Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Icehouse
Knock Killua, County Westmeath, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Knock Killua
- County
- Westmeath
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- ‘Ice Ho.’
- Latest-edition OS map
- ‘Icehouse’
- Coordinates
- 53.65538, -6.99034
- SMR number
- WM009-061----
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
4 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1790 map "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1790 · Composite: Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1811 · Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1869 · Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1891 · Ireland 16 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Late 18th / early 19th century icehouse standing in grassland which formerly stood in a woodland area on the demesne lands of Killua Castle. Medieval church ruins (WM009-043----) and graveyard (WM009-043001-) located 160m to NE. Ornamental lake located 80m to N. Structure described by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) as follows; 'Icehouse, built c.1800, built into a hillside in a field to the south of Killua Castle (15305023), within former demesne grounds. Now disused. Two rubble limestone entrance chambers, now partially collapsed' (NIAH Reg. No. 15306028; https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/15306028/killua-castle-knock-killua-clonmellon-county-westmeath). The following folklore was collected by Sean Mc Grath a pupil from Clonmellon School about this structure; 'On left side going up to Killua Churchyard. It is just beside Plunket's grand gates. It is very deep and going down in a slant. My father used to cut the ice of Killua Lake and take it to the Ice house to make ice-cream' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0725, Page 032; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/5009042/4980326/5116239?ChapterID=5009042)
Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien
Date of upload: 27 July 2021
Nearby in the register
- Barrow - unclassifiedunder 1 mi
- Fontunder 1 mi
- Churchunder 1 mi
- Ecclesiastical enclosureunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.