durrow abbey co. offaly conservation plan - Offaly County Council

Policy 7. Archaeology
There should be no development within the area of
the monastic enclosure.
The archaeological potential of the site as a whole
has been clearly demonstrated both through the
existence of upstanding archaeological remains and
also of subsurface features identified in previous
studies. Non-invasive methods of archaeological
investigation should be under taken to assess the
nature and extent of any sub-surface archaeological
features within the state owned lands.
Given the rich archaeological potential of the site
as a whole, geophysical surveys and/or archaeological
testing should be under taken prior to consideration
of any development outside of the monastic
enclosure (excluding existing buildings)
A monitoring programme of the extant stone
monuments on the site including the early medieval
cross-slabs, the high cross, the fragment of the
cross shaft and cross base should be put in place
Outside the monastic enclosure geophysical surveys
and/or archaeological testing should be undertaken
prior to consideration of any development.
A programme should be put in place to monitor
the effects of any increase in visitor numbers or
traffic on the archaeological monuments within the
site.
D E M E N S E A N D L A N D S C A P E
Setting
The thir ty-one hectares of state owned lands,
the primary subject of this conservation plan,
constitutes only a por tion of the historic Durrow
Abbey Demesne. The broader demesne landscape,
which is currently in private ownership, provides
the setting and context for the landscape and
arcaheological features situated within the state
owned lands. It is vital that the future management
of the surrounding privately owned demesne
landscape is complementary to the conservation
objectives for the monuments.
Policy 8. Setting
The Depar tment of Environment, Heritage and Local
Government should seek to achieve agreement and
co-operation with all other owners and managers
of lands within the historic Durrow Demesne
boundary in the preservation / conservation of the
historic designed landscape.
The Depar tment of the Environment, Heritage and
Local Government should encourage compatible
farming activities on lands adjacent to the site.
The Depar tment of the Environment, Heritage
and Local Government should encourage Offaly
and Westmeath County Councils to assist in the
achievement of the conservation objectives in their
capacity as local planning authorities by applying
appropriate development control policy for the
historic demesne lands.
In suppor t of this the depar tment should recommend
the designation of the Durrow Demesne lands as a
Landscape of High Sensitivity and / or a Landscape
of High Amenity Value (or similar as appropriate to
the plan in question) in future county development
plans, to ensure the preservation of the demesne
landscape integrity and thereby the setting and
context of the state owned lands and monuments.
Landscape Structure
The designed landscape at Durrow is significant
for it aesthetic and cultural impor tance. The
conservation plan should seek to preserve this.
There is scope at Durrow Abbey to enhance the
ecological integrity and value of the landscape by
giving greater emphasis to native vegetation and
natural processes (and thus habitat) while retaining
the architectural structure of the demesne. This will
require the controlled alteration of the vegetative
composition of the demesne, to allow native species
to replace cer tain exotics, without undue dilution
of the overall architectural composition.
The composition of Durrow Demesne as shown
on the 1837-38 six inch OS map constitutes the
blueprint of the conservation policy generally,
oppor tunities are identified to reinstate cer tain
natural species and processes to enhance the
ecological value of the landscape.
Policy 9. Woodland
The boundary and internal woodlands formed (and
continue to form) the fundamental structure of the
demesne landscape, as well as the wildlife habitat
which lends it ecological significance.
No development should take place which reduces
the spatial extent or otherwise impacts negatively
upon the extent of, or valued individual trees within,
the remaining demesne woodlands.
Any additional planting to preserve the woodland
should seek to enhance its ecological value. Except
for the replacement of over-mature beech trees
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