little written about the history of the house and its occupants, the search for

information was difficult. Information about Patrick Breen, junior, was uncovered during a

visit to the National Library. This information did not contain anything of significance about

Castlebridge House or its occupants. Most of the information contained within these records

was of his time spent working in Dublin.

5.1 The Iron Conservatory

Pierce Foundry produced a booklet to celebrate one hundred years in business in 1950. There

was no mention of any conservatories in this booklet. Everything the company ever

produced was described within the booklet, but it contained no information on the

conservatories at Castlebridge or Johnstown Castle. The explanation for this lack of

information may be that the conservatory was built by James Pierce in his early working life

before he set up the main company.

The confirmation that James Pierce was the builder of this conservatory was stated by

Jacqueline Donnelly, the author of one of the previous surveys. In her report which she

submitted, it is stated; “The conservatory at Castlebridge was designed and erected by James

Pierce of Wexford. This fact was confirmed to George Henry Basset, when he interviewed

Pierce’s son, Philip, on a visit to the mill road ironworks in 1884”(Castlebridge House,

County Wexford, Architectural and Historical Report, 1994)

Craftsmen at that time usually left their mark somewhere on their work, this would usually

be in the form of a name or some other distinguishing mark. Due to the delicate nature of the

structure, it was only possible to search for any identification marks at low level. No

identification marks were found in this search. This is not implying that James Pierce was

not the craftsman who built the conservatory. When the structure is being dismantled it

should be examined for some identification mark. It may be found out of sight at a higher

level.

53

5.1.1 Condition of the Metalwork

Some historic metals have been found to contain impurities within the metal which could lead

to structural failure. This test was carried out on iron during the restoration of the glasshouse

at the Botanic Gardens and some of the structural iron was found to be of inferior quality

(O'Connor C. , 2013). From a distance the structure looks in very bad repair and it is need of

urgent attention to prevent it from deteriorating further. The supports are beginning to show

major signs of metal deterioration. The glazing bars are in good condition considering they

have been vandalised. The structure to the roof is also in remarkable condition considering it

has been subjected to vandalism for the last thirty five years. Although all the glass is broken

the iron ribs remain intact. An expert opinion informed by a detailed survey will be required

to determine the condition of the structure.

A metallurgical test should be carried out on iron used in certain sections of the conservatory,

especially the structural elements, to determine the content of the metal (O'Connor C. , 2013).

Some parts of the conservatory may need to be replaced. This should be done with metal of

similar type. One possible solution would be to re - smelt the metal and form a new section

from the same material. There are modern techniques to strengthen historic iron using this

method, which have been developed from past restoration projects.

54

Figure 44

The glass is almost entirely broken with the exception of some small panes. These unbroken

panes are vitally important and should be surveyed and marked as they will be valuable as

templates when a restoration project is undertaken. The glass has the old look and it is around

5mm thick. The glass was scalloped, which was designed to divert rainwater away from the

glazing bars, although in this roof the water would have been diverted on to the bar directly

underneath the scallop section of the glass.

55

5.1.2 Conservatory Floor

Figure 45

The floor consists of coloured tiles, blue,black, red and yellow, laid in a decorative pattern.

Most of the tiles are intact. A moulded granite plinth surrounds the outside on which the

conservatory sits.

The design layout of the tiled floor is

illustrated in the survey carried out by the

Office of Public Works in 1992. The

drawing shows a quadrant section of thefloor

in which the designs in the tiling can be seen.

This is another example of the craftsmanship

that forms this conservatory

Figure 46


56

5.1.3 Bottom Panels

The bottom panels are made of cast iron. These panels appear to be in good condition. Water

did not lodge here as the panels are in an upright position and the water has been quickly shed

from them. There is however a problem where the glazing bars are joined to the panels. This

area has had ingress of water and damage has occurred to the metalwork in these sections.

There may well be some problems lower down the panels, the vegetation cover prevented a

proper inspection of this area.

Figure 47

57

5.1.4 Main Supporting Columns

The main supports are of cast iron in a channel section.

Due to the danger of broken glass overhead, inspection

was limited. Initially these looked in bad condition but

on a closer examination the cover plates that cover the

inside of the supports were discovered to be where most

of the damage has occurred. Because these structural

sections are vertical, water ran down them instead of

lodging inside them. This has helped to keep them in

good order but examination of the base of these

structural supports may prove different. The covers

have disappeared from some of the main supports, but

they would be no problem to replace.

Rainwater would have been channelled down

the inside of some of these supports. The two

columns at the junction between the

Conservatory and the porte-cochere contain

the remains of a concealed lead water pipe

(O'Connor C. , 1992) but it was not possible

to determine if any more rainwater outlets

were present without removing the existing

panels. It is highly unlikely that rainwater

would have been allowed exit inside these

supports without being enclosed within a

downpipe. The position of these downpipes

will be found if the structure is being

dismantled for restoration.

Figure 49

Figure 48

58

Figure 50

The porte-cochere is also suffering from deterioration with a portion of the ornamental

castings to the roof section missing. The glazed areas once contained coloured glass

embossed with ornamental designs. Delamination of the metal is also taking place as shown

in the photograph below. Note the overgrown vegetation is clearly visible around the

conservatory.

Figure 51

59

5.2 Current Site Conditions.

Figure 52

Although the conservatory is surrounded by security fencing and a boundary wall, it is visible

from the road. Metal thieves have been active all over the country. More precautions need to

be taken to prevent theft of this metal. It was noticed that some of the security bars have

beenremoved leaving the conservatory vulnerable. If any of the metal is stolen, it can only be

replaced by replicas.

There are granite steps leading to a garden at a

higher level which is also overgrown.

The conservatory is not readily accessible in

its current condition. There is overhead

danger from glass and slates from the main

house. The entire area of the site is in a

dangerous condition.

Figure 53

60

5.3 Main House History.

During research as to the occupants of the main house, it was concluded that Nicholas Dixon

built the original house. Extensive searches in the Registry of Deeds Office failed to find the

original deeds. While searching through the record of transfer of deeds between Patrick Breen

(jnr) and his daughter Barbara and son in law William Bolton Nunn, evidence was found that

Nicholas Dixon was the original owner of the house. In this document it stated;

“ …and those that part of the lands of Castlebridge as in the possession of said Patrick

Breen….inclusive of three acres late Irish plantation measure formerly demised to Nicholas

Dixon, containing by estimation forty three acres, one perch British Statute measure and also

all that and those that part of the lands of Sinnot’s Mill as now in his possession (inclusive of

the three acres of Irish plantation measure) with a corn mill theron as formerly demised to

Nicholas Dixon containing by estimation sixty five acres, seventeen perches British statute

measure be the said ad measurements more or less together with the dwelling

house,outhouses and buildings.(Registry of Deeds, 1875)

In the report written by Jacqueline Donnelly on behalf of the National Building Agency, it

states that it was probably Patrick Breen (jnr) who built the house (Castlebridge House,

County Wexford, Architectural and Historical Report, 1994). This information is incorrect

according to the information discovered in the search of the Register of Deeds. The ordnance

survey map of 1840 shows the house in basically the same layout as at present with the

exception of the conservatory and a part of the building to the south end of the house.

A search in the Registry of Deeds also discovered a transaction between Patrick Breen and a

Mr. John Harvey Hogan in 1825, but in this record there is no mention of a house, only the

land is mentioned (Registry of Deeds, 1825). The examination of the personal papers of

Patrick Breen junior in the National Library “Diary of a Malt factor” failed to uncover any

information about the house or conservatory.

Patrick Breen (Snr) was married to Barbara Cardiff in 1813. A record was discovered in the

Register of Deeds of a transaction between Patrick Breen and Barbara Cardiff, and Barry and

Mark Doyle on the 2nd of May 1813 for the purchase of a dwelling house and office on land

at Ballyboggan, Castlebridge (Registry of Deeds, 1813). This was most likely the original

house of Patrick Breen (Snr). Barbara Breen died in 1820. Patrick Breen leased his own

house in 1827 and moved into Castlebridge House (Murphy C. , 2014)

61

5.3.1 Occupants of Castlebridge House

The following are the results of the searches in the Register of Deeds, Kings Inns, Dublin and

of information gathered during researching the past occupants of the house.

Nicholas Dixon built the house in 1814 (O'Donahoe, 2002)

Nicholas Dixon went bankrupt in 1816(Registry of Deeds, 1816)

Patrick Breen (snr) Moves into Castlebridge House in 1827 (Murphy C. ,

2014)

Patrick Breen (snr) dies in 18th November,1858 (Hunt, 2013)

Patrick Breen (jnr) inherits the house and land

Patrick Breen (jnr) transfers the house and land to his daughter Barbara and

Son in law William Bolton Nunn in 1875 (Registry of Deeds, 1875)

Patrick Breen dies 9th April, 1889 (Murphy C. , 2014)

William Bolton Nunn dies 1918 the House and lands are transferred to his

nephew Joshua Nunn. (Registry of Deeds, 1918)

Joshua Nunn dies in 1974 leaving no surviving children (Hunt, 2013)

Wexford County Council acquire Castlebridge House and lands on the 18th

February , 1975 for £35,000 (Wexford People, 1975)

This house has been in the same family from 1827 until 1974, passing from father to son,

from son to son in law, from uncle to nephew. The families have an important connection

with Castlebridge Village due to being the main employers in the village since 1742 . The

Dixon family developed the mill in the village,

5.4 Planning and Co-ordination.

To date, there has been no specific plan put in place for the future of the conservatory. The

Council had two separate reports available to them, the report by the National Building

Agency (Castlebridge House, County Wexford, Architectural and Historical Report, 1994)

and a report from the Office of Public Works (O'Connor C. , 1992). These reports made

specific recommendations about the urgency of carrying out work to the conservatory. It

appears that no action was taken to implement these recommendations. The conservatory has

consequently suffered from the lack of a co-ordinated plan to save it from further

deterioration.

62

5.5 Legal Protection.

This conservatory is a protected structure and as such is under of the control of the Planning

and Development Act,2000. This legislation derives from Ireland’s obligations to ratify the

Granada Convention in 1985. This agreement was drawn up to protect the Architectural

Heritage of Europe, and signed by the Council of Europe in Granada, Spain. By signing up

to this agreement, Ireland has a legal duty to protect this structure.

5.5.1 Legislation

Chapter 1 of the Planning and Development Act deals with Protected Structures and section

58 (1) states;

“ Each owner and occupier shall, to the extent constituent with the rights and

obligations arising out of their respective interest in a protected structure or a

proposed protected structure, ensure that the structure or any element within it which

contributes to its special architectural, artistic , cultural, scientific, social or

technical interest, is not endangered”(Planning and Developement Act, 2000)

Under this Act, contained in section 59, owners or occupiers of protected structures

are required to carry out works “… to prevent the protected structure from

becoming or continuing to be endangered” (Planning and Developement Act, 2000)

Section 60 of the Act (2), States;

(a)“A planning authority may serve notice that….the structure is a protected

structure, and in the opinion of the planning authority the character of the structure

or any of its elements ought to be restored” (Planning and Developement Act, 2000)

(e) “ The planning authority shall pay any expenses that are reasonably incurred by

that person in carrying out the works in accordance with the notice” (Planning and

Developement Act, 2000

63

5.5.2 Funding of Protected Structures

Section 80 of the Planning and Development Act 2000covers the financial cost of restoration

and protection of protected structures. Although this section is intended to provide financial

assistance to owners of Protected Structures who would not have the financial means to

maintain them, it could be argued that as Wexford County Council are the owners of

Castlebridge Conservatory, and do not have the finance to maintain it, this section of the Act

includes them.

If the Local Authority has not got the finance to restore Castlebridge Conservatory, it can

apply to the government for finance to carry out the restoration. Provision for such financial

assistance is contained within this Act.

…the Minister may, out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas, make grants to planning

authorities in respect of any or all of their functions under this Part, including grants for the

purpose of defraying all or part of the expenditure incurred by them in (Planning and

Developement Act, 2000)

(a) Assisting persons to which notice is served under section 59(1) or 60(2) in carrying

out works in accordance with the notice

(b) Assisting any other person in carrying out works to protected structures in

accordance with such conditions as may be specified by the planning authority for the

receipt of such assistance (Planning and Developement Act, 2000)

64

6.0 Analysis of Results

__________________________________________________________________________

6.1 Structure

Some of the main supports of the structure may need to be replaced. A Structural Engineer

may require some form of strengthening of the columns to be carried out. Due to the channel

profile of the existing columns this could take the form of extra supports being incorporated

within the original supports. A report on the condition of the conservatory has already been

carried out by a specialist ironworks restoration company as part of this thesis and will be

available to Wexford County Council for consideration. The condition of the ironwork will

determine the methods to be used in the restoration.

6.2 Glazing.

Most of the glass has been broken but some sections remain intact. A complete reglazing of

the conservatory is required. The decorative coloured glass which was fitted in the Porte

Còchere and doors has completely disappeared. This is a major loss as old glass of this type

is irreplaceable.

Advice from those responsible for other glasshouse restoration projects should be sought

before deciding on the glazing. The Office of Public Works developed a technique to

eliminate condensation in the glasshouse when they were working on the Botanic Gardens

project and their advice should be sought about how this was achieved. The restored

conservatory at Woodstock, Inistoige will also be a source of information on the methods

used for glazing, as this conservatory is very similar to the one at Castlebridge House.

Traditional glass for these conservatories was slightly tinted and new glass should follow the

original design as close as possible.

6.3 Floor.

The ornate tiled floor is also irreplaceable. If the tiles could be removed without breaking

they could be re-laid on a new floor which incorporates a damp proof membrane, but this

may be unnecessary as the floor has survived intact since 1858. The material that forms the

floor beneath the tiles could not be determined as it was forbidden to remove any part of the

area. This may be a lime floor as it is unlikely that a granite floor would have been tiled over.

Removing the tiles would be a delicate procedure and if the tiles break it would be very

difficult to source matching replacement tiles. It would be prudent not to disturb the floor

tiles and to place a protective covering over the entire area to prevent falling objects from

breaking tiles during the dismantling of the conservatory. At present there is no protection in

place to prevent tiles becoming damaged. This should be addressed immediately.

65

6.4 Protection Category.

While researching the conservatory, there was no mention in any written material of which

category it belongs to. Is it of architectural importance or a legacy of past industrial process.

There are many different reasons why a preservation order is placed on a building or

monument. It has been determined by enquiries to the Industrial Heritage Association of

Ireland that this conservatory may be eligible for protection under Industrial Heritage. Some

of the facts which point towards it being part of this category are;

It was manufactured by the main employer from the area over one hundred and fifty

years ago and is one of the last surviving products from that time.

It is one of the first products manufactured by the company.

It is possibly the only surviving conservatory produced by the company.

As far as can be determined, no other Rotunda Conservatory manufactured by Pierce

exists.

It is manufactured from materials which are no longer in production.

The conservatory was mainly manufactured by hand and these skills have largely died

out.

6.5 Industrial Heritage

Industrial Heritage is a relatively new awareness of past industrial processes. There has been

a great deal of information lost due to the lack of awareness of our industrial past. It is

important that this link to the past is not forgotten and that this conservatory is not allowed to

disappear due to neglect.

The Industrial Heritage Association’s definition of past products of industry is; “our

industrial heritage comprises the surviving physical remains of these various types of

industry”(The Industrial Heritage Association of Ireland, 2013)

In the document adapted by ICOMOS (International Committee Of Monuments And Sites) “

The Dublin Principals”Industrial Heritage is defined as;

“The Industrial Heritage consists of sites, structures, complexes, areas and landscapes, as

well as the related machinery, objects or documents that provide evidence of the past or

ongoing industrial processes…..(ICOMOS, 2011)

There are a wide range of classifications included in the document and this structure qualifies

under a number of them. Industrial Heritage is not only concerned with past industrial sites,

66

it also applies to any product of skills from times past. Products or items which were made in

the past and are no longer manufactured are vitally important.

“….Human skills and knowledge involved in old industrial processes are a critically

important resource in conservation and must be considered in the heritage evaluation

process”(ICOMOS, 2011)

Many buildings which were used as workplaces or where manufacturing took place have

disappeared. Consequently the work practices and machinery used in these manufacturing

processes were lost.

“ Over the past decade there has been a growing public awareness of Ireland’s Industrial

Heritage”(The Industrial Heritage Association of Ireland, 2013)

6.4.1 National Inventory of Architectural Heritage

The conservatory has not been classed as industrial heritage, or given much significance in

the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage Survey on the property by the Department of

Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. It is described as Architectural Artistic and Historical

Social Technical in the categories of special interest section. The only mention in this survey

of the conservatory states;

“including the skeletal remains of a remarkable “porte cochere- cum jardinere” cast by

James Pierce (1813-68) of the Pierce Foundry, Wexford”(Department of Arts, Heritage and

the Gaeltacht)

6.4.2 Wexford County Council

Wexford County Council are the authority responsible for the compilation of information on

protected structures and to determine if the structure is of such importance as to be included

on the record of protected structures. There is no mention of Industrial Heritage in their

Conservation Policy. The Council provides a guidance booklet on conservation and although

is very through and informative, it also neglects to mention Industrial Heritage.

6.5 Historic Building Protection

Architectural Heritage has been recognised as an important asset of our country. Many

visitors come to Ireland to sample our countryside and old buildings. Some of the

craftsmanship carried out on buildings and monuments are no longer practised, therefore it is

vitally important to preserve anything of historical value.

“The built heritage consists of not only of great artistic achievements, but also of the

everyday works of craftsmen” (Built Heritage Policy, 2011)

67

6.5.1 Legal Protection

Architectural Heritage Structures are legally protected under Part IV of the Planning and

Development Act 2000 as stated in an earlier chapter. This conservatory is protected under

Irish Law.

“ new responsibilities are given to the owners and occupiers of protected structures to

maintain them and planning authorities have additional powers to ensure that buildings are

not endangered either directly or indirectly through neglect” (Built Heritage Policy, 2011)

6.5.2 The Granada Convention

Ireland signed up to the Granada Convention in 1995 and we are bound by the convention to

the protection of architectural heritage. The convention forms a standard for the protection of

architectural heritage and binds the countries legally to protect such structures. Article four

of the Granada Convention states each party undertakes, “to prevent the disfigurement,

dilapidation or demolition of protected properties”( Architectural Heritage of Europe, 1985)

6.5.3 The Dublin Principals.

The Dublin Principals are a set of guidelines agreed at the International Committee of

Monuments and SitesGeneral Assembly held in Paris in 2011. These guidelines cover the

conservation of Industrial Sites, Structures, Areas and Landscapes. In the definition of

Industrial Heritage section it states;

“The Industrial heritage consists of sites, structures, complexes, areas and landscapes as

well as the related machinery, objects or documents that provide evidence of past or ongoing

industrial processes of production, the extraction of raw materials, their transformation into

goods, and the related energy and transport infrastructures”(ICOMOS, 2011)

The process of industrialisation which took place from the mid 1800’s brought great changes

to the employment of workers and a lot of skills were lost as machines took over some of the

tasks which were once carried out by craftsmen.

“Human skills and knowledge involved in old industrial processes are a critical important

resource in conservation”(ICOMOS Ireland, 2013).

6.5.4 The Heritage Act 1995

This Act was set up to promote public interest, appreciation and protection of the natural

heritage in Ireland. Under the definition of a heritage building it is described as;

“any building, or part thereof, which is of significance because of its intrinsic architectural

or artistic quality or its setting or because of its association with the commercial, cultural,

economic, industrial, military , political, social or religious history of the place which it is

situated”(Heritage Act , 1995)

68

6.5.5 County Heritage Plans.

As part of Heritage Conservation, each county are obliged to have a Heritage Officer. The

Heritage Officer will assist the County Council in the development of the County Heritage

Plan. Local groups with a particular interest in the heritage of their area are encouraged to

put forward proposals for consideration to be included within the plan. At the time of

researching this project there was no Heritage Officer employed by Wexford County Council

and no Heritage Plan for County Wexford published on the Heritage Council website.

6.6 Comparison between Castlebridge House and Edermine House Conservatories

During research into Castlebridge Conservatory, it was noted even though it was known that

James Pierce was responsible for the construction of the conservatory at Edermine House as

well as the one at Castlebridge House, there was no research done as to whether these

conservatories had any link other that being built by the same person. It was surprising to

discover that there has been no discussion on any possible relationship between these two

conservatories. Edermine House is located approximately ten kilometres from Castlebridge

and the timeline of construction for both conservatories is within eight years of each other.

