Designed landscape - formal garden

The National Monuments Service's description

The Stafford Papers of c. 1665 describe Jigginstown House (KD019-033001-) and gardens as having been, 'A Noble Howse built in Siggenstown by my Lords your ffather which cost £20,000. It is a Double Brick howse all in length, free stone about the Windowes and some Collumes and pavem[en]ts of Marble. The ffront thereof 120 yards and it is the largest and most magnificent front that ever I saw to w[hi]ch proportions the Gardens answere in a Square having a sweet rivulett running through it: fromerly very beautiful in Walles Groves and Trees. But now theise are not only cutt down and defaced but a great [?] of the floores in the middle p[ar]ts of the Howse are fal[l]en downe.' According to tradition, the gardens were formally laid out with terraces and fishponds (Bence-Jones 1978, 161). The majority of these features have apparently been levelled by modern road-making and the construction of the Grand Canal, but the remains of a sunken garden (dims. L c. 80m E-W; Wth c. 55m N-S) and gazebo survive to the S of the house. An ongoing conservation programme was informed by a detailed survey of the building and some archaeological excavation (Licence nos. 01E1109 and 02E1603: www.excavations.ie). An upcast bank was found, set against the south side of the building, providing a terrace overlooking the remains of the garden. The bank was built up late in the construction of the house and was built against scaffolding. A limekiln (KD019-033004-) was built into the bank. The terrace around the sunken garden was not completed, sloping away to the east and exposing the rough footings of the house. The bank was poorly surfaced with a narrow path. There was no indication of planting before the current standing trees (planted in the early-20th C). An associated enclosure (KD019-033002-) may have served defensive, drainage and landscaping functions.

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy

Date of upload: 10 June 2011

This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 3/2000).