Page 20 - 0FINAL Neo Gothic Church 1754 Report compressed

CA THAL CRIMMINS AR CHITECT 20 Conservation Appraisal of Walled Garden and Historic landscape of Kylemore Abbey www. architect.crimmins.ie

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The West Fernery and West Underground Chambers

The west fernery is less intact than its eastern counterpart with no trace of rocaille
P1100495.JPG work. Full safe access to the underground chamber was not possible and the lighting
was faulty. Some cast iron authentic pipework is still in situ. More photos needed of
underground chambers & a full analysis of the glasshouses’ heating system
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Jupp and Mc Erlean’s report notes. foliage begonias, etc. interspersed with stoke has two saddle boilers and and measures 7.65m [ ] long by 4.65m [
specimen palms and tree ferns’. [G. C. adjoining cool storage for almost 150 ] wide. There is a large stone buttress
THE WEST FERNERY
1905 28.1.1905]. tons. against the east wall which must have
`Fernery, about 32ft long prettily THE WEST UNDERGROUND CHAMBERS Chamber 2 : This is underneath the supported the stability of the west
arranged with ornamental rockwork’, There are 5 of these on 2 different fernery and is largely full of fallen vinery and fernery. It also has 2 square
[1902 Sales Particulars]. skylights. There is some coal dust on
levels [see map]. debris. Most of the hot water pipes are the floor so presumably this chamber
The west fernery is situated on the intact and are attached to the ceiling.
north side of the tall vinery wall away Chamber I : this is entered down steps It is entered from a doorway from and probably No 4 adjoining it were
from above and gives access to the
the ‘coal storage for almost 150 tons’
from direct sunlight. It was entered other 4 chambers. The steps are railed chamber 1. mention in the 1902 sales particulars.
from the south west conservatory and
a further door led in to the vinery. The off with ornamental railings with a Chamber 3 : This is below the vinery The floors of both No 4 and 5 are
fleur de lys motiv. The chamber is
approximately 3.32m [ ] below the
but has been completely filled by the
high back wall is intact but the 5.70m [ ] long by 3.38m [ ] wide. The collapse of the floor of the latter. It was ground level above.
remainder of the building is ruinous
with only the base remaining. None of floor is approximately 2.75m [ ] below entered from chamber 2. The 1872 article in the Irish Builder
the ground level above. The portion
the `ornamental rocicwork’ has underneath the fernery has a brick Chamber 4 : This is entered down steps mentions ‘Hot air chambers have been
survived. This must have been a very from Chamber 1. Its floor is 0.85m [ ] formed under all the houses, for
interesting feature. There is a tank vaulted ceiling while the remainder is below the floor levels of 1,2 and 3. It forcing mushrooms, seakale, rhubarb
P1100556.JPG P1100558.JPG flat and made of concrete supported
high on the back wall. There is no by iron joists. The floor has a lot of measures 8.55m long by 4.83 m [ ] wide and other vegetables and for heating
remaining staging. The ferneries are and has a bricked vaulted ceiling. the soils for potting in the winter time’.
described as follows in 1905: fallen masonry and debris. On the There are 2 square skylights which This reference exaggerates the
south west corner are the remains of a
`two lofty cool ferneries had their back flue connected with the chimney open to the ground above. A doorway numbers of chambers but explains
their function.
on the south east corner gives access
walls covered with ferns and mosses, above. This would appear to be the to chamber 5.
the body of the house being treested location of the stoke hole mentioned
and planted with a variety of ferns, in the 1902 Sales Particulars. The other Chamber 5 : This is brick vaulted also