Designed landscape - belvedere

The National Monuments Service's description

On a high hill c. 800m SW of Dromoland Castle (CL042-063001-). Built by Edward O’Brien c. 1740 to a design by John Aheron to watch his horses being exercised around the hill below (O’Brien 1998, 39-40). Described in the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH reg. no. 20404218) as a ‘Freestanding octagonal-plan single-bay double-height over part-raised basement belvedere, built c. 1740, with obelisk to apex. Cut-limestone roof with moulded blocked course and cornice. Roughcast rendered walls over rubble stone construction, with cut-stone string courses and blind panels over openings. Red brick dressings to openings. Yellow brick groin vaulted basement, brick cross ribbed vaulting to main chamber and chimney flue to interior. Four triangular-plan mounds form star-shaped platform with flight of cut-stone steps leading to entrance.’ Restored in 1998 by the Irish Georgian Society. This included stone work, new windows, roofing material and the insertion of steel support bands around the structure. https://dromolandbelvedere.weebly.com Accessed 15 August 2022.

Compiled by: Mary Tunney

Date of upload: 16 August 2022

References

O'Brien, G. R. 1995 The Turret or Belvedere of Dromoland. The Other Clare 19, 39-40.