Question about an antique item seen in Powerscourt

100gSoma

I'm really hoping someone will know what this is? It looks like a decorative knob protruding from an old wall over a small bench. What is it was it used for?
It looks like it slopes down so doesn't appear to be a bucket hang or similar.
It's located in powerscourt house gardens on the outside wall of an old church.

Any ideas? Anyone seen similar? I guess its 1750-1900 timeframe?





https://ibb.co/HpWYZ8Z
https://ibb.co/zN3tzqK

Gloomtastic!

Interesting! Looks to me like some sort of prop to get up off the seat. Or as a step to help you mount a horse.

100gSoma

I heard back from the head gardener. It's a courting bench. And the metal part originally extended down as a partition to act as a 'chaperone'. Interesting. How times have changed.

Diddley Squat

It looks to be late 18th/early 19th century in date, with that Neo-classical decoration.

The plate is bronze, is the knob iron ? odd looking, probably salvaged from something and made into a support