ONE OF THE MAJOR FOLLIES AT ST ANNES PARK
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Within the sprawling beauty of St. Anne’s Park, a bit of confusion has arisen over time regarding its iconic bridges. While the Gothic Bridge and Annie Lee Bridge share a similar aesthetic, they are distinct structures. The Gothic Bridge, with its elegant pointed arches and intricate tracery, stands apart from the Annie Lee Bridge, a captivating mock ruin adorned with castellated towers.
St. Anne’s Park, a sprawling 240-acre public park, once formed part of a grand 500-acre estate developed by the Guinness family. The estate boasted a magnificent mansion surrounded by meticulously landscaped gardens, adorned with charming stone follies, several of which endure today. In a recent restoration project, Oldstone Conservation meticulously repaired and rebuilt twelve of these follies, safeguarding their legacy for generations to come.
Following Lady Ardilaun’s passing in 1925, the estate transitioned to Bishop Plunkett, a passionate horticulturist and nephew of Lord Ardilaun. Plunkett enriched the estate with a kitchen garden before its sale to Dublin Corporation in 1939. While the mansion tragically succumbed to a fire in 1943, the follies and most gate lodges remain as poignant reminders of the estate’s illustrious past.
Among these enduring landmarks is the Annie Lee Bridge, a captivating sham ruin constructed in 1839 by Benjamin Lee Guinness. Built to celebrate the birth of his daughter, Annie Lee, this mock bridge and tower stand as a poignant symbol of paternal love and pride. A commemorative plaque graces the bridge, which once arched gracefully over the main entrance drive into St. Anne’s.
As the first folly erected on the estate, the Annie Lee Bridge marked the starting point for a majestic promenade known as “the grand terrace.” This 700-yard path, once lined with stately yew hedges and punctuated by statues and arched openings, offered breathtaking vistas of Dublin Bay and the mansion. While the hedges and statues have faded into the past, the bridge endures as a testament to the Guinness family’s visionary aspirations for their estate.
The Annie Lee Bridge further etched its place in history during Queen Victoria’s final state visit to Ireland in 1900, as her carriage passed beneath its archway. Additionally, Bishop Plunkett, upon inheriting the estate, added another plaque to the bridge in memory of his mother, Annie Lee Guinness.