Offaly County Development Plan 2021–2027 (as varied) — Chapter 10: Built Heritage

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 10 Built Heritage Page 317 Chapter 10: Built Heritage 10.1 Introduction Offaly’s historic environment, comprising its built form, landscape, heritage and archaeology, provides a depth of character that benefits the county’s economy, culture and quality of life of our citizens. Built heritage assets are a non-renewable resource that contributes to our understanding of the past. It is important that our components of our built heritage such as our historic planned towns, heritage towns, protected structures, Geashill Architectural Conservation Area, sites and monuments, country houses and demesnes, industrial architecture, vernacular structures and monastic sites are valued and protected for future generations. The Council will continue to promote the conservation, management and preservation of our built heritage for its intrinsic value and as a support to economic renewal and sustainable employment while also revitalising the historic cores of our towns and villages by bringing historic buildings back to use. 10.2 Legislative and Policy Context In the preparation of this chapter of the Plan, regard has been had to the following: • National Monuments Acts (as amended); • Heritage Ireland 2030; • Planning and Development Act, 2000 (as amended); • Project Ireland 2040, National Planning Framework; • The National Development Plan 2018-2027; • Eastern and Midland Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy 2019-31; • The Architectural Heritage (National Inventory) Act 1999; • National Inventory of Architectural Heritage; • Architectural Heritage Protection – Guidelines for Planning Authorities, 2013; • Convention for the Protection of the Architectural Heritage of Europe (Granada, 1985); • Convention for the Protection of the Architectural Heritage of Europe (Valletta, 1992); • Realising our Rural Potential, Action Plan for Rural Development 2017; • Culture 2025 – A Framework Policy to 2025, DAHRRGA, 2016; • The Survey of Thatched Buildings in County Offaly, 2018; • Bridges of Offaly County: An Industrial Heritage Review, November 2005; • Mills of County Offaly: An Industrial Heritage Survey, May 2009; • Waterways Ireland Heritage Plan 2016-2020. • Climate Change Sectoral Adaptation Plan for Built and Archaeological Heritage (2019). 10.3 Protected Structures A protected structure is a structure that the Planning Authority considers to be of special interest from an architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social or technical point of view. The Planning Authority in its Record of Protected Structures (RPS) includes details of protected structures, which accompanies this Plan. It may be amended by the addition or deletion of entries

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 10 Built Heritage Page 318 independently of the Development Plan making process. The inclusion of a structure in the RPS does not preclude appropriate use or development. The word protection is defined in the Planning and Development Act, 2000 (as amended), as including, in relation to a structure, or part of a structure, conservation, preservation and improvement compatible with maintaining the character and interest of the structure. Protection is offered to: a) The exterior and interior of the structure; b) The land lying within the curtilage of the structure; c) Any other structures lying within that curtilage 1and their interiors, and all fixtures and features which form part of the interior or exterior of any structure. Normal planning exemptions do not apply to a protected structure or a proposed protected structure. No works, which would adversely affect the character of the protected structure, or any element of it, which contributes to its special interest, may be carried out without planning permission. An owner or occupier of a protected structure may make a written request to the Planning Authority to issue a Section 57 Declaration as to the type of works, which it considers would or would not materially affect the character of the structure or any element of the structure that contributes to its special interest. Figure 10.1 Charleville Castle 1 Please see Chapter 13 ‘Curtilage and Attendant Grounds’ of Architectural Heritage Protection – Guidelines for Planning Authorities, 2013.

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 10 Built Heritage Page 319 10.3.1 Alterations / Extension of Protected Structures The Council will ensure that alterations or extensions to protected structures shall only be permitted if the proposals are in keeping with the character of the structure and preserve the architectural and historic features of the structure. 10.3.2 Change of Use of Protected Structures The Council will favourably consider the change of use of any building listed for protection provided that such a change of use does not seriously impact on its intrinsic character, subject to other planning and environmental standards and requirements. 10.3.3 Demolition of Protected Structures The Council will strongly resist the demolition of any structure listed for protection; unless the Council is satisfied that exceptional circumstances exist to allow same. Planning permission is necessary to demolish a protected structure and is governed by the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended). Figure 10.2 Kinnitty Castle

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 10 Built Heritage Page 320 10.4 Architectural Conservation Areas Architectural Conservation Areas (ACA) comprise a place, an area, or group of structures or part of a townscape, which is of special architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social or technical interest or contributes to the appreciation of protected structures; and which is listed as such an area in the County Development Plan. It may or may not include protected structures. An ACA may consist for example, of a terrace of houses, a street, town centre or a cluster of structures associated with a specific building such as a mill or country house. Unless a structure is also included on the Record of Protected Structures, the protected status afforded from inclusion in an ACA only applies to the exterior and streetscape. Any works which would have a material effect on the special character of an ACA need planning permission. Piecemeal alterations on individual non protected structures can have a significant cumulative effect on a streetscape. Offaly County Council will examine the need to designate further areas as Architectural Conservation Areas during the period of the plan. 10.4.1 Geashill Architectural Conservation Area Geashill Village is an Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) due to its distinctive architectural, historical, archaeological and social interest.

