Forgotten Treasure, Castlebridge Conservatory

Forgotten Treasure Castlebridge Conservatory

Liam Driscoll Applied Building Repair and Conservation Trinity College, Dublin 2014

Declaration

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

I fully understand this policy and agree to abide by the rules of Trinity College, University of Dublin. I understand failure to credit information obtained from another source may be considered plagiarism. I declare that the work contained within this document is my own original work and it has not been submitted to any other University. All direct quotations have been identified in the text and referenced at the end in the reference section

Signed : Liam Driscoll

Date:

1/5/2014

Abstract This thesis has focused on the Rotunda Conservatory attached to Castlebridge House in County Wexford. It has also researched the past occupants of the house and the contribution they have made to the Castlebridge area. The builder of the conservatory and the contribution he made to the foundry business in Wexford has also been acknowledged.

The research was undertaken as part of my thesis while studying for a Diploma in Applied Building Repair and Conservation, in Trinity College, Dublin.

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

Interviews were also held with past employees of Castlebridge House and Gardens. Visits were made to the National Library of Ireland, The Architectural Archives and The Register of Deeds Office. Information was also obtained from site visits and a survey was carried out by a specialist Ironwork Conservation Contractor.

It was found that this historical structure has suffered such neglect that, if immediate action is not taken it may become unrepairable. It was also found that the people from the area of Castlebridge have a great affinity for the Conservatory and Castlebridge House and would like to see the restoration of these structures and become part of the village again. There are similarities with other conservatories in the South East and there may be a connection between them. Further investigation of this possibility should be undertaken.

The findings within this paper are significant as they emphasize how important this conservatory is to the Castlebridge area and also to the area of Wexford Town. The builder of Castlebridge Conservatory, James Pierce, has provided much needed employment in Wexford for over one hundred and fifty years. The conservatory is part of our Industrial Heritage and should be recognized as such. The rate of deterioration which has taken place since the last survey shows that the conservatory is on its last journey and there is not much time left to save it.

Acknowledgements.

Although this work has been researched and compiled by the author, it would not have been possible without the help and guidance of people who were willing to give their time, provide information, and help in any way they could. I would like to acknowledge this help and I am eternally grateful to them for partaking in this project.

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

(Castlebridge)

Barney Murphy

(Castlebridge)

Micheal O’Rourke (Castlebridge) Ann Marie Laffin

(Wexford County Council)

Sonia Hunt

(Wexford County Council)

John Cullen

(Wexford County Council)

Phil Cully

(Dublin Institute of Technology)

Edward Bisgood

(Bushy Park Ironworks)

Pat Doyle

(Edermine House)

Celestine Murphy

(Wexford County Library)

Michael Dempsey

(Wexford County Library)

Staff

(Wexford County Library)

Claire Goodwin

(Kilkenny County Council)

Ciaran O’Connor

(Office of Public Works)

Gerard O’Sullivan

(Office of Public Works)

A special mention must be given to my wife Breda, who has provided the help and support to me on this project for the last eight months.

Contents Introduction 1.0 .......................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Castlebridge. ................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Outline.............................................................................................................................. 1 1.3 Objective ......................................................................................................................... 2 2.0 Literature Review................................................................................................................. 3 2.1 Report from the Office of Public Works 1992................................................................. 3 2.2 Meeting of Wexford County Council 1992 ..................................................................... 4 2.3 Report from National Building Agency on Castlebridge House ..................................... 4 2.4 Grant Aid for Building Conservation .............................................................................. 4 2.5 Report by Sonia Hunt (Executive Planner) ...................................................................... 5 2.6 Interview with Brian Murphy (former gardner)............................................................... 5 2.7 Interview with Barney Murphy (former worker of W.B.Nunn) ...................................... 6 2.8 Interview with Mr. Micheal O’Rourke ............................................................................ 6 2.9 Restoration of Turner Glasshouse in the National Botanic Gardens ............................... 7 2.10 Archival Search .............................................................................................................. 7 2.10.1 National Library of Ireland ..................................................................................... 8 2.10.2 Visit to Registry of Deeds, Kings Inns ................................................................... 8 2.10.3 The Irish Architectural Archives. ........................................................................... 8 2.11 Castlebridge and the Guinness Connection 150 years (1836 – 1986) ........................... 9 2.12 Houses of Wexford ........................................................................................................ 9 2.13 English Heritage Technical Handbook Volume 4 ( Metals) ......................................... 9 2.14 Iron. The repair of Wrought and Cast Ironwork ......................................................... 10 2.15 Sights and Scenes of our Fatherland ............................................................................ 10 2.16 Pierce Centenary Publication ....................................................................................... 10 2.16 Woodstock Gardens and Demesne .............................................................................. 11 3.0 Methodology ...................................................................................................................... 13

