One of a number of gateways providing access to the four-acre walled garden at Barmeath Castle, County Louth. A map dating from the mid-1770s and drawn up by the surveyor Charles Frizell shows this area of the demesne to be a shrubbery with no evidence of enclosure, indicating the walled garden, like so many others, was only created in the late 18th or early 19th centuries. Unusually, all the walls are lined in brick, whereas, as a rule, it was only the south-facing wall that received this treatment since brick retains the heat longer than does stone. The entrances are also distinguished by being given rather grand, pedimented, breakfront gateways. The walled garden here has been restored in recent years and is now open to the public. Readers with no interest in matters horticultural should be warned that the Irish Aesthete is at present curating an exhibition devoted to the history of the Irish country house garden (opening at the Irish Georgian Society’s headquarters, the City Assembly House in Dublin on May 19th) and therefore this subject is likely to feature heavily in the coming weeks.
Wonderful, are they cat flaps in the first door? Its good to see gardens and stable/farmyard areas getting coverage. Often overlooked but I find equally fascinating as the main house.
The last time I visited Barmeath walled garden- new planting was proceeding apace.
Those doors are works of art!
The horticultural aspect will be very welcome.
I agree, all these historic houses need more context as to how they existed in the prime of the holdings. The worse thing that happened impacting their viability was selling off the surrounding land. They did not exist in a vacuum, only as a house. Just as important was the extent of the outbuildings, so glad they are being mentioned as well.
Well Done Robert. Well done as always on the great work you do. Love to know the differences between how gardens were run and some of the staff involved and how they differed from English ways and customs like Simon Doyle > Palmerston. https://reckless-gardener.co.uk/lady-mayos-garden/