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 10 Built Heritage Page 321 Protecting the special character of Geashill Village is important as this serves to reinforce the identity of the village, recognise its cultural and architectural heritage and contribute to its attractiveness as a special place to live and work. The primary aim of the Geashill ACA is to provide for future development in a manner sympathetic to the special character of the village. To fulfil this aim all new development within this ACA should be implemented and carried out in accordance with the relevant policies and objectives of this chapter. 10.5 Vernacular Buildings Vernacular architecture refers to the traditional building forms and types, including modest rural and urban houses, built using local materials, skills and building techniques which form a vital component of the landscape. This includes traditional structures such as thatched cottages, shopfronts, farmsteads, lime kilns, mills, forges, and their products, such as gates. These structures reflect the unique local history and character of a place. The loss of vernacular architecture may not only result from the removal of whole buildings but also the gradual attrition of details such as the replacement of roof coverings and openings with inappropriate materials. Any changes proposed to a vernacular structure should be sympathetic to its special features and its character while ensuring its continued use. The Survey of Thatch Buildings County Offaly 2018 prepared by Built Heritage Collective Ireland showed a rapid decline in the number of thatch buildings in the county and an increase in the number of these structures having fallen into a ruinous condition despite the majority being recorded on the County Offaly Record of Protected Structures 2014-2020. Every effort will be made by the Council to encourage and facilitate the survival of the remaining examples during the period of this Plan. 10.6 Industrial Heritage The sites, structures, machinery, artefacts and plant associated with manufacturing, transportation, communications, construction, public utilities, raw material extraction and production form our industrial heritage. A survey of all named bridges in Offaly, 407 in total, was carried out by Industrial Archaeologist Fred Hamond in 2005. Whilst the majority of bridges identified were found to be 18th and 19th century road bridges, a significant number of canal and railway bridges were also found. The bridges surveyed illustrate general advances in bridge construction and design, but they also reflect the evolution of County Offaly’s transport network and changes in our landscape. In 2003, Fred Hamond, also undertook a study of all of the mills, distilleries, breweries and maltings throughout Offaly. The initial paper survey brought up 274 individual mill related buildings and structures at 193 locations in the county. Most sites are on private land but there are two mill sites open on occasion to the public namely Belmont Mills in west Offaly and Fancroft Mill in south Offaly close to Roscrea.

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 10 Built Heritage Page 322 10.7 Country Houses, Gardens and Demesnes County Offaly has a significant number of country houses and demesnes where the grounds and settings constitute an intrinsic element of their character and are often the setting for a protected structure. By using landscaped features such as plants augmented with trees to form vistas, altering river courses to form lakes, building walled gardens to create sheltered areas, an architectural and horticultural composition was created. In 2003 and 2005, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) of the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht carried out a desktop survey of the Historic Gardens and Demesnes in Ireland and have identified 203 such sites in Offaly. 10.8 Follies Follies are predominantly garden buildings or decorative structures, ranging from classical and formal designs to more frivolous and whimsical structures, originating from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The publication ‘Flights of Fancy – Follies, Families and Demesnes in Offaly’ 2017 by Rachel McKenna, County Architect, identifies, describes and illustrates the majority of follies contained within the country house demesnes of County Offaly, for example, water features, turrets and towers, bridges and gates, monuments and obelisks. Figure 10.3 Gloster Arch Folly

