Oak Park, County Carlow

Oak Park is a Georgian house and estate in County Carlow, Ireland, located 3 kilometres (2 mi) north of the town of Carlow.[1]

Oak Park
Granite ionic entrance arch leading to the house.
Oak Park, County Carlow is located in Ireland
Oak Park, County Carlow
Former namesPainestown
General information
TypeHouse
Architectural styleGreek Revival
Georgian
AddressOak Park, County Carlow
Town or cityCarlow
CountryIreland
Coordinates52.866°N 6.913°W / 52.866; -6.913
Current tenantsTeagasc
Groundbreaking1760 (original Georgian structure)
Renovated1832 (Classical remodelling)
OwnerTeagasc
Technical details
Materialgranite
Floor count2 over basement
Grounds220 ha (540 acres)
Design and construction
Architect(s)William Vitruvius Morrison (Main house remodelling)
DeveloperHenry Bruen (1832 works)

The estate was purchased by Irish MP Henry Bruen in 1775 and was substantially remodelled to its current form by the architect William Vitruvius Morrison in 1832.[2]

It remained in the family until 1957, being inhabited by Bruen's son and grandson, both MPs of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.[3]

In 1960 the property was sold to the state via the Irish Land Commission, and it ultimately became the headquarters of Teagasc in the 21st century.

Buildings and structures

The site includes several notable buildings and structures including Oak Park House. What was originally an extensive Georgian house dating from around 1760 was remodelled in 1832 to become a five-bay, two-storey house. The redesign was led by William Vitruvius Morrison and Richard Morrison.[4] A granite ionic triumphal arch was also constructed to their design.[5][6]

The house was later extensively restored following a fire by architect William Mansfield Mitchell in 1902.

Other buildings on the estate include:

Other facilities

120 acres (49 ha) of the site are now operated by the Carlow Tourist Office as Oak Park Forest Park.[13] The admission-free park, which features 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) of nature trails, won a Royal Dublin Society Irish Forestry Award in 2013.[14][15]

Oak Park also hosts a 590-acre (239 ha) "national centre for tillage and bio-energy crops research", operated by Teagasc.[16]

Triumphal arch on the Oak Park estate
Triumphal arch on the Oak Park estate
A house party at Oak Park, 1901
A house party at Oak Park, 1901

See also

References
  1. "Oak Park". The Irish Aesthete. 3 October 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  2. "MORRISON, WILLIAM VITRUVIUS - Dictionary of Irish Architects". www.dia.ie. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  3. "Bruen, Henry (1789-1852), of Oak Park, co. Carlow". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  4. "Oak Park House, Oak Park Demesne, County Carlow: 10300206". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  5. "Oak Park House, Oak Park Demesne, County Carlow: 10300209". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  6. "A Grand Approach I". The Irish Aesthete. 30 September 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  7. "Oak Park House, Oak Park Demesne, County Carlow: 10300204". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  8. "CO. CARLOW, OAK PARK Dictionary of Irish Architects -". www.dia.ie. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  9. "Oakpark Graveyard, Oak Park Demesne, County Carlow: 10300214". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  10. "Oak Park House, Oak Park Demesne, County Carlow: 10300215". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  11. "Oak Park House, Oak Park Demesne, County Carlow: 10300207". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  12. "History and restoration of Oak Park bridge: An overview". Engineers Ireland. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  13. "Oak Park Forest Park". Carlow Garden Trail. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  14. "Gardens in Ireland: County Carlow Gardens". ILoveGardens.com. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  15. "Oak Park Forest Park". Carlow Tourism. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  16. "Facilities: Crops Science Department, Teagasc CELUP, Oak Park, Carlow". Teagasc. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
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