Design guide · Kilkenny County Council
County Kilkenny Rural Design Guide
The council's guidance on siting and designing a house in the countryside.
Kilkenny County Council · 95 pages
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- . landscape character What do we mean by Landscape? “Landscape means an area, as perceived by people, whose character is the result of the action and integration of natural and/or human factors” What is Landscape Character? “Landscape character is the recognisable elements that make up a particular landscape. This will include geology and soils, landform, land use and vegetation, feld boundaries, settlement patterns and building styles. This moulds different landscapes, each with its own distinctive character and unique sense of place” Ireland’s landscape is rich and varied. It is a living landscape that must accommodate the physical and social needs of its people. Located in south east Leinster the landscape of County Kilkenny is comprised of deep fertile river valleys and is for the most part agricultural. The landscapes of Kilkenny have been moulded by the past. Fertile lands were heavily farmed, supporting the large estates that are found throughout the County, while the river courses were well-suited to milling and other industrial uses. The landscape characteristics of Kilkenny have a signifcant bearing on the County’s identity. Where new buildings are proposed in visually sensitive rural areas they can have a devastating impact on established character, an impact that is disproportionate to the land area they occupy. The economic boom of the last years and the unprecedented growth and building that followed have had a major impact on the Irish countryside. Kilkenny is no exception, with increasing pressure to build more and more (often very large) single rural dwellings. One only has to drive through the Kilkenny countryside to witness the impact that some of these new houses have had, many of which bear little or no relation to the landscapes of rural Kilkenny. It is important therefore to develop an understanding of what contributes to the distinctive landscape signature of rural Kilkenny. The Landscape Today Located inland the county is approx. 76 sq. miles (0, acres). The central plain of Kilkenny is comprised of fertile lowland rising to the northeast, northwest and south. Kilkenny has an extensive river valley network which shapes the landscape. The county is halved by the River Nore on a north/south axis, the River Barrow at the eastern boundary, and the River Suir at the southern boundary. The landscape of Kilkenny is generally fat for large areas with no signifcant topographical features though larger upland areas such as the Castlecomer Plateau to the north east and the Blackstairs Mountains to the south east, provide interest and terminate many long range views. A B suir river valley nore lowland basin castlecomer plateau south kilkenny uplands nore lowland sliveardagh hills east kilkenny uplands C D
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- . traditional siting patterns in rural kilkenny Historical Ordnance Survey mapping provides an interesting insight to traditional siting in Kilkenny, and can give us clues for the siting of new dwellings Traditional Siting Patterns Historical Ordnance Survey Mapping provides an interesting insight into Co Kilkenny’s traditional patterns for siting houses in the countryside and can offer us clues for siting new dwellings today. The map diagrams that follow are a small selection of various sizes of traditional houses and their outbuildings in the county and illustrate their relationships to the surrounding roads, lanes and felds. Key patterns ■ Scale of the house footprint is usually not much bigger than the surrounding outbuilding ■ House and outbuildings form enclosures creating yards and forecourt ■ Many houses were accessed via long, single track lanes that followed the edge of feld boundaries, often turning at right angles – the rural character of the lane (with its native hedgerows interplanted with native deciduous trees and soft grass verges) was more or less the same along its length even when it crossed into the house property itself ■ Native deciduous trees were often planted along all or part of the approach lane – often within the hedge ■ Larger houses on fat ground were often at the end of a very long avenue – with tree planting used as a screen between house and road ■ Long and short lanes/ avenues are aligned to the side (not the centre) of the house ■ The position of access lanes or carparking/turning areas are arranged so the house still has uninterrupted views from the house to a garden or orchard/woodland ■ Access avenues were either relatively straight or undulated gently. They did not zig-zag ■ Woodland was often used to create shelter on one or more sides of house ■ Small scale houses and groupings of farm outbuildings were often close to the County Road and had a variety of relationships to it. Apart from houses that fronted onto a small forecourt open to the County Road they all had short access laneways on the side of the house ■ Often the house or outbuilding gables formed the property boundary along the roadside. Sometimes the long side of the house faces the County Road though it usually has a relatively small scale garden/woodland or orchard between it and the road Photographs in this section are typical of the house types/site layout described, they are not actual examples
- ` ` Typical Glebe House accessed via long avenue off the County Road. (see diagram on left) Co Kilkenny has a distinctive pattern of medium-large sized simple ‘Big Box’ farmhouses and Glebe houses that sit in relatively fat landscapes but are set far back from the main road. When viewed from the main road the effect of perspective reduces the apparent size of the large house and a line of mature deciduous trees along the roadside helps to screen it. Often a backdrop of mature trees behind helps such houses to blend in further. Notice how the access avenue, although quite formal, is not centred on the house itself, maintaining views from the house to the immediate garden and wider landscape. Its appearance is also softened by an almost imperceptible undulation in its alignment. Typical Glebe house accessed via long avenue off county road
- Typical small country house and farm outbuildings Typical small country house or ‘Glebe’ (see diagram on left) Although the grouping of buildings is quite large it is completely hidden by a small woodland when viewed from the County Road. The main access avenue passes through this area of trees and then meanders northwards towards the main house. Notice that the main avenue is aligned on the side of the overall grouping and is not centred on the house. This helps to give the house greater privacy and improves the views from the house to the woodland. When one very large house is broken down into a grouping of several smaller simple shaped blocks the scale of the house is greatly reduced and the overall grouping blends into the surrounding countryside better. The secondary (linear) farm outbuildings are arranged to form a yard on the east side. This creates a sheltered area outside that is also hidden from the surrounding countryside. These days this is useful for parking cars or hanging out clothes discreetly, or simply for creating a sheltered private garden area. Notice how the secondary rear access lane is served by a traditional narrow country lane. Using existing (or creating new) traditional, hedge lined, single track laneways to provide access to a new house is a very good way to help new houses to blend into the countryside. 6
- Typical linear farmhouse and farm outbuildings accessed via long farm lanes that follow the line of feld boundaries. 7 Typical linear farmhouse and farm outbuildings accessed via long farm lanes that follow the line of feld boundaries. (see diagram on left) Two stands of mature deciduous trees have been planted to the east and west of the building group. These trees help to shelter the house from the prevailing winds and also help it to blend into the surrounding rural landscape. These trees are far enough away to avoid casting the house into deep shadow. After the winding laneway turns for the last time it passes through an area of mature deciduous trees on each side of the group before arriving at a small entrance yard to one side of the farmhouse itself. This then leads into a larger yard to the rear of the house that is formed by the enclosure of farm outbuildings. Note that the laneway does not run continuously around the house. The house itself seems to have a small garden area to the north of the farmhouse and a larger garden area to the west of what may be a farm outbuilding. This orientation means that the south side of the house faces a very sunny and sheltered, private yard. This would be ideal patio / barbecue areas and manageable safe gardens.
