Page 4 - 0FINAL Neo Gothic Church 1754 Report compressed_Neat

www. architect.crimmins.ie CONSERVATION PLAN ON THE GOTHICK MEMORIAL CHURCH FOR THE KYLEMORE TRUST 1 CA THAL CRIMMINS AR CHITE C T

along the north shore. Mitchell Henry became one of the growing number of Irish and English gentlemen family mausoleum upon the death of his wife in 1874. In 1874, The Mitchell family
Mitchell Henry later diverted whose love of fishing brought them to Connemara during the fishing season in the holidayed in Egypt. Margaret Mitchell contracted dysentery and died sixteen days later.
this to the other side of years during and after the great Irish famine. Mitchell Henry was born in Manchester Mitchell built the cathedral-in-minature in memory of Margaret. Originally it was a
Lough Pollacappul. Dean’s to Irish parents. His wife Margaret was from county Down. On the death of his father, a Anglican but was rededicated as a Catholic church in 1920. The church itself is small
Lodge on the west shore of Manchester cotton merchant and chairman of the textile firm A.S. Henry in 1862, but perfectly proportioned and is considered one of the finest examples of the Gothic
Kylemore Lough, Addergoole Mitchell became chairman. Mitchell was a surgeon by profession but on receipt of this Revival in Ireland. From the beginning it was admired for its beauty and detail. Roger
Village and a collection of sizeable inheritance he chose to abandon his career in medicine and turned to Stalley professor of the history of art in Trinity College Dublin noted that it was of
buildings where the Head business and politics. national importance and is in an area that has few architectural monuments. He
Gardner’s house and Reputedly Mitchell and Margaret Henry visited Connemara while on their honeymoon described it as a cathedral in miniature where the quality of the interior carving is
Workman’s bothy are now in 1849 and were enchanted by the beauty of the landscape. The Henrys may have breathtaking.
situated are the only
structures shown. stayed in Kylemore House, then a hotel run by Dublin man Andrew Armstrong. It The building incorporates elements adapted from some of the great English cathedrals
became the wish of the Henry’s to own a home there. In 1862 Henry leased the Lodge of the decorated era (1180-1215). The interior is said to have been influenced by the
The 1855 Griffith Valuation and 2 acres of garden from Patrick McCauley, a Galway merchant. McCauley held the chapel of St Stephen’s in Westminster. Like the Castle, the exterior is of limestone and
Map does not show any property on 12-year lease from the Rev William and Edward Wilberforce, sons of rev. has projecting corner buttresses, carved angelic gargoyles and a copper roof. A square
changes but the village at Robert Isaac Wilberforce a protestant clergyman who converted to Catholicism and tower, surmounted by pinnacles, stands at the eastern end. A gothic porch entrance,
Addergoole was demolished settled in Connemara. He bought 9 town lands containing less than 9000 acres from with red Peterhead granite pillars is situated at the western end. The external carvings
in 1855 to make way for the Henry Blake of Renvyle House in 1853. Blake’s estate was heavily indebted at the time were by William Bryant.
cruciform barn, which was s a result of the famine. Kylemore Lodge built by Rev. Robert Isaac Wilberforce The interior is highly decorative. The interior is of Caen stone with Irish stone columns
built using masonry from sometime between 1853 and 1858. The Lodge was situated at the foot of Duchruach (Connemara marble, red sandstone, Kilkenny black marble) with carved bath stone
the village. The small river at Mountain on the edge of Pollacappul Lake and was sheltered to the east by ancient
Addergoole was diverted oak and birch trees, Between the Lodge and the lakeshore ran the Westport to Clifton capitals. The arches are also of bath stone as is the ceiling, which also has protruding
and finely carved bosses and was designed in 4 sections. Stone carvings decorate the
and Addergoole house and road. walls above the entrance. Henry Sharp of Kells executed the stonework. Six gothic
the Stewart’s house were
also constructed at this In the 1866 Henry entered in to negotiations with the Wilberforce brothers and windows flanked the sides of the chancery. There was a plain glass tracery window
behind the alter. In the south transept there is a stained glass window with elaborate
purchased Kylemore Lodge and surrounding town lands using the money generated
time.
his successful textile business. Kylemore Lodge was the building around which he later tracery. The images depicted are figures of fortitude, faith, hope, charity and chastity. A
The 1898 Ordnance Survey built Kylemore Castle. He began carrying out improvements almost immediately. The door to the right of the chancery led to the vestry, which was fitted with a fireplace
map shows all of the main 1 foundation works around the old Lodge commenced on 4th September 1867. James and staircase giving access to the tower. In front of the altar there was a trap door
features of the estate such Franklin Fuller was involved in the original 1868 design by civil engineer Samuel through which coffins could be lowered. The crypt is believed to have been inspired by
as the castle, baths, stables, post office, gardens, church, mausoleum, estate 6 Ussher Roberts. The plans drawn up by Samuel Usser Roberts allowed the existing the medieval vault of Bristol cathedral. It contained 7 bays fitted with stone and slate
workers houses and the farm buildings. Lodge to be incorporated in to the new shelves for internments. Though it was designed for the Henry family, none were
building so that it formed the core of buried there. Instead it contains the remains of Abbess Scolastica Bergé and three
Although some areas of Galway were surveyed circa 1930, the Kylemore area does
not seem to be one of them. The later 6” map shows much the same information, the Castle. The Lodge remained members of her community who died while the nuns were still resident in Macmine,
occupied by household staff while the
Wexford. The crypt could also be reached by outside steps leading to iron doors.
though not as clearly. There are only minor name changes to the buildings and works were underway. The works were
the abbey is still labelled Kylemore Castle, even though the Benedictine A second set of steps at the tower led down to the boiler House. The cemetery beside
Community had renamed it Kylemore Abbey. According to the staff at Archinfo in extensive and involved excavation, the church is the resting place of the nuns from the Abbey.
drainage and rock blasting around the
UCD, many remote rural areas were not re-surveyed between 1898 and the most Lodge. The site though beautifully set After the departure of the Henrys the gothic church fell in to neglect. It was located at
recent map of 2000 because it was felt that little change would have occurred so
the 1898 map was reproduced. Unfortunately is between mountains and lake, too great a distance to act as a private chapel as the nuns were frequently called to
prayer. The church became water damaged over time and was in poor condition due to
constricted Henry’s vision for the grand
means that changes that occurred during that residence that he had in mind. Roberts excessive dampness. The roof finish and flashings failed. The roof was seriously
time are not shown. It may also explain why the
Kylemore Estate map produced by Dominic engineering skills were especially vital defective due to dry and wet rot. The walls were extensively saturated and stained and
in this regard. Where he could not
the building was seriously damaged due to water ingress damp into the upper
Flanagan Associates, Civil Engineering Consultants remove rock, he simply built over it or portions of the walls. The water table around this building was very high and the crypt
in 2014 is based on the 1898 map. It is still useful
however in that it shows the current boundaries cleverly used the natural attractions of and floor were extremely badly affected by damp as were the lower portions of the
walls resulting in advance deterioration of the fabric of the building from rot and
the site to advantage. The plasterwork
of the estate.
was by James Hogan and sons of rising damp. Prior to restoration works, the church had been closed for nearly 20
The current map which dates to 2000 shows all Dublin and the stonecutter was M years. The Community believed that if the issues were not tackled, there was a risk
the modern additions to the castle, stables and O’Brien of Ballinasloe. that all or part of the building, would be lost.
post office buildings as well as the new tearooms The Benedictine community at Kylemore has long wished to restore the Gothic Church.
in the gardens.
3.4 Brief History of the Buildings and 3.6 The Neo-Gothic Church 1 Margaret Henry
Landscape at Kylemore 2 James Franklin Fuller
The church designed by James F. Fuller was
built between 1877 and 1881. It 3 . Home Rule, a cariacature of Mitchell Henry by Spy published in Vanity Fair in 1879. Henry was
2 3 .
3.5 Kylemore Abbey commissioned by Mitchell Henry as a an MP for many years and a supporter of the Home Rule movement