Edermine Conservatory was built c.1850 (E.J.Diestelkamp, 1981), while Castlebridge

Conservatory was built c.1858 (Lacy, 1863).

On a visit to Edermine House, evidence was found of a similarity in design in each

conservatory. This is shown from photographs of the similar features in both conservatories

which can be seen in the following pages. Some of the similar features are;

The decorative moulding around the guttering is exactly the same profile in each

conservatory.

The top of the roof section is also exactly the same in each conservatory.

The window opening mechanisms are of the same design.

The moulded section on the lower part of the structural support were cast as part of

the section during manufacturing. Other conservatories would have these mouldings

made separately and connected to the outside later.

Further evidence of a connection between these two conservatories was discovered

while reading through the book “Sights and Scenes in Our Fatherland”, by Thomas

Lacy. In this book there is a section describing Edermine Conservatory and it states:

“on that part which lies before the south front is the grand conservatory, which, as

well as the many improvements introduced here is the work of an ingenious Wexford

man, Mr James Pierce, whose artistic efforts and skill are as credible to

himself………….In the central compartment of the splendid conservatory is a

magnificent pyramidal stand of plants and flowers”(Lacy, 1863)

This description of the central stand is evidence that a plant stand such as the one in

the centre of Castlebridge Conservatory, once existed in Edermine Conservatory,

69

which point towards Turner having had some influence on the design at Castlebridge.

A stand of this design has also been mentioned in the book “Woodstock Gardens and

Demesne” by Belinda Jupp and Terence Reeves Smyth. It is believed a central stand

existed in the original Turner Conservatory. These central flower stands seem to be a

part of Turners designs for small Rotunda conservatories.

There are also some notable differences in that the conservatory at Edermine sits on a

granite base which extends up to the window section, whereas in Castlebridge the cast

iron supports continue on down to the moulded granite base at floor level.

70

Figure 54

Castlebridge Conservatory

Figure 55

Edermine Conservatory

71

Figure 56


The photograph above was taken of the roof detail of the conservatory at Castlebridge House

which was constructed by James Pierce c.1858.

The photograph below shows the detail of the roof of Edermine Conservatory, designed by

Richard Turner and constructed by James Pierce c.1850. Note the detail of the ornamental

work is exactly the same in each conservatory. The profile of the guttering system is also the

same.

Figure 57

72


Figure 58

Edermine conservatory

Figure 59

73


Figure 60


The image above shows the detail of the window opening and latch mechanism at the

conservatory in Edermine House. Note the exact same mechanism is in the photographbelow

of the window in Castlebridge conservatory


Figure 61

74

7.0 Discussion.

__________________________________________________________________________

7.1 Conservatory.

While the conservatory has been the main topic of this thesis, it is not the only important

structure in the village. The main house, gardens and watermill are of importance also. The

conservatory has been the centre of contention since Wexford County Council acquired

ownership of Castlebridge House and its gardens. The information gathered for this project

will again commence the discussion on the future of the conservatory. Whether or not it can

remain in its present location will be determined by various factors, most of all the costs

involved in restoring the entire complex. In the meantime whilst the estimates and planning

are being finalised, the present condition of the conservatory must be considered. Protection

from further deterioration must be put in place immediately. The conservatory in

Woodstock, Inistoige, took three years to rebuild. The conservatory could be in the process

of being restored whilst the decision is being made as to where it will be located.

It is sad to see the photographs of the conservatory and gardens in the days when they were

carefully maintained, compared to the condition they are in at present. If a maintenance plan

had been put in place when the house was first acquired a lot of work that is needed could

have been avoided.

Some people may find it difficult to appreciate the craftsmanship that is evident within the

conservatory. If this conservatory was to be manufactured in the present time, it would be

designed by computer and probably made by machine. The cost would also be substantial, as

it probably was in 1858. If it was manufactured today out of modern materials, it would be

unlikely to be still standing in fifty years time, unlike this structure. One hundred and fifty

four years later and it is still standing despite vandalism, neglect and a recent violent storm.

This may be the last chance to save it. If action is not taken it will not be standing in the near

future. There has been an alarming deterioration since the Office of Public Works carried out

their report in 1992. It may in fact be collapsed within five years at the current rate of decay.

On the day of the last survey for this project, the County Council supplied men to remove

vegetation to facilitate the taking of photographs and measurements. A general clean-up of

the site took place with the removal of overgrowth and material that was thrown about. This

work took approximately six hours for two men. If this was to be carried out regularly it

would make a vast difference to the general area. Vegetation can cause damage to the

structure if it is left grow wild. Regular inspections would also notice any breaches of the

perimeter security fencing and be crucial to having it repaired immediately.

It is mentioned in an earlier chapter the need to provide immediate protection to the

conservatory. The Heritage Council embarked on a project to document and protect a thatch

75

cottage in Mayglass, Co.Wexford. As part of the protection of the cottage a temporary roof

was constructed over the cottage whilst the work was being undertaken. This approach could

be undertaken here. Whilst this is an immediate solution to protect the conservatory, there is

a danger that the temporary cover may just remain in place and become permanent. The cost

of providing such cover must also be considered. The cost of a protective cover such as this

would also be substantial. To spend money on a similar cover would be a waste of critical

finance, which should be used instead towards the restoration project.

7.2 Castlebridge House and Gardens.

The main house is in need of major works to bring it up to the standards required for a

modern building. While the initial subject of this dissertation focused on the conservatory,

the main house was also briefly looked at in the context of how the conservatory could be

restored with the added problem of being attached to the house. This attachment to the house

is most likely the reason why the conservatory has suffered neglect over the years. If the

conservatory had been located away remotely from the main house, it may have been

dismantled and relocated. The cost of restoring the house is going to be considerable and a

decision will need to be taken whether the house and conservatory are to be restored together

or separately. The conservatory should take priority if funding is available.

The gardens would also benefit from any restoration plan for the complex and could be

beneficial to the community. Local employment could be provided maintaining the gardens

and providing general maintenance to the house and conservatory. These gardens were once

the finest in the village and there is potential for them to become so once again.

76

Figure 62

The workers in this picture are taking their break on the southern side steps of the

conservatory, having been carrying out maintenance. These workers regularly maintained the

grounds around the house.

Figure 63

77

Figure 64

This picture captures the splendid condition the conservatory was once in. It is the most

spectacular image that has emerged from researching past photographs. Could it one day

return to this condition?

78

Figure 65

Aerial photographdated 1962 (Donnelly, 1994). Note the splendid layout of the gardens.

79

7.3 Wexford County Council

Wexford County Council is undecided as to what to do with this site. The present

management have inherited the problem from their predecessors who failed to take action on

the conservatory. They have also inherited the problem in a time of a shortage of finance for

such projects. If they are not in a position to proceed with a restoration plan then it may be

time to pass the project on to another state agency or private company who may be in such a

position. The Local Authority has had possession of the site since 1974 and has not taken

any action to preserve this conservatory since purchasing it.