3.1 James Pierce ................................................................................................................... 14 3.1.1 Pierce Foundry ....................................................................................................... 14 3.3 The Design of the Conservatory ................................................................................... 15 3.4 Castlebridge Village...................................................................................................... 16 .............................................................................................................................................. 17 3.5 Previous Occupants of Castlebridge House ................................................................... 17 3.5.1 The Dixon Family (1814- 1826) ............................................................................. 18 3.5.2 Breen Family 1827 - 1875 .................................................................................... 18 3.5.3 The Nunn Family 1875 - 1974 ............................................................................. 19 3.5.4 Wexford County Council 1974 – 2013 ................................................................ 19 3.6 The Guinness Connection ............................................................................................. 19 3.7 Early Iron production .................................................................................................... 20 3.7.1 Henry Cort 1740-1800 (Master of the iron trade) ................................................. 20 3.7.2 The Puddling Process .............................................................................................. 21 3.7.3 Pig Iron.................................................................................................................... 22 3.7.4 Wrought Iron ........................................................................................................... 22 3.7.5 Characteristics of Wrought Iron.............................................................................. 23 3.7.6 Cast Iron .................................................................................................................. 23 3.7.7 Corrosion................................................................................................................. 24 3.8 Early Glass .................................................................................................................... 25 3.9 The History of Glasshouses ......................................................................................... 26 3.2 Richard Turner (1798-1881) .......................................................................................... 28 3.2.1 Palm House Conservatory Belfast (1839)............................................................... 30 3.2.2 Palm House, Key Royal Botanic Gardens ( 1844) ................................................. 31 3.2.3 Botanic Gardens Glasshouse Dublin (1884) ........................................................... 32 4.0 Site Visit........................................................................................................................... 33 4.1 Observations ................................................................................................................. 33

4.2 Observations .................................................................................................................. 40 4.3 Specialist Contractor Survey......................................................................................... 47 5.0 Presentation of Results ....................................................................................................... 52 5.1 The Iron Conservatory ................................................................................................. 52 5.1.1 Condition of the Metalwork .................................................................................... 53 5.1.2 Conservatory Floor ................................................................................................. 55 5.1.3 Bottom Panels ......................................................................................................... 56 5.1.4 Main Supporting Columns ...................................................................................... 57 5.2 Current site conditions. ................................................................................................. 59 5.3 Main house history. ........................................................................................................ 60 5.3.1 Occupants of Castlebridge House ........................................................................... 61 5.4 Planning and Co-ordination. ......................................................................................... 61 5.5 Legal protection. ........................................................................................................... 62 5.5.1 Legislation.............................................................................................................. 62 5.5.2 Funding of Protected Structures............................................................................. 63 6.0 Analysis of Results ............................................................................................................ 64 6.1 Structure ......................................................................................................................... 64 6.2 Glazing. .......................................................................................................................... 64 6.3 Floor. .............................................................................................................................. 64 6.4 Protection category. ....................................................................................................... 65 6.4.1 National Inventory of Architectural Heritage ......................................................... 66 6.4.2 Wexford County Council ........................................................................................ 66 6.5 Historic Building Protection .......................................................................................... 66 6.5.1 Legal Protection ...................................................................................................... 67 6.5.2 The Granada Convention ........................................................................................ 67 6.5.3 The Dublin Principals. ............................................................................................ 67 6.5.4 The Heritage Act 1995 ............................................................................................ 67

6.5.5 County Heritage Plans. ........................................................................................... 68 6.6 Comparison between Castlebridge House and Edermine House Conservatories .......... 68 7.0 Discussion. ......................................................................................................................... 74 7.1 Conservatory. ................................................................................................................. 74 7.2 Castlebridge House and Gardens. .................................................................................. 75 7.3 Wexford County Council ............................................................................................... 79 7.4 Castlebridge Village....................................................................................................... 79 7.5 Designer ......................................................................................................................... 80 7.6 State Agencies ................................................................................................................ 81 7.6.1 Office of Public Works ........................................................................................... 81 7.6.2 The Heritage Council .............................................................................................. 81 7.6.3 Teagasc (Agriculture and Food Development Authority) ...................................... 82 8.0 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 83 8.1 Designer ......................................................................................................................... 83 8.2 Potential Sources of Funding. ....................................................................................... 84 8.2.1 National Lottery ...................................................................................................... 85 8.2.2 European Union ...................................................................................................... 85 8.2.3 The Duty of the Owners. ......................................................................................... 85 8.2.4 Guinness .................................................................................................................. 85 8.2.5 Local Fundraising ................................................................................................... 86 8.3 Wexford County Council. .............................................................................................. 86 8.3.1 Forward Planning. ................................................................................................... 87 8.4 Alternative Location ...................................................................................................... 87 8.5 Master Craftsmen ........................................................................................................... 89 8.6 Comment ........................................................................................................................ 89 Works Cited ............................................................................................................................. 90

Table of Figures All photographs by the author unless otherwise referenced

Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41

Map of County Wexford Restored Conservatory ,Woodstock Gardens Castlebridge Conservatory James Pierce Centre of Castlebridge Village Former mill at Castlebridge Village Diagram of Puddling process Diagram of Pig iron.

The Ha'penny Bridge, Dublin Early photograph of glassmaking Drawing of early glasshouse Richard Turner Palm House Conservatory, Belfast Key Gardens, Glasshouse, England Great Palm House, Dublin Castlebridge House grounds Centre flower stand Heating pipe of conservatory.

Inside conservatory Inside conservatory OPW Photograph (1992) Porte Còchere Porte Còchere OPW Photograph (1992) Discarded metal Vulnerable metal Damaged metal Internal supporting column Castlebridge Conservatory Castlebridge Conservatory Granite base Granite base Castlebridge Conservatory Internal supporting column Roof section Roof section Roof section Roof section Roof section Roof section Roof section

Page 1 11 13 14 16 17 21 22 23 25 26 28 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 37 38 39 39 40 40 41 42 43 44 45 45 46 46 47 48 48 49 49 50 50

Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig.

42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65

Discarded metal Discarded metal Roof section Floor section Drawing of floor tiles Panel section Section of column Section of column Porte Còchere Porte Còchere View from village green Steps leading to gardens Castlebridge Conservatory Edermine Conservatory Castlebridge Conservatory Edermine Conservatory Castlebridge Conservatory Edermine Conservatory Edermine Conservatory Castlebridge Conservatory Former workers enjoying their lunch break The former gardens at Castlebridge House Castlebridge Conservatory in its former glory Aerial photograph of Castlebridge house

51 51 54 55 55 56 57 57 58 58 59 59 70 70 71 71 72 72 73 73 76 76 77 78

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.

Figure 1

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 1

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.

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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 3

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.

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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.

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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.

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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 subheadings.

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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).

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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.

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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.

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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.

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“ … 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.

.

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3.0 Methodology __________________________________________________________________________

Figure 3 (Brian Murphy)

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) 13

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, Figure 4 1885). It is believed but cannot be substantiated, that Pierce may have used some of Turners ideas and (A Centenary of Progress, 1939) 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 14

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.

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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.

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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.

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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).

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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 19

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) 20

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.

Figure 7

(The Processes of Iron and Steel Making) http://www.topforge.co.uk

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)

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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 Figure 8 ore and will also produce heat to enable the (The Process of Iron and Steel Making) smelting process to take place. The burning of wood in the furnace produces the http://www.topforge.co.uk 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.

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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 Figure 11 the mould and the edges filed where unwanted projections have occurred. Cast Figure 9 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.

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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.

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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 Figure 10 glass and coloured glass became popular with red and yellow being the colours most www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/informguidepopular. These coloured panes of glass were historicglass. 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 25

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).

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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.

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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, Figure 12 and Richard also supplied ironwork to the college.

En.Wikipedia.org 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.

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“…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).

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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.

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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.

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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 reassembled 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.

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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

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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.

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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

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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.

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Figure 20

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.

Figure 21 OPW (O'Connor C. , 1992)

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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.

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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)

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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.

Figure 25

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 26

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Figure 27

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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Figure 33

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 portecochere. 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 34

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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.

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Figure 36

Figure 37

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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(O'Connor C. , 1992)

Figure 47

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.

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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.

Figure 48

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.

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Figure 49

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

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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

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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, 68

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 Demesneâ€? 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

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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

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Edermine Conservatory

Figure 58

Edermine conservatory

Figure 59

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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

Figure 61

Castlebridge Conservatory

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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 74

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

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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?

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Figure 65

Aerial photographdated 1962 (Donnelly, 1994). Note the splendid layout of the gardens.

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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 79

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.

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

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 84

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.

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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.

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

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 87

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)

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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