Oak Park, County Carlow
| Oak Park | |
|---|---|
 Granite ionic entrance arch leading to the house. | |
  | |
| Former names | Painestown |
| General information | |
| Type | House |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival Georgian |
| Address | Oak Park, County Carlow |
| Town or city | Carlow |
| Country | Ireland |
| Coordinates | 52°51′58″N 6°54′47″W / 52.866°N 6.913°W |
| Current tenants | Teagasc |
| Groundbreaking | 1760 (original Georgian structure) |
| Renovated | 1832 (Classical remodelling) |
| Owner | Teagasc |
| Technical details | |
| Material | granite |
| Floor count | 2 over basement |
| Grounds | 220 ha (540 acres) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | William Vitruvius Morrison (Main house remodelling) |
| Developer | Henry Bruen (1832 works) |
Oak Park is a Georgian house and estate in County Carlow, Ireland, located 3 kilometres (2 mi) north of the town of Carlow.[1]
History
[edit]The estate was purchased by Irish MP Henry Bruen in 1775 and was substantially remodelled to its current form by the architect William Vitruvius Morrison in 1832.[2] It remained in the family until 1957, being inhabited by Bruen's son and grandson, both MPs of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.[3]
In 1960 the property was sold to the state via the Irish Land Commission, and it ultimately became the headquarters of Teagasc in the 21st century.
Buildings and structures
[edit]The site includes several notable buildings and structures including Oak Park House. What was originally an extensive Georgian house dating from around 1760 was remodelled in 1832 to become a five-bay, two-storey house. The redesign was led by William Vitruvius Morrison and Richard Morrison.[4] A granite ionic triumphal arch was also constructed to their design.[5][6]
The house was later extensively restored following a fire by architect William Mansfield Mitchell in 1902.
Other structures on the estate include:
- A mausoleum (built c. 1841; now ruined), designed by John B. Keane in a Greek Revival style[7][8]
- Oakpark Graveyard (c. 1700–1750), with remains of a church built c. 1725[9]
- A two-storey stable complex (built c. 1750–1780), renovated in 1985[10]
- A single-arch cast-iron bridge (built c. 1815), designed by George Papworth[11][12]
Other facilities
[edit]120 acres (49 ha) of the site are now operated by the Carlow Tourist Office as Oak Park Forest Park.[13] The admission-free park, which features 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) of nature trails, won a Royal Dublin Society Irish Forestry Award in 2013.[14][15]
Oak Park also hosts a 590-acre (239 ha) "national centre for tillage and bio-energy crops research", operated by Teagasc.[16]
Gallery
[edit]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Oak Park". The Irish Aesthete. 3 October 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
- ^ "MORRISON, WILLIAM VITRUVIUS - Dictionary of Irish Architects". www.dia.ie. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
- ^ "Bruen, Henry (1789-1852), of Oak Park, co. Carlow". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
- ^ "Oak Park House, Oak Park Demesne, County Carlow: 10300206". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
- ^ "Oak Park House, Oak Park Demesne, County Carlow: 10300209". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
- ^ "A Grand Approach I". The Irish Aesthete. 30 September 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
- ^ "Oak Park House, Oak Park Demesne, County Carlow: 10300204". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
- ^ "CO. CARLOW, OAK PARK Dictionary of Irish Architects -". www.dia.ie. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
- ^ "Oakpark Graveyard, Oak Park Demesne, County Carlow: 10300214". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
- ^ "Oak Park House, Oak Park Demesne, County Carlow: 10300215". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
- ^ "Oak Park House, Oak Park Demesne, County Carlow: 10300207". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
- ^ "History and restoration of Oak Park bridge: An overview". Engineers Ireland. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
- ^ "Oak Park Forest Park". Carlow Garden Trail. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
- ^ "Gardens in Ireland: County Carlow Gardens". ILoveGardens.com. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
- ^ "Oak Park Forest Park". Carlow Tourism. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
- ^ "Facilities: Crops Science Department, Teagasc CELUP, Oak Park, Carlow". Teagasc. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
External links
[edit]
- Bruen of Oak Park Papers in the National Library of Ireland Catalogue