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Ducketts Grove
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[iThe towers and turrets of Duckett’s Grove formerly centred on a 12,000 acre estate have dominated the landscape for over 200 years. The mansion was transformed into a spectacular castellated Gothic fantasy by Thomas A. Cobden for J. D. Duckett in 1830. The building incorporates numerous round, square and octagonal towers and turrets. One very tall octagonal turret rises from the structure. Duckett’s Grove is elaborately ornamented with oriels and niches containing statues. Several statues on pedestals surrounded the building and lined the approaches.
The last male heir died in 1908, but his widow lived in the house until 1912.
The estate house was used by the Irish Republican Army as a training camp in the early 1920s, and later it was owned by a local farmers co-operative until it was taken over by the Land Commission. In the early 1930s the house and surrounding lands was owned by local firm Thompson’s Engineering Works. The main building was burned in 1933 but its impressive ruins and its surrounding landscape form a most romantic landscape.
The Bishop Foley Schools were partly built with ashlar from the ruins
Duckett’s Grove was in private ownership from the 1930s until it was recently acquired by Carlow County Council.
Visitors are welcome to visit the newly restored garden, the walls, lawns, trees, woodland, shrubberies and designed landscape features.
Please note: The Ducketts Grove estate house structure is NOT open to public access.][/i]
Photobucket seems to be throwing up an ad. Will check it again later Pat in case it just something they intermittently do etc.
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