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This is my project work on the Victorian Conservatory at Castlebridge,County Wexford, Ireland. The conservatory was built in 1858 and was in private ownership until 1974 when Wexford County Council bought it and subsequently allowed it to fall into its current condition. Up until they purchased it, the conservatory was in very good condition being regularly maintained by the employees of the estate.
Citation preview
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. 23 Porte Còchere 39
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. 29 Castlebridge Conservatory 43
Fig. 30 Castlebridge Conservatory 44
Fig. 31 Granite base 45
Fig. 32 Granite base 45
Fig. 33 Castlebridge Conservatory 46
Fig. 34 Internal supporting column 46
Fig. 35 Roof section 47
Fig. 36 Roof section 48
Fig. 37 Roof section 48
Fig. 38 Roof section 49
Fig. 39 Roof section 49
Fig. 40 Roof section 50
Fig. 41 Roof section 50
Fig. 42 Discarded metal 51
Fig. 43 Discarded metal 51
Fig. 44 Roof section 54
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. 50 Porte Còchere 58
Fig. 51 Porte Còchere 58
Fig. 52 View from village green 59
Fig. 53 Steps leading to gardens 59
Fig. 54 Castlebridge Conservatory 70
Fig. 55 Edermine Conservatory 70
Fig. 56 Castlebridge Conservatory 71
Fig. 57 Edermine Conservatory 71
Fig. 58 Castlebridge Conservatory 72
Fig. 59 Edermine Conservatory 72
Fig. 60 Edermine Conservatory 73
Fig. 61 Castlebridge Conservatory 73
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)
http://www.topforge.co.uk
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.
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
(O'Connor C. , 1992)
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
(O'Connor C. , 1992)
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)
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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.
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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
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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)
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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.
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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,
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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)
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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)
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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,
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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.
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Figure 54
Castlebridge Conservatory
Figure 55
Edermine Conservatory
71
Figure 56
Castlebridge Conservatory
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
Edermine Conservatory
Figure 58
Edermine conservatory
Figure 59
73
Castlebridge Conservatory
Figure 60
Edermine Conservatory
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
Castlebridge Conservatory
Figure 61
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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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)
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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.
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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.
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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
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Appendix
Report by the Office of Public Works 1992
Report by the Office of Public Works 1992
Report by the Office of Public Works 1992
Report by the Office of Public Works 1992
Report by the Office of Public Works 1992
Report by the Office of Public Works 1992
Report by the Office of Public Works 1992
Report by the Office of Public Works 1992
Report by the Office of Public Works 1992
Report by the Office of Public Works 1992
Report by the Office of Public Works 1992
Report by the Office of Public Works 1992
Report by the Office of Public Works 1992
Report by the Office of Public Works 1992
Report by the National Building Agency 1994
Report by National Building Agency 1994
Report by National Building Agency 1994
Report by National Building Agency 1994
Report by National Building Agency 1994
Report by National Building Agency 1994
Report by National Building Agency 1994
Report by National Building Agency 1994
Report by National Building Agency 1994
Report by National Building Agency 1994
Report by National Building Agency 1994
Report by National Building Agency 1994
Report by National Building Agency 1994
Report by National Building Agency 1994
Report by National Building Agency 1994
Report by National Building Agency 1994
Report by National Building Agency 1994
Report by National Building Agency 1994
Report by National Building Agency 1994
Report by National Building Agency 1994
Report by National Building Agency 1994
Report by National Building Agency 1994
Report by the National Building Agency 1994
Report by Bushy Park Ironworks 2014
Report by Bushy Park Ironworks 2014
Report by Bushy Park Ironworks 2014
Report by Bushy Park Ironworks 2014
Report by Bushy Park Ironworks 2014
Report by Bushy Park Ironworks 2014
Report by Bushy Park Ironworks 2014
Report by Bushy Park Ironworks 2014
Report by Bushy Park Ironworks 2014
Report by Bushy Park Ironworks 2014
Report by Bushy Park Ironworks 2014
Report by Bushy Park Ironworks 2014
Report by Bushy Park Ironworks 2014
Report by Bushy Park Ironworks 2014
Report by Bushy Park Ironworks 2014
Report by Bushy Park Ironworks 2014
Report by Bushy Park Ironworks 2014
Report by Bushy Park Ironworks 2014
Report by Bushy Park Ironworks 2014
Report by Bushy Park Ironworks 2014