Wexford County Council is legally responsible for maintaining this protected structure as has

been previously shown in this paper. It would be embarrassing for the Council to prosecute

the owners of protected structures for failing to maintain them, while at the same time they

are failing to abide by the law themselves. They must lead by example and work with the

local community on this issue.

Consideration should be given to entering into a Public Private Partnership for the project. A

commercial company could take over the renovation of the house, while the Council could

take over the conservatory and gardens. This type of partnership has become increasingly

common in the Public Sector.

If Wexford County Council could work in partnership with interested organisations and

restore this conservatory it would be a major achievement on their behalf. There is more

awareness of how buildings and structures should be protected, and the expertise has been

developed greatly by the introduction of conservation courses in Universities, and from

learning from our neighbours in English Heritage and Historic Scotland who have led the

way in this area.

7.4 Castlebridge Village

Castlebridge village has a close community. The village is situated in a unique position at the

junction of the link road from the main N11 and the Wexford to Gorey road. It is a very busy

location. This village has seen a large increase in population in recent years, from single

houses to medium sized housing estates.

There was always a good community spirit with local involvement in the Shelmeliers hurling

club, the handball club and an annual horticultural show which attracted people from all

areas. There is a strong appreciation of history locally. A parish journal is published

regularly and local people make literary contributions on various historical subjects

connected to the area.

For a village so proud of its history it is surprising that the conservatory has suffered from

this neglect. It may be time for the community to focus on the future of the conservatory and

80

re-establish a campaign for its restoration. The people from the village are also proud of the

fact that the Guinness Book of Records has its origin in Castlebridge. The local committee

has tried unsuccessfully for over twenty years to have the conservatory and house restored.

From speaking to local people who have campaigned for the restoration of the complex over

the years, they have become exasperated as to why nothing has been done to restore it in the

last twenty years. People passing through the village are so used to seeing it in its advanced

state of disrepair, they would probably not notice if some day it has fallen to the ground due

to neglect.

The residents need to show that they will not allow the conservatory to collapse from neglect,

and that they want it to remain in its present location. If they won’t fight to retain it on its

existing site, it will be removed to another location and probably away from the village

altogether. They will also need a plan showing how it is going to be maintained in the future.

The fact is that Wexford County Council are the legal owners of the conservatory and they

have a legal obligation to save it from destruction, even if that involves dismantling it and

placing it in a more secure location when it is restored. If the Council decides on this course

of action, there will be little that can be done to reverse the decision, as it will be for the good

of preserving an historic structure. The immediate organisation of a committee is required to

prevent this from happening.

The local school could educate the children about the history of the conservatory. This may

give them an appreciation of the local history. The children should be made aware of the

importance of the conservatory to the village as they may have the task of protecting it in the

future.

7.5 Designer

It is not often that a craftsman of this calibre is encountered. Men who had knowledge and

skills such as James Pierce are gifted individuals. The Pierce family were all gifted

craftsmen. The skill was passed down through the family from the mid 1800’s to the 1970’s

when the firm finally ceased trading.

The fact that he worked in conjunction with the great ironworker Richard Turner on the

conservatory at Edermine House is testament to his talents. Turner’s design of the Edermine

conservatory is not as ornamental as the conservatory in Castlebridge. The question must be

asked did James Pierce actually design the conservatory in Castlebridge or did Richard

Turner have an influence on its design. There are several theories that could be explored in

this regard some being;

James Pierce built Edermine Conservatory to Richard Turners design. He was later

commissioned to build Castlebridge Conservatory and having had the experience of

81

working with Turner, Pierce developed his own more elaborate design for the work at

Castlebridge.

Richard Turner may have been commissioned by Patrick Breen to design a

conservatory for him after he saw the work that was done on Edermine Conservatory

which is just eight miles away. Conservatories were a symbol of the wealth of people

at that time. Patrick Breen may have requested more elaborate ornamentation for his

conservatory, if this fact could be substantiated, then the conservatory at Castlebridge

would have even more significance as a design Richard Turner.

7.6 State Agencies

Before embarking on research for this project, it was assumed that there was one State

Agency who would be responsible for important structures such as this. Several agencies

were encountered who would have an interest in historical structures. This has been a

surprise to the author as there seems to be an overlap of responsibility for certain sites. Sites

of similar historical value are the responsibility of different agencies.

7.6.1 Office of Public Works

The Office of Public Works was established in 1831 by an Act of Parliament to look after the

State’s buildings, monuments, gardens and any other relevant structures in the ownership of

the state. Over 780 sites come under the responsibility of the Office of Public Works, these

include national monuments, buildings, and parks.

7.6.2 The Heritage Council

The Heritage Council was established in 1995 under the Heritage Act. The Act was enacted

to “…to promote public interest in the knowledge, appreciation and protection of the

National Heritage…..(The Heritage Council)

The brief of the Heritage Council covers a wide ranging area from monuments to art, from

shipwrecks to landscapes. The Heritage Council seem to be overlapping some of the work

being carried out by other agencies.

It is stated on their website;

The Heritage Council complements but importantly builds on the work of other state heritage

bodies which have primary responsibility for the care of property in state ownership….

(The Heritage Council)

82

7.6.3 Teagasc. (Agriculture and Food Development Authority)

While the main business of Teagasc is The Agriculture and Food Authority, they have a wide

range of properties which contain important gardens and structures. They are responsible for

maintaining the properties and very often the skills needed are not available within their

workforce. There are several areas of employment on their website but none of these

positions relate to the maintenance of historic buildings or any post for an Experienced

Conservation Officer.

Whilst the interest in heritage and historic monuments is very welcome, it is not desirable that

different departments are responsible for different sections of Ireland’s heritage. This

arrangement is not benefiting the preservation of these structures as monies that should be

spent on maintenance is being channelled into administration and reports which are rarely

acted upon. It may be time to streamline the administration side of departments and instead

make more finance available for actually employing the trades that are needed to provide the

maintenance of the structures.

From researching this project, two reports were discovered which were commissioned within

two years of each other, by two different state agencies. One report carried out by the Office

of Public Works, the other report by the National Building Agency. By not acting on the

recommendations of the reports, vital funding used to commission them was wasted.

83

8.0 Conclusion

__________________________________________________________________________

It is concluded, that the conservatory is indeed a most important element of village heritage.

It is but one component of the various important elements of village heritage which includes

The Reading Rooms, the Mills, the Water Wheel and the Canal that was dug by hand out to

the Slaney River. The history of the previous occupants of Castlebridge House dating from

the Dixon family, to the Breen family and down to the last of the Nunn family provides

enough material to compile a book on the subject if someone decides to undertake the task.

