Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Designed landscape - folly
Barrogstown West, County Kildare, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Barrogstown West
- County
- Kildare
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Obelisk
- Latest-edition OS map
- Obelisk
- Coordinates
- 53.36942, -6.55991
- SMR number
- KD011-040----
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1799 "Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
An extravagant and monumental folly structure closing a 2 mile vista from the garden front of Castletown House. Built c. 1740, it consists of a central obelisk set upon a series of superimposed arches which are also surmounted by carved stone pineapples and eagles on pedestals. The overall height of the structure is approx 140ft and its design is attributed to the architect Richard Castle. The folly was commissioned by Katherine Conolly, widow of William Conolly, Speaker of the Irish House of Commons, to commemorate her husband and provided relief work for local labourers during a severe winter. Mariga Guinness, a founding member of the Irish Georgian Society, was buried below the central arch in 1989. The 'Conolly Folly' is now a National Monument (No. 681) in State Ownership.
Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy
Date of upload: 10 June 2011
Nearby in the register
- Enclosureunder 1 mi
- Churchunder 1 mi
- Ecclesiastical enclosureunder 1 mi
- Ogham stoneunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.