Designed landscape - formal garden

The National Monuments Service's description

Possible formal garden of 17th century date belonging to Clonyn House (WM013-014----) which was the residence of the Nugent family, Barons of Delvin. The landscaped gardens are described in the terrier of the 1654-57 Down map of Castletown parish which recorded that the in ‘Clonyn there is the ruines of a fayre house (WM013-014---) with a fewe backroomes Wherein the Earle of West Meath dwells with a faire orchard and a garden with a grove of trees’ (NLI, MS 723-4). Clonyn House is not depicted on the Down Survey maps. This 'fayre house' was probably built on the site of or incorporated the medieval castle (WM013-014001-) belonging to the Nugent family.
Annotated on the 1838 ed. OS 6-inch map as Clonyn House and depicted as a ruinous structure on the revised 1913 ed. OS 25-inch map. Present remains consist of the ruins of an ivy-clad multi-period house. The core of the building consists of a late seventeenth century five bay gabled house standing two storeys high. This central house has been extended to the N and S. A square turret built on to the S side of the range bears a plaque with the Nugent crest (WM013-014002-). To the E of the house there is a rectangular enclosure, probably a parterre on two levels & bounded by a low battlemented wall. The formal gardens depicted on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map 240m NW of Clonyn House may have their origins in the 17th century.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien and Frank Coyne

Date of upload: 2 August 2017

References

NLI, MS 723-4 - National Library of Ireland, The parish maps of the Down Survey for the County of Westmeath, attested by W. Petty, in 1659. Copied by Daniel O'Brien. A set of 67 maps with accompanying terriers in two volumes, 1786-7. Dublin.