Icehouses

recedite

I was looking at an old stone icehouse in the woods recently, near the site of a former big estate house. There was snow on the ground outside, but as the icehouse goes down about 2 or 3 metres below ground level, it was ice free inside. It has a domed stone roof. I would imagine the doorway could have been blocked with straw to insulate it back in the day.
How long would ice have stayed in one of these things?
I was thinking, with a few labourers on the job, it could have been packed with snow easily enough, but how long would that ice last? Are there any records, or has anyone tried it in living memory?

Riamfada

I was in the one at Russborough house not so long ago. It was full with the bodies of unfortunate large mammals that had fallen in. I asked the same question about the length of time the ice could stay frozen, the guide gave me a casual "few months".

Archaeology Ireland covered the excavation of one not so long ago. Ill try and dig it out for you.

buffalo

Grimes wrote: »

Ill try and dig it out for you.

Was that an intentional pun?

Tiercel Dave

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We have one at Marblehill, Loughrea, Co. Galway!






I always understood that the ice/snow, insulated with straw etc., would last through most of the summer and sometimes even later.

DeepSleeper

Attached is an image of an information plaque at the icehouse at Florence Court, Co. Fermanagh - Might be of interest...

recedite

The consensus seems to be that the ice would last well into the summer, depending on the weather. Pretty impressive really.

It could be an interesting project for some students; get one going again, with a door and a sod roof for insulation, fill up with ice/snow, and then monitor it.

ICE HOUSE

My ears were burnin :pac: