Lisnevagh 1847
Pat Purcell Papers.
Newspaper
cutting, undated. (retaining capitals as printed in article).
From
MOATABOWER to LISNEVAGH, the future seat of Captain McCLINTOCK
BUNBURY, M.P., improvements are everywhere visible, although the
road contractors are not entitled to praise for the integrity of
their intentions in the fulfilment of their contracts, the roads
being in many places much neglected.
To
Lisnevagh we next direct the attention of the reader; and here
CAPITAL, which in every civilised country is understood as "money"
has worked miracles within two years.
Bog land
has being reclaimed, rocky ground has been converted into pasture,
and a wide-spread field of 700 acres, (the property of one of our
COUNTY MEMBERS), a portion which for years has been almost
unprofitable, presents, under his superintendence, ( and a
judicious outlay of capital), the appearance of a well-cultivated
district, and in a short time will not only repay the PROPRIETOR,
but exhibit practically what can be done by capital, labour, and
industry, on the part of a landed proprietor.
We have
heard a great deal of what English factory capitalists can do in
England; we are, therefore, inclined to be minute in details, when
we find a landed proprietor prove what capital well applied can
effect in Ireland.
The
future magnificent residence of Captain McClintock Bunbury, M.P.,
situate at Lisenvagh, is one creditable not only to the county,
but to the country.
In
magnitude and extent it is not surpassed in the kingdom, and of
the pure ELIZABETHAN style of architecture, erected from the plans
and under the personal superintendence of D. Robinson, Esquire,
upon elevated ground; there are few edifices present so noble an
appearance.
The first
stone of this extensive mansion was laid on the 23rd of January,
1847, nearly on the site of the ancient residence of the BUNBURY
family, erected in 1686, which was dismantled during the progress
of the present structure.
The
present residence is complete in every part, as far as the
exterior is concerned ; and in a few months - such is the
exertions that are being made, and the liberal outlay of capital -
it will be ready for the reception of the family in every
department before the ensuing summer – a circumstance in building
seldom or never surpassed, and could not be accomplished but for
the building materials being on the spot, such as granite, brick,
lime, etc. and the vast number of workmen employed to carry out
the design.
The
elegant mansion on the north side presents the appearance of an
extensive quadrangle, every view that presents itself on the
approach from that side being chaste and classical, combined with
elaborate taste and skill - harmony and proportion (combined with
comfort and convenience) being evidently the object of the
architect.
Lisnevagh 1847 - 1849 (continued)
The south side, comprising a magnificent
suite of apartments, viz.
- the drawing-room, library, dining-room,
ante-chambers, etc., commands a splendid view of the surrounding
country, with Mount Leinster and the Blackstairs in the foreground
of the picture - while from the same wing on the east the
beautiful scenery of the Wicklow Mountains attracts attention.
>From the upper rooms a vast and
beautifully cultivated tract of the county Carlow is visible,
presenting every variety of scenery, enhancing in the eye of even
the artist the value and beauty of the site chosen for the
erection of a family mansion of such extent.
In a future publication we shall enter more
into details, but for the present we shall content ourselves with
a brief description of some of the adjuncts to the mansion of
Captain Bunbury.
THE FARM YARD AND MACHINERY.
The farm yard is situate about a quarter of
a mile from the mansion, in a valley, and on what, on the fourth
of May last, was apparently an irreclaimable bog.
This mass of buildings all enclosed, but
covering an immense space of ground, presents the appearance of a
large manufacturing village, with its chimney shaft 60 feet high.
The farm-yard comprises buildings of every
description for agricultural purposes, under the superintendence
of a very intelligent and scientific steward, Mr Malone, a native
of the county Louth, for whom a handsome residence is built on the
spot.
Attached to the building is a steam engine
of great power, by which flour and oatmeal are manufactured for
the use of the mansion, and by which steaming, winnowing,
threshing, etc. are performed Independently of the several
purposes to which the steam mill is applied, it is used for
forcing water from this point through an elevated plane, to a tank
on a rising ground above the mansion, which contains 700,000
gallons of water.
From this point, invisible from the house,
the water is supplied to every apartment, and if required, there
are FOUR escapes, or cocks in the event of accidents by fire, by
which the water may be raised 20 feet above the roof of the
mansion.
We are thus circumstantial in details, with
the view of showing what capital can effect since the 31st of
January, 1847; but we may here go further by stating that the
steam mill, its towering shaft and the immense mass of buildings
surrounding them, all erected on what was a bog on the 4th of May,
in the present year; and the GRANITE with which the buildings were
erected were taken from the fields now covered with a rich and
luxuriant crops of Swedish turnips for stall feeding in the
buildings erected on the "bog" which "bog" we might however add,
is now thorough drained, and reduced to its present state by the
powerful agency of capital, and skill in its application.
We cannot now enter into further details,
but in a future number we hope to enter more fully into the
subject, with a view of exhibiting substantial proofs that by the
combined agency of A RESIDENT GENTRY, and the industry of the
people, the county of Carlow may fairly look forward to future
progress and prosperity.
[Note
added in 2012 - to be continued.].
- Transcribed by M. Purcell c2012