A restoration plan should immediately be put in place which would contain a time frame for

the commencement of works. All interested groups should become involved and agree on a

strategy to restore it to its former glory. A committee should be formed which should consist

of representatives from Wexford County Council, Castlebridge Residents, The Heritage

Council and any other groups who feel they should be represented. The Office of Public

Works have expertise in this area having project managed the restoration of the glasshouses

at the Botanic Gardens. Their help on this project would be invaluable and contact should be

made with them to request their assistance in the planning of the project.

Protecting the conservatory from further deterioration should be the first priority.

Arrangements should be made to have the conservatory dismantled and stored until the

decision is made on its future. The local residents should be given a guarantee that it will be

returned to the village when it is restored.

There is a responsibility to restore this conservatory for the next generation who can enjoy

the benefits it could bring to the area. It must be remembered that the owners are merely

guardians of these historic structures. They do not own them but must look after them and

pass them on in good condition to the next generation. The future residents of Castlebridge

should not be denied their piece of history because of this generation’s failure to preserve this

fine example of craftsmanship.

8.1 Designer

The author has concluded that the conservatory most likely contains some of Richard

Turner’s designs, if not fully designed by him. It is possible that Richard Turner designed the

conservatory at Castlebridge House, and had James Pierce construct it to his design, as he did

with the conservatory at Edermine House. With no records or drawings available it cannot be

confirmed that this arrangement existed. Some of the points which should be considered are;

The cast iron guttering system, on which the roof of the conservatory sits, has been

used by Turner on his conservatory at Inistoige.

84

The scalloped shaped glass which diverted water away from the glazing bars at the

top of the roof section, was also used by Turner in his early conservatories of this

Rotunda type.

James Pierce worked to Turner’s design on the conservatory at Edermine House

which is only eight miles away, in mid-1800 for the Power family of the Power

Whiskey distillery.

There is evidence of a plant stand such as the one that still exists in Castlebridge,

having existed in the conservatory at Edermine and Inistoige.

The glazing bars are the main frame of the roof as in many of Turners work and as

seen in the Turner designed conservatory at Inistioge.

James Pierce did not produce any other conservatory of this design, which may

indicate to Turner having control over the design.

In the statement made by James Pierce’s son Philip Pierce in the interview with

George Henry Bassett in 1885 about his father he states;

“….He worked from the plans of Turner, a celebrated Irish Engineer…(Basset, 1885)

8.2 Potential Sources of Funding.

There is no doubt that there will be substantial costs incurred in the restoration of the

conservatory. A recently restored conservatory in the UK, Wentworth Castle, benefitted

from funding from several sources, such as;

The National Lottery.

English Heritage.

European Regional Development Fund.

“The trust finally succeeded in raising the 3.74 million needed to rescue the delicate

structure and was able to work up the final plans for the restoration project”(Wentworth

Castle and Gardens)

Although this project is not as big of an undertaking as Wentworth Gardens or the

conservatory in the Botanic Gardens in Dublin, it is nevertheless a major undertaking in a

time of economic uncertainty. This is a project that should be funded from central

government, as the local authorities are not in a position to provide the funding required. It

has been shown earlier in this paper where there is insufficient funds allocated for protected

buildings and structures. It would be preferable that Wexford County Council retain

85

responsibility for the restoration of this conservatory. It would afford them a chance to make

amends for allowing it to deteriorate in this way. If it is handed over to another agency, they

would have failed in their duty to the local community. If this is not possible for the Council

to take this project any further, then the conservatory should be taken over by the Heritage

Council or the Office of Public Works who have the expertise and finance for such projects.

8.2.1 National Lottery

The National lottery was set up in 1986 to support funding for sport, recreation, heritage and

the arts. This project would qualify under the heritage section and some funding should be

available to assist in the restoration. This is a classic example why the National Lottery was

set up in the first place. Funding for buildings or structures at risk is allocated through the

Heritage Council on behalf of the National Lottery.

8.2.2 European Union

The European Regional Development Fund provides funding for many projects. Some of

which would apply to this project, such as,

the creation and protection of jobs

Support local development and employment initiatives

Aid for structures providing neighbourhood services.

“The European Commission has proposed changes to the fund which take into account

local action groups composed of representative of local public and private socio-economic

interest” (Community- led local developement, 2013)

8.2.3 The Duty of the Owners.

As owners of the site, Wexford County Council has a legal duty to maintain and protect the

structure. Their duty is no different from any other owner of a protected structure.

Responsibility for funding rests primarily with the owner and it is their duty to provide the

main portion of funding

.

8.2.4 Guinness

Diagio, the firm who owns the Guinness brand could be approached to sponsor part of the

restoration. They have an interest in the site as being the birthplace of one of their best

advertising outlets, The Guinness Book of Records. The Arthur Guinness Fund supports

projects of all descriptions all around the world. Their emphasis on the allocation of this

fund is on people getting up and doing things for themselves in their community. If the

people of Castlebridge could organise themselves into getting this project going then the fund

may look favourably on their application for funding as a community led effort to restore the

house, gardens and conservatory.

86

8.2.5 Local Fundraising

As has been discussed above the local community have a major role to play in getting this

project going. The local community should embark on a fundraising drive to provide some

funding towards the project. The people who will benefit most from this will be the people

from the locality. This project will only succeed if the local people get involved and be

prepared to protect the conservatory into the future.

8.3 Wexford County Council.

It would be unfair to be critical of any current staff within Wexford County Council. From

liaising with the current staff when researching this project it was found that the staff have a

keen interest in restoring this conservatory. There has been a lot of work done by

WexfordCo. Council over the years to find a way to restore it. Part of the problem was the

lack of forward planning, and also that no final decision was made on its future. Their main

problem is obtaining finance in a time when every project has been put on hold, this project is

in urgent need of attention but is low on the list of priorities.

Wexford County Council could easily have denied permission to enter this property due to its

dangerous condition. Instead they embraced the project and helped in any way they could.

This shows that there is a willingness to push forward and actually do something about it.

Lack of funding has always been the problem and it will always be a problem in the future,

this should not prevent pushing ahead and making things happen.

Wexford County Council can no longer leave this conservatory in its present state, it must

take some action whatever it may be. They should look to the project that Kilkenny County

Council undertook at Woodstock, Inistoige, and try to replicate such a project for

Castlebridge.

The absence of a Heritage Officer and Conservation Officer within Wexford County Council

is a major disadvantage for projects like this. Conservation Officers have a vital role in

highlighting protected structures in danger. Restoration and Conservation is a specialised

area and this should be recognised by the appointment of professionals with the relevant

qualifications in this area to perform these roles on behalf of the authority.

Wexford County Council faces a problem with the restoration procedure on this site. If

funding is obtained for the restoration of the conservatory, how can it be restored and

replaced on this site considering the present condition of the rest of the site. Some of the

points which need to be considered are;

The conservatory cannot be accessed safely without work to the main house also

being undertaken.

Finance for the restoration of both the conservatory and main house would be

difficult to obtain.

87

When the conservatory is restored how will it be used to promote the village?

Should the restored conservatory be moved to a more accessible and secure location

within the village or elsewhere?