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 10 Built Heritage Page 323 10.9 Protected Species Many buildings and structures of architectural heritage create important habitats for protected species, particularly bats and swifts. While the continued use and on-going maintenance of these buildings and structures is strongly supported, it is important to plan for the protection of these habitats and species during works to such buildings and structures. 10.10 Archaeological Heritage Our Archaeological Heritage can include: • National Monuments in the ownership/guardianship of the State or Local Authority • Archaeological and Architectural monuments/sites in the Record of Monuments and Places (RMP) • Monuments in the Register of Historic Monuments • Zones of Archaeological Potential in Historic Towns • Underwater Archaeological Heritage, including Historic Wrecks • Previously unknown and unrecorded archaeological sites (including subsurface elements with no visible surface remains, both terrestrial and underwater) • Potential sites located in the vicinity of large complexes of site or monuments • Existing or former wetlands, unenclosed land, rivers or lakes; and • Objects or artefacts of known or potential archaeological significance, including into the modern period and recent past (e.g. post-medieval archaeology). In this respect, Offaly has a significant archaeological heritage, with over 4,000 archaeological sites dating back to the Mesolithic period, 7,000 B.C as documented by the National Monuments Service. Figure 10.4 Aghancon Recorded Monument

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 10 Built Heritage Page 324 The Council recognises that Community Archaeology has the potential to promote awareness, knowledge and understanding of local archaeological resources among individuals and community groups, organising visits to sites and monuments, developing heritage trails, exhibitions or events. 10.10.1 Sites and Monuments Record Archaeological heritage is legally protected from unauthorised damage or interference through powers and functions under the National Monuments Acts 1930 as amended. Section 12 of the National Monuments (Amendment) Act,1994, made provision for the compilation of all recorded sites and features of historical and archaeological importance in the county into the Record of Monuments and Places. 10.10.2 Monuments in State and Council Ownership A number of monuments are further protected by being in the ownership or guardianship of the State or the subject of preservation orders (National Monuments) and registration orders, see Tables 10.1, 10.2 and 10.3. Works to or at these monuments require the consent of the Department of Culture, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs (DCHG). The National Monuments Acts provide for the protection of all previously unknown archaeology that becomes known (for example, through ground disturbance, fieldwork, or the discovery of sites underwater). Figure 10.5 Rahan Monastic Site

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 10 Built Heritage Page 325 Table 10.1 National Monuments in State Ownership in County Offaly National Monument Number Sites and Monument Record Numbers Name Description Townland 313 OF009- 005001 to OF009- 005018, OF009-006 and OF009- 031. Durrow Cross, Church, graveslabs and motte Durrow Demesne 510 OF036- 044004 and OF036- 044006. High Cross and Remains of Church, Kinnitty High Cross and medieval wall Castletown and Glinsk 497 OF039-003 Seir Kieran Monastic Church Early Medieval Ecclesiastical Site Clonmore and Churchtown 532 OF011-001 Clonin Earthwork Clonin 81 OF005-005 Clonmacnoise Churches, Two Round Towers, crosses, slabs Clonmacnoise 82 OF016- 015001 and OF016- 015010. Rahan Two Churches Rahan Demesne 672 OF032-026 Cadamstown Bridge Cadamstown 617 OF010- 010001 Cannakill Deserted Medieval Village Cannakill Table 10.2 National Monuments in Guardianship of the State in County Offaly National Monument Number Sites and Monuments Register Number Name Description Townland 336 OF006-038--- Clonfinlough Rock Art Clonfinlough 504 OF014-029001-, OF014-029006-, OF014-029017-to OF014-029027- Gallen Abbey Church and Slabs Gallen

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    Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 10 Built Heritage Page 326 313 OF009-005001- to OF009-005018-, OF009-006----, OF009-031---- Durrow Cross, Church, graveslabs and motte Durrow Demesne Table 10.3 Monuments Protected by Preservation Order in County Offaly Preservation Order No. SMR Number Monument Townland Effective Date of Order 08/1932 OF001-001 Crannog (Ballinaderry Lough) Ballinahinch 05-Jan-33 49/1937 OF015-017 Coole Castle Coole (Garrycastle By) 01-Jan-37 86/1940 OF022-008001 Clonony Castle Clonony More 15-Oct-40 6/1956 OF023-010 Ringfort Broughal 22/2/56 44/1935 OF006-038-- Clonfinlough Stone Clonfinlough 14/09/1935 1/1957 OF026-014 Ballykean Ring Barrow (O’Dempseys Ring) Ballykean 23-Jan-57 3/1986 OF024-036003 Motte Castle Earthworks Rathlilhen 12-Sep-86 23/1976 OF039-037--- Hillfort (excluding School and Rectory buildings) Glebe and Ballycurragh 04-Jun-76 5/2000 OF034-008001, OF034- 008001 Cemetery and Enclosure Derryvilla 1/2009 OF005-027001 Part of a monastic enclosure, mill race, and associated archaeological features Clonmacnoise 23-Jul-09

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