durrow abbey co. offaly conservation plan - Offaly County Council

Octagonal Gardener’s Cottage
A small cottage was built into the wall at the nor thwest
corner of the walled garden. Faced in pale
yellow brick, with a slated hipped roof, the asymmetrical
cottage was designed in a vernacular Tudor
Revival style. A simple stone cornice is suppor ted
by simple brick frets. At the apex of the roof is a
small octagonal chimney stack. Internally the structure
has two small rooms. The room to the south
a later intervention creates a delightful octagonal
space with lancet windows. The ceiling is coved and
decorated with plaster mouldings. The nor th room
contains a small domestic fireplace and has a door
on its south side leading to the grounds outside
of the walled garden. It is unclear what this structure
was originally used for, a dairy is one possibility,
however, it has recently been used as an apple
store.
Gardener’s cottage
Farmhand’s house
Modern Farmhand’s House
Standing a shor t distance to the south of the twostorey
cottage is another two-storey house, probably
dating from the 1960s. Built of rendered
concrete block, with timber framed windows and
doors, this house has been severely vandalized, but
remains structurally sound.
Ornamental Closet
Standing nor th of the farm lane that connects the
house to the farmyard is a rustic gazebo which may
have originally functioned as an ear th closet. It is
built of rubble limestone, with dressed stone door
and window surrounds and coxcomb coping to
the wallhead. This small but unusual structure faces
south towards the rear of the house. A building of
this type is relatively rare in Ireland.
Two-Storey Gardener’s Cottage
Standing to the west of the walled garden, is a
gardener’s cottage of similar style to the octagonal
structure in the walled garden. The two-storey
house contains a central stair hall and three rooms
to each floor. A small kitchen was located in a small
shed-roofed east return.
Ornamental closet
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