Page 4 - 0FINAL Neo Gothic Church 1754 Report compressed

CA THAL CRIMMINS AR CHITECT 4 Conservation Appraisal of Walled Garden and Historic landscape of Kylemore Abbey www. architect.crimmins.ie

gaping outwards, to form holes for rain and wind - is a building, the beauty of which
must be seen to be understood.’

Cranston’s general design principles were:
1. To maximise the use of glass ‘in an elegant manner’ and minimise that of brick.
2. ‘An entire absence of framed joiner’s work, such as sashes and lights, either sliding
or fixed, with all morticing and tenoning, or other expensive workmanship’.
3. Roofs that are ‘curved or arched’ by dividing the glass into horizontal sections, ‘each
compartment being fixed at a different angle, so that curvilinear roofs of any contour
are produced, and this with the use of straight instead of bent glass.’

4. The use of radial ribs (A) running from one end of the house to the other which ‘are
full of small perforations for the entrance and egress of air, with simple appliances on
the inside for closing them at will.’

Kylemore’s glasshouse design followed Cranston’s key principles. A composition of
interconnected free-standing glasshouses concealed the lean-to glasshouses heated
brick walls from the central driveway and from the southern slopes of the flower
garden. These lean-to glasshouses and brick walls were also concealed from the
southern approach drive to Kylemore Abbey.
It is recommended that any reconstruction of Kylemore’s glasshouses should follow
Cranston’s key design principles, where feasible.

Cca17741J.Cranston p15.jpg Cca17741J.Cranston p27.jpg Cca17741J.Cranston p33.jpg