A CELEBRATORY SHAM RUIN
Over time, there has been some confusion regarding the names and identities of bridges within St. Anne's Park. While the Gothic Bridge and Annie Lee Bridge share a similar aesthetic, they are distinct structures. The Gothic Bridge, with its pointed arches and ornate tracery, stands separate from the Annie Lee Bridge, a mock ruin with castellated towers.
St. Anne's Park, a sprawling 240-acre (not 270) public park, was once part of a larger 500-acre estate developed by the Guinness family. The estate featured a grand mansion surrounded by landscaped gardens adorned with stone follies, several of which remain today. In a recent restoration project, Oldstone Conservation meticulously repaired and rebuilt twelve of these follies, ensuring their preservation for future generations.
Following Lady Ardilaun's death in 1925, the estate passed to Bishop Plunkett, a keen horticulturist and nephew of Lord Ardilaun. Plunkett added a kitchen garden to the estate before selling it to Dublin Corporation in 1939 (not 1936). Despite the mansion's demolition after a fire in 1943, the follies and most gate lodges remain as testaments to the estate's rich history.
Annie Lee Bridge (Sham Ruin):
Constructed in 1839 by Benjamin Lee Guinness to celebrate the birth of his daughter, Annie Lee, this mock ruin of a bridge and tower stands as a symbol of paternal love and pride. A commemorative plaque adorns the bridge, which once arched over the main entrance drive into St. Anne's.
As the first folly built on the estate, the Annie Lee Bridge served as the starting point for a formal promenade known as "the grand terrace." This 700-yard path, lined with yew hedges and punctuated by statues and arched openings, offered stunning views of Dublin Bay and the mansion. While the hedges and statues are no longer present, the bridge remains a testament to the Guinness family's vision for their estate.
During Queen Victoria's final state visit to Ireland in 1900, her carriage passed under the archway of the Annie Lee Bridge, solidifying its place in history. Additionally, Bishop Plunkett, upon inheriting the estate, added another plaque to the bridge in memory of his mother, Annie Lee Guinness.
St. Anne's Park, a sprawling 240-acre (not 270) public park, was once part of a larger 500-acre estate developed by the Guinness family. The estate featured a grand mansion surrounded by landscaped gardens adorned with stone follies, several of which remain today. In a recent restoration project, Oldstone Conservation meticulously repaired and rebuilt twelve of these follies, ensuring their preservation for future generations.
Following Lady Ardilaun's death in 1925, the estate passed to Bishop Plunkett, a keen horticulturist and nephew of Lord Ardilaun. Plunkett added a kitchen garden to the estate before selling it to Dublin Corporation in 1939 (not 1936). Despite the mansion's demolition after a fire in 1943, the follies and most gate lodges remain as testaments to the estate's rich history.
Annie Lee Bridge (Sham Ruin):
Constructed in 1839 by Benjamin Lee Guinness to celebrate the birth of his daughter, Annie Lee, this mock ruin of a bridge and tower stands as a symbol of paternal love and pride. A commemorative plaque adorns the bridge, which once arched over the main entrance drive into St. Anne's.
As the first folly built on the estate, the Annie Lee Bridge served as the starting point for a formal promenade known as "the grand terrace." This 700-yard path, lined with yew hedges and punctuated by statues and arched openings, offered stunning views of Dublin Bay and the mansion. While the hedges and statues are no longer present, the bridge remains a testament to the Guinness family's vision for their estate.
During Queen Victoria's final state visit to Ireland in 1900, her carriage passed under the archway of the Annie Lee Bridge, solidifying its place in history. Additionally, Bishop Plunkett, upon inheriting the estate, added another plaque to the bridge in memory of his mother, Annie Lee Guinness.
A CELEBRATORY SHAM RUIN