The general public would want to have access to the site to view the restored conservatory.

At present the site is dangerous and is inaccessible. For the site to be accessible to the

general public a lot of work needs to be undertaken.

It is also concluded that the security of the conservatory in its present location would not be

sufficient. There is a boundary wall which can be easily climbed, located within

approximately seven meters from the conservatory. If the conservatory is to remain in its

present location this wall should be raised to a height which would be difficult to climb.

8.3.1 Forward Planning.

There is no plan in place for restoration of the conservatory. This is a crucial starting point.

The County Council needs to get together with interested parties and start planning on what

direction this project is going to take. The process of obtaining funding will be long,

therefore a time frame for the project should be devised.

8.4 Alternative Location

There may be some merit to the suggestion that the conservatory be moved to a more

accessible site. The cost of restoring the conservatory would be just part of the cost involved,

as the main house is also in disrepair. If funding was available for restoration then naturally

the conservatory should be first to benefit from it. There would be no point restoring the

conservatory and reinstating it back to the same position, while the house to which it is

attached lies derelict.

From surveying the village, no alternative site was found that would be suitable for the

relocation of the conservatory. The present site is not secure at present,and the conservatory

is visible from the roadway in the centre of the village. If the conservatory was returned to

this position when restored it would be vulnerable to vandalism once again. This point needs

to be carefully considered. The view of the conservatory when passing through the village

would enhance the village centre and blend in nicely in the background. For this reason it

would be preferable if it could return to its original location.

If it is not feasible to return the conservatory to its present position, it would be preferable to

remove the conservatory to an alternative site rather than letting it collapse and be lost

forever. The end result should be to save an historic piece of craftsmanship and not whether it

is to remain where it is, or be moved to a more secure location. This argument has been

ongoing for twenty years and during this time the conservatory has deteriorated rapidly. If the

88

only way to preserve it is to move it to an alternative location then this must be accepted by

all involved. The main priority is to save the conservatory from further decay.

The conclusion of this thesis is that the conservatory should be tagged, dismantled and stored

immediately. This operation should be carefully planned by experts in this area of

conservation. A Laser Scan survey should carried out before anything is moved, which will

record every detail for later referencing. The Office of Public Works team who carried out the

restoration project in the Botanic Gardens are leaders in this area and have won the

prestigious European Medal for Restoration, the Europa Nostra Medal. The Office of Public

Work has since advised British and American Conservation bodies on the restoration of their

historic glasshouses(O'Connor C. , 2004).Tenders for the restoration of the conservatory

should be sought immediately which would include dismantling, restoration and re-erection.

The work is obviously going to take a considerable time from start to finish. The contract

terms should reflect this to avoid mounting costs. The people involved in this project should

be qualified in specialist areas of conservation. The engineers should also be specialised in

conservation with a proven track record as such. When a contractor has been appointed, the

conservatory should be dismantled and removed.

As work is being undertaken, discussion should take place between the parties involved as to

the most suitable site on which to erect it. If it is decided to reinstate the restored

conservatory to its original position, the site should be developed before the conservatory is

re-erected. If no decision has been reached on the location to re erect the conservatory before

the restoration is complete, the conservatory should remain in a secure location until such

time agreement has been reached on its final position. By following this procedure, it will be

saved from further destruction and can be erected in any location when all parties are in

agreement.

89

8.5 Master Craftsmen

In conclusion of this thesis, the craftsmen who constructed the conservatory should not be

forgotten. James Pierce did not erect the conservatory single handed, he had the best of

craftsmen working alongside him. He may well have been the brains behind the project but

there were others involved also. Very often designers and builders get the credit for

masterpieces while the humble tradesman works away quietly producing the quality work.

While reading through Bassets Directory for 1885, a section of the book caught my attention.

Basset wrote of Pierce Foundry;

“The hours of labour are from six to six from Monday to Friday and on Saturday from six to

three”(Basset, 1885).

When the hours are added up, these men were working sixty nine hours per week. The wages

paid were most likely very little, while they slaved away on the extravencies of the rich

which contained even a heating system for their plants. Foundry work was hard and men

ultimately had short lifespans. It is not surprising that there was a major dispute in Pierce

Foundry in 1911, which resulted in a lockout, even before the famous Dublin lockout. These

men were hard working and they should receive some recognition for their craftsmanship, at

the very least a plaque to acknowledge their work on this structure, when the conservatory is

eventually restored.

8.6 Comment

There have been many articles written on Castlebridge House, The Mills, the Canal dug out

to the River Slaney and the general history of the area. From material and information

gathered for this project various discrepancies were discovered between different articles.

Some dates and facts contradicted each other. This thesis has endeavoured to correct any

contradicting information and to attempt to build a true picture of the information available.

The search for the designer of the conservatory was inconclusive. It would have been a

bonus to discover Richard Turner was the designer as he is so well known for his ironwork.

However, if it was designed by James Pierce then Wexford had a superior craftsman than

Richard Turner. If James Pierce had been given the same opportunities in life, his name

would have been as well-known as Turner’s.

James Pierce is buried in the Franciscan graveyard in Wexford.The headstones were

removedat one time and the grave remains unmarked. At the very least he deserves some

recognition of his final resting place. In his obituary published in the Wexford Independent

on the 19th of December 1868 it states; “Deceased was one of the most remarkable men this

county has produced during the last century. Possessed naturally of great mechanical

genius- there was no work however complicated and abstruse, that he was unable to grapple

with, and finally master”(Wexford Independant, 1868)

90

Works Cited

(n.d.).

Architectural Heritage of Europe. (1985, October 3rd). Retrieved December 15th, 2013, from

Council of Europe: http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/en/Treaties/Html/121.htm

A Centenary of Progress. (1939). Wexford.

(1939). A Century of Progress. In A Century of Progress (p. 24). Wexford.

Alexander, E. (n.d.). Henry Cort Father of the Iron Trade. Retrieved December 28th, 2013,

from Henry Cort Father of the Iron Trade: http://www.henrycort.net/

Ashurst, J. &. (1988). Practical Building Conservation, English Heritage Technical

Handbook Volume 4. In J. &. Ashurst, Practical Building Conservation (p. 10).

Aldershot: Richard Clay Ltd.

Ashurst, J. (1988). Practical Building Conservation Vol.4. In J. &. Ashurst, Practical

Building Conservation VOl.4 (p. 25). Aldershot: Gower technical press.

Basset, G. H. (1885). Wexford County Guide and Directory. Dublin: Seely Byres and Walker.

Bruno, G. (2012, March 1st). A Short History of the Greenhouse. Retrieved December 28th,

2013, from Daves Garden: http://davesgarden.com

Built Heritage Policy. (2011). Retrieved December 15th, 2013, from Architectural Heritage

Protection guidelines for planning Authorities:

http://www.ahg.gov.ie/en/Publications/HeritagePublications/BuiltHeritagePolicy

Carrig Conservation Ireland . (2011). Grant Aid for Building Conservation Quanta Research.

Dublin: The Heritage Council.

(1986). Castlebridge And The Guinness Connection. In Castlebridge And The Guinness

Connection (p. 2). Wexford: Menapia printers.

(1994). Castlebridge House, County Wexford, Architectural and Historical Report. Dublin.

Castlebridge -the Growth Of A New Village. (2002). The Bridge, Castlebridge Newsletter,

Vol 6, No.2, 25-27.

Castlebridge -the Growth Of A New Village. (2002). The Bridge, Castlebridge Newsletter,

Vol 6, No.2, 25-27.

Community- led local developement. (2013, October 6th). Retrieved December 24th, 3013,

from Special EU Programmes Body: http://www.seupb.eu

Council, Wexford County. (2010). Record of Protected Structures.

Davey, Ali. (2007). Maintaining Traditional Glass and Glazing. Retrieved April 19th, 2014,

from Historic Scotland: www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/informguide-historicglass.

91

Dempsey, M. (2014, April 4th). (L. driscoll, Interviewer)

Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. (n.d.). National Inventry of Architectural

heritage. Retrieved December 26th, 2013, from National Inventry of Architectural

heritage: http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/

Diary of a Malt Factor. (1838-1840). N6448 P7630. Dublin, Ireland: National Archives.

Donnelly, J. M. (1994). Castlebridge House, Castlebridge Co. Wexford, An Architectural and

Historical Report. Dublin.

E.J.Diestelkamp. (1981). Richard Turner(c1798-1881) and his glasshouses. In

E.J.Diestelkamp, Richard Turner(c1798-1881) and his glasshouses (p. 52). Glasra.

Early Heating of Glasshouses. (n.d.). Retrieved April 13th, 2014, from www.hevac-

heritage.org/.../glasshouses/4-GLASSHOUSES-heating.pd.

Glasgow Herald. (1850, May 31st). Glasgow Herald, p. 3.

Goodwin, C. (2013, February 11th). Request for information regarding Woodstock

Conservatory. (L. Driscoll, Interviewer)

Heritage Act . (1995). Retrieved December 26th, 2013, from Heritage Council:

http://www.heritagecouncil.ie/

Historic Scotland. (2013). Retrieved December 26th, 2013, from Historic Scotland:

http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/

Hunt, S. (2013). The History of Castlebridge House.

ICOMOS. (2011). The Dublin Principals. Dublin.

ICOMOS Ireland. (2013). Retrieved December 15th, 2013, from ICOMOS Ireland:

http://www.icomosireland.ie/industrial_heritage

Irish Architectural Archives. (2014). Retrieved January 9th, 2014, from Irish Architectural

Archives: http://www.dia.ie/architects

Iron The repair of Wrought and Cast Ironwork. (2009). Retrieved January 6th, 2014, from

www.ahg.gov.ie/

Iron-The repair of Wrought and Cast Iron. (2014, April 13th). Dublin, Ireland.

Jupp, R. S. (2000). Woodstock Gardens and Demense.

Lacy, T. (1863). Sights and scenes of our Fatherland. In T. Lacy. London: Simpkin.

M.S.Dudley. (1920). Irish Glass, A History of Glassmaking in Ireland. In H. Jenkins, Irish

Glass, A History of Glassmaking in Ireland. The Mayflower Press, Plymouth.

England. William Brendon & Son. Ltd.

McCracken, E. (1971). The Palm House and Botanic Gardens Belfast. Belfast: Ulster

Architectural Heritage Society.

92

Murphy, B. (2013, November 10th). (L. Driscoll, Interviewer)

Murphy, C. (2014, march 20th). (L. Driscoll, Interviewer)

Murphy, H. (1989). Pierces of the Foundry. The Kilmore Parish Journal, 3.

O'Connor, C. (1992). Castlebridge Conservatory Co.Wexford.

O'Connor, C. (2004, June). Obair. Dublin: OPW.

O'Connor, C. (2013). Lecture.

O'Donahoe, E. (2002). Castlebridge- The Growth of a New Village. Wexford.

Planning and Developement Act. (2000). Dublin, Ireland.

(1813). Registry of Deeds. In Registry of Deeds (pp. Book 655, p.224 no. 457209). Dublin.

(1813). Registry of Deeds. In Register of Deeds (pp. book 655, p.224, no.457209). Dublin.

(1816). Registry of Deeds. In Registry of Deeds (pp. 709-470-485-806). Dublin.

(1816). Registry of Deeds. In Registry of Deeds (pp. 709-470-485-806). Dublin.

(1825, September 10th). Registry of Deeds. In 543749. book no. 806 (p. 213). Dublin.

(1825). Registry of Deeds. In Registry of Deeds (p. 171 ( 806:213:543748)). Dublin.

(1875). Registry of Deeds. In Registry of Deeds (p. 35 : 59 : 989). Dublin.

(1918). Registry of Deeds. In Registry of Deeds (pp. book 27, R.141). Dublin.

(2013). Registry of Deeds. In Book No.69 (pp. 171 record 806-214-543749). Dublin.

Ryan, C. (2010, July 21). A monument to neglect. Retrieved December 24th, 2013, from

Wexford People: http://www.independent.ie/

Scallan,Rowe. (2004). Houses of Wexford. In D. R. Eithne Scallan, Houses of Wexford.

Wexford: Ballinakella press.

Steel City Founders. (2011, December 12th). Retrieved January 4th, 2014, from Tilt hammer:

http://www.tilthammer.com/

The Heritage Council. (n.d.). Retrieved March 2nd, 2014, from The Heritage Council:

http://www.heritagecouncil.ie

The Industrial Heritage Association of Ireland. (2013). Retrieved December 23, 2013, from

The Industrial Heritage Association of Ireland: http://www.ihai.ie/

The Process of Iron and Steel Making. (n.d.). Retrieved April 19th, 2014, from South

Yorkshirs Industrial History Society and South Yorkshire Trades and Historical Trust:

www.topforge.co.uk

The Processes of Iron and Steel Making. (n.d.). Retrieved April 19th, 2014, from South

Yorkshire Industrial History Society and South Yorkshire Trades Historical Trust:


Webb, K. (2002). The Victorian society Leaflet No.6 Cast iron. London: Typecast.

93

Wentrop, M. (2007). Irish Glass: An account of glassmaking in Ireland from the XVIth

century to the present day. London: Herbert Jenkins Ltd.

Wentworth Castle and Gardens. (n.d.). Retrieved December 23rd, 2103, from Wentworth

Castle and Gardens: http://www.wentworthcastle.org/t

Wexford County Council Archives. (1992, April 27th).

Wexford Independant. (1868, December 19th). p. 3.

Wexford People. (1975, April 18th). Co.Council to acquire Castlebridge House, p. 7.

forgotten treasure, castlebridge conservatory

Documents

castlebridge area

area of castlebridge

rotunda conservatory

conservation trinity

area of wexford town

rules of trinity college

university of dublin

county wexford