- A B C D A variety of small to medium rural houses illustrating traditional relationships between house, access, country road, outbuildings and garden spaces. See right and facing page for examples of each type. A A linear house (either or storey) fronts onto a garden space that fronts onto the main road. Access to the house is directly off the road and running alongside the garden. The lane narrows to run along the side of a farm shed or garage and to access a narrow ‘boithrin’. The secondary farm sheds are arranged at right angles to the house and form a C shaped enclosure on the north east side of the house. This is most likely a garden or yard area. B This relatively small house is built tight up to the road with its gable wall facing the road. The access is directly off the County Road into a relatively narrow yard that appears to run around the east side of the house. This means that the south side of the house has an uninterrupted and intimate view of a small private, sunny garden. Sometimes the house and garden were somewhat lower than the road. This improved shelter and privacy. Today there is no reason why a similar arrangement can’t be achieved provided the required sight lines are achieved. This type of siting is best suited to relatively small houses.
- C This very modest, long and narrow house is accessed by a narrow laneway taken off the County Road along the northern boundary of the property to a modest sized rear yard on the east side of the house where it also provides access to a small shed or garage. The house is well set back from the road and has great near distance views (uninterrupted by avenues or carparking) into a garden space that faces west and will get good midday, afternoon and evening sunshine. D The plan diagram of house D shows a traditional arrangement whereby the house (on a north south axis) fronts onto an open yard with no boundary to the road. The yard is enclosed on the north side by a farm barn at right angles to and adjoining the house. A further farm outbuilding parallel to the frst forms the northern boundary to the property. This grouping and orientation creates good shelter from the prevailing southwesterly winds. For this type of traditional siting relationship to be successful today the house and outbuildings needs to be very small. A large house sited in this way is extremely diffcult to blend in. Given the speed, noise and volume of today’s rural traffc this arrangement is only appropriate when it fronts onto a narrow country lane rather than the County Road.
- . built form in county kilkenny - regional identity Throughout Ireland each county (and even parts of counties) have a mix of building types that are particular to that rural area. These might be ruined castles or large country houses (and their associated gate lodges, mills or other estate houses), tower houses, rectories, manses, farmhouses, cottages and farm outbuildings or even humble farm sheds. There may be many aspects of these building types that seem similar to those found in other parts of the country eg their general shape and size or even some of the materials used to build them. However factors particular to each area (such as climate or local materials or building skills) often have subtle infuences so that they take on differences in appearance that make them special to that area. Patterns emerge that mark out house types, size, shape, materials and small details as being special or distinctive to an area. In addition to the changes in topography and landscape across the country the predominant patterns of rural building type in an area are a major factor in telling us very quickly that we are in Co Kilkenny and not in Co Cork or Co Donegal. These patterns or key characteristics of rural buildings combine to form the regional identity of a place. Why is this important? Across the island new houses are beginning to depart from the long established local regional patterns and characteristics so that their appearance (ie. size, shape and materials) refers less and less to the established characteristics of the locality and, increasingly, looks more and more like “Somewhere-elseville”. Co Kilkenny is no exception though it has, so far, suffered less than some other parts of the country. However even Co Kilkenny is showing signs of this growing trend and its regional identity is at risk of being substantially diluted over time. If this trend is allowed to continue unchecked soon enough there will be very little to tell us that Co Kilkenny is much different from Co Cavan except for the undulations of the natural landscape. Eventually there will be less and less reason to visit a place that is becoming more and more like the place where everyone else lives. It is possible to identify the key characteristics of Co Kilkenny’s regional identity and to seek to reinforce this in the future. This can be done in two ways: (a) aim to conserve and reuse as much of the county’s existing historic rural buildings as possible. These embody the authentic legacy and memory of the county’s past. Reusing these retains that memory for longer. Note: If you decide to follow this course of action it is wise to take specialist professional advice from a conservation architect to ensure best conservation practice and that you use locally and historically appropriate materials. (b) draw on and reinterpret the identifed key characteristics of Co Kilkenny’s established regional identity to inform the design of new rural houses. When these characteristics are skilfully reinterpreted in a contemporary way the reinforcement of local regional identity is achieved in a manner that avoids pastiche and allows for creativity and innovation whilst still maintaining a link with the past. The following are a variety of the typical building types and shapes that form the regional identity of the Co Kilkenny countryside. Key characteristics are listed above each image. 0
Source Kilkenny County Council: County Kilkenny Rural Design Guide · Licence the publisher's termsText read from the publisher’s PDF; tables, maps and drawings do not survive as text, and page numbers are the PDF’s (its first page is 1). Check the original before relying on a passage.