Hoping to visit some ruins in Wexford, looking for advice

Archeron

Hi everybody,
I'm hoping to ask for advice. I want to travel to Wexford soon to see some of the ruined mansions and castles in the area, but I cant find any details on whether or not these places are accesible to the public.

The places I really want to see are Coolbawn House, Wilton Castle, Slevoy Castle and Macmine Castle. I believe Loftus Hall is now open, which is definitely on my list, but I dont know about the other places.

I would never trespass on private land, but would be happy to pay landowners to allow me to see these places if that were possible. Or perhaps you are allowed ramble around the land and see the places up close?

Any advice would be really great.

Ian7

Wilton castle & Castleboro - You will definitely need permission for those two. They don't really like people being inside or near the buildings for safety, insurance and also preservation reasons. preservation being the most important aspect as many items and building fabric have been stolen from the sites over the years.
Both buildings turned up on the 'abandoned ireland' site in recent times and the photographer didn't get permission to go in...if I owned those buildings buildings i'd be highly unimpressed by it.

In both cases, the owners live adjacent to the sites so you could always knock on the door and ask for a guided tour?

Haven't been to coolbawn and Macmine even though I now live near Macmine, would love to see it myself.

Loftus hall (the building) as far as I know is still closed to the public. It's just the grounds that are open. I may be wrong on this however.

vicwatson

And maybe stop into Selskar Abbey in Wexford Town,

See my post here for links for St.Margarets House also.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=76512153

Gingy_Ste

wilton castle i know was part restored. I think it was to be appartments but i'm not sure on that.

Loftus hall actually just opened to the public today

Missent

Archeron

Slevoy is not accessible as it's deep into private land. Was there a few years ago as part of a society tour but there's little left of it now. It's opposite Horetown House.

If you can't get access to Coolbawn, there is a fair view of it from the public road just south of Rathnure, I think. Wilton is easily viewed from the public road also.

Haven't been to Macmine.

Tzar Chasm

Loftus hall opened today

Green Hornet

Tintern Abbey is a must too.

jordata

Have a look at breeheritage.ie. They are a community-based archaeology and history group. They did a tour of Wilton earlier this year but their website is full of info on Wilton, Macmine and other sites which might be of interest to you.

Ian7

Are you guys certain about Loftus Hall? I was under the impression that they were only opening up the grounds and not the actual building. Could be wrong mind.

paulaa

Ian7 wrote: »

Are you guys certain about Loftus Hall? I was under the impression that they were only opening up the grounds and not the actual building. Could be wrong mind.

It opened yesterday according to their Facebook page. There is a lot of work to be done and the walled garden is closed until next year.

PS .I jumped the gun a bit lol

This is what they've just posted on FB

Tour prices;
Adults €4
Students €3
... Kids €2

Opening hours;
10am - 6pm

Extras; you can hire bikes for the day and cycle around hook head, THE TOUR IS NOT INSIDE THE HOUSE, ONLY AROUND THE PREMISES AND IT LAST 45mins, the car park is €2 and Loftus Hall it's self ( which I mean the house ) opens 27th of october.

who what when

Green Hornet wrote: »

Tintern Abbey is a must too.

Agreed, beautiful place. And they recently open the walled garden that has been restored over the last couple of years. A lot of the planting is very young and needs more time time to really develop but its interesting all the same

Judgement Day

jordata wrote: »

Have a look at breeheritage.ie. They are a community-based archaeology and history group. They did a tour of Wilton earlier this year but their website is full of info on Wilton, Macmine and other sites which might be of interest to you.

Thanks for posting that! A most interesting site: http://breeheritage.ie/

Tzar Chasm

Green Hornet wrote: »

Tintern Abbey is a must too.

Tintern
Dunbrody
Loftus hall
Hook
Slade
Baginbun
Ballyhack
Duncannon
Temple town
Fethard

That's all pretty much in the same area a

Archeron

Thank you all for the posts and comments, there is excellent advice and I am really grateful for it.

I never knew there were so many fascinating buildings in Wexford, and I'm really hopeful I'll get to see some of them in August.

Thanks again, much obliged!!

allthedoyles

Passed by Bannow Church today , and it looks to be worth a visit .

I think Strongbow is buried there .

Tzar Chasm

Down at the island?

There's a few normans buried there, not sure if its strongbow himself but that's the word on the street

Judgement Day

Strongbow is buried in Christchurch Cathedral as far as I know.

Tzar Chasm

Yeah, I thought that, he got Marraiged in Waterford and Burieged in Dublin, there are some old stone lids in the church tho, the one that ya can lie in was 'allegedly' made for the lad but I think they do date to the time along with the baptisimal font in the Carraig church

allthedoyles

I googled Bannow Church and it came up that he was buried there . This is the church .
It looked interesting from afar :

Judgement Day

According to this: http://www.nationalgallery.ie/en/Conservation/Strongbow_and_Aoife/The_Painting/Historical%20Event/Strongbow.aspx he was buried in Christchurch or maybe Gloucester.......:D

Tzar Chasm

ah yeah thats the Graveyard, thats the site of teh Lost city of Bannow, there used to be more of it

if you go into the graveyard there are some really old stone sarcophogus thingys in the corner, one is a complete unit which is claimed to have been made for strongbow and possibly to haveheld his remains at some stage, there are a few lids too.

byhookorbycrook

Duncannon fort is worth a look and if you are over that far, Ballyhack castle is close at hand.

Archeron

Thanks for all the advice everyone, the thread is great!

Looking forward to spending a week in Wexford.

jpb1974

Try in and around Enniscorthy town... loads of ruins -

Murphy Floods site
Colemans Pub
Coogans Pub
Dunnes Stores ex premises
Slaney Plaza Cinema
Wexal
Alcast
St. Johns Mill
etc.

Judgement Day

jpb1974 wrote: »

Try Enniscorthy town centre... loads of ruins -

Murphy Floods site
Colemans Pub
Coogans Pub
Dunnes Stores ex premises
Slaney Plaza Cinema
Wexal
Alcast
St. Johns Mill
etc.

Add to that the Permanent TSB (on its way in November), most of Slaney Street and Rafter Street. The former 'head' shop in Slaney Place, the children's playground on the Promenade.

Missent

Loftus Hall now open for visitors on, I think, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The charge is 2 euros per car. Well worth a visit.