The Priory, Templemore
The Priory, Templemore
We recently availed ourselves of a favourable opportunity to visit this splendid modern pile of building, which the munificence of Sir John Craven Carden is fast bringing to completion – and after passing along the handsomely wooded road leading from the little town of Templemore, we, in a few minutes reached, the entrance of the Priory. In the course of the present avenue and through the fine old plantations of the demesne, the visitor obtains some very pleasing peeps of the variety of mountain, hill, and dale, that surrounds the remnant of the old castle in which the Knights Templars are said to have held festive and courtly reign.
The Country here cannot boast of any striking natural feature, but it owes a great deal to a careful study of ornamental planting, - and something to the range of mountains that skirt the north-western suburbs of Templemore. When you emerge from the wooded avenue, the family mansion suddenly comes into view, and at once arrests attention. The noble Gothic pile of finely chiselled limestone, with its battlements, turrets, buttresses and extensive façade, and spacious arched doorway; the architraves of grouped columns, retreating to the depth of several feet, convey to the mind an idea of architectural grandeur seldom associated with the country residences of our gentry.
The southern front of this truly splendid mansion is ornamented with the arms of the Carden family, and shields and other armorial devices relieve the spaces between the large windows with their limestone framework. In continuation of this part of the building, a conservatory in the same style of architecture has been built, and awaits the arrival of a handsome cast iron roof, which has been manufactured after a design selected by Sir John, in England. This conservatory opens into a range of glasshouses, through which there is passage into a large racket-court the exterior and interior fittings of which are in perfect keeping with the beauty and style of the rest of the building.
The terraced gardens in this part of the grounds, with their custom borders, pedestals, and fountain basins, are in miniature somewhat after the style of Sydenham – that “mathematical precision” which too often has been allowed to detract from the luxurious negligence of nature is here in great degree subdued and the pure English landscape is not altogether forgotten. The house itself consists of sixty rooms, and the sum of, we understand £20,000 in round numbers, has been expended so far upon the building, - Upon entering the grand hall, through the massive oaken doorway, replete with medieval decorations, the visitor finds that ‘The Priory’ has been erected in a style of magnificence not very generally met with – it is floored en mosaique, in walnut and oak; the peculiar grotesque spirit of the Gothic style is not permitted to run riot through the rich oak carving, while that more beautiful element, tracery enters largely into the interior ornamentation – the oak painted ceiling richly stuccoed and the polished armour shields an banners that hang around with the erect figures in full suits of armour; the wide staircase in massive oak – the great doorways leading to the drawing –room at one side and to the library at the other – the rich and mellow light that comes through the beautiful stained glass window that forms the upper portion of the Gothic entrance, and through the lancet shaped sashes – all this bespeak a profuse liberality and taste of order.
The library is particularly deserving of attention – nay of admiration, its covered ceiling is so richly constructed that the stucco devices depend some eighteen inches, or two feet from the ceiling itself- the pillared windows look out on the terraces, and admit of some of the best views that can be had from the house. There is but one drawback to the grandeur of the scale upon which the building has been planned. The depth of the principal staircase is too shallow to be union with the proportions of everything around, however, this could not well be avoided, and to more than compensate for this relative deficiency of space, the walls and sides of the staircase are to be mirrored all over, and the great plates of glass are to be set in oak frames of purely Gothic pattern.
The entire place is to be lighted with gas, manufactured on the premises, and to be heated with hot water, the piper for the conveyance of which are run around all the rooms, and placed within a channel that is concealed with ornate iron and wood work. In the hall the pipes are coiled in large chambers, that are perforated into a metal tracery of a handsome description, which has been designed by Mr. James Stewart a local artificer. The building has occupied five years in construction, and in, we have been informed, the design of the late Augustin Pugin to whom the modern architecture of Great Britain owes so much. It will yet occupy twelve months before it is completed.
The remaining decorative works are now carried on under the superintendence of Sir John Carden himself, and during his absence, by his very intelligent land steward Mr. Morgan, who keeps in constant employment an efficient staff of workmen, as witnessed by the superior finish of the heavy stucco enrichments that hang from the covered ceiling, and which are chiefly the work of Mr. William Fitzgerald, formerly of Clonmel. A large quantity of the House furniture, manufactured specially, is at present in the Dublin Exhibition, and will be brought to Templemore early next year, when it is expected the worthy proprietor of the Estate, will take up his residence at the Priory – which in point of style and finish, is certainly a very handsome addition to the architecture of this part of Ireland. – Clonmel Chronicle.
Tipperary Advocate, 30 November 1861.
Transcribed by Patrick Bracken
last updated on: Wednesday, 09-Dec-2009 07:37:50 GMT
We recently availed ourselves of a favourable opportunity to visit this splendid modern pile of building, which the munificence of Sir John Craven Carden is fast bringing to completion – and after passing along the handsomely wooded road leading from the little town of Templemore, we, in a few minutes reached, the entrance of the Priory. In the course of the present avenue and through the fine old plantations of the demesne, the visitor obtains some very pleasing peeps of the variety of mountain, hill, and dale, that surrounds the remnant of the old castle in which the Knights Templars are said to have held festive and courtly reign.
The Country here cannot boast of any striking natural feature, but it owes a great deal to a careful study of ornamental planting, - and something to the range of mountains that skirt the north-western suburbs of Templemore. When you emerge from the wooded avenue, the family mansion suddenly comes into view, and at once arrests attention. The noble Gothic pile of finely chiselled limestone, with its battlements, turrets, buttresses and extensive façade, and spacious arched doorway; the architraves of grouped columns, retreating to the depth of several feet, convey to the mind an idea of architectural grandeur seldom associated with the country residences of our gentry.
The southern front of this truly splendid mansion is ornamented with the arms of the Carden family, and shields and other armorial devices relieve the spaces between the large windows with their limestone framework. In continuation of this part of the building, a conservatory in the same style of architecture has been built, and awaits the arrival of a handsome cast iron roof, which has been manufactured after a design selected by Sir John, in England. This conservatory opens into a range of glasshouses, through which there is passage into a large racket-court the exterior and interior fittings of which are in perfect keeping with the beauty and style of the rest of the building.
The terraced gardens in this part of the grounds, with their custom borders, pedestals, and fountain basins, are in miniature somewhat after the style of Sydenham – that “mathematical precision” which too often has been allowed to detract from the luxurious negligence of nature is here in great degree subdued and the pure English landscape is not altogether forgotten. The house itself consists of sixty rooms, and the sum of, we understand £20,000 in round numbers, has been expended so far upon the building, - Upon entering the grand hall, through the massive oaken doorway, replete with medieval decorations, the visitor finds that ‘The Priory’ has been erected in a style of magnificence not very generally met with – it is floored en mosaique, in walnut and oak; the peculiar grotesque spirit of the Gothic style is not permitted to run riot through the rich oak carving, while that more beautiful element, tracery enters largely into the interior ornamentation – the oak painted ceiling richly stuccoed and the polished armour shields an banners that hang around with the erect figures in full suits of armour; the wide staircase in massive oak – the great doorways leading to the drawing –room at one side and to the library at the other – the rich and mellow light that comes through the beautiful stained glass window that forms the upper portion of the Gothic entrance, and through the lancet shaped sashes – all this bespeak a profuse liberality and taste of order.
The library is particularly deserving of attention – nay of admiration, its covered ceiling is so richly constructed that the stucco devices depend some eighteen inches, or two feet from the ceiling itself- the pillared windows look out on the terraces, and admit of some of the best views that can be had from the house. There is but one drawback to the grandeur of the scale upon which the building has been planned. The depth of the principal staircase is too shallow to be union with the proportions of everything around, however, this could not well be avoided, and to more than compensate for this relative deficiency of space, the walls and sides of the staircase are to be mirrored all over, and the great plates of glass are to be set in oak frames of purely Gothic pattern.
The entire place is to be lighted with gas, manufactured on the premises, and to be heated with hot water, the piper for the conveyance of which are run around all the rooms, and placed within a channel that is concealed with ornate iron and wood work. In the hall the pipes are coiled in large chambers, that are perforated into a metal tracery of a handsome description, which has been designed by Mr. James Stewart a local artificer. The building has occupied five years in construction, and in, we have been informed, the design of the late Augustin Pugin to whom the modern architecture of Great Britain owes so much. It will yet occupy twelve months before it is completed.
The remaining decorative works are now carried on under the superintendence of Sir John Carden himself, and during his absence, by his very intelligent land steward Mr. Morgan, who keeps in constant employment an efficient staff of workmen, as witnessed by the superior finish of the heavy stucco enrichments that hang from the covered ceiling, and which are chiefly the work of Mr. William Fitzgerald, formerly of Clonmel. A large quantity of the House furniture, manufactured specially, is at present in the Dublin Exhibition, and will be brought to Templemore early next year, when it is expected the worthy proprietor of the Estate, will take up his residence at the Priory – which in point of style and finish, is certainly a very handsome addition to the architecture of this part of Ireland. – Clonmel Chronicle.
Tipperary Advocate, 30 November 1861.
Athscríofa ag Patrick Bracken
nuashonraithe ar: Wednesday, 09-Dec-2009 07:37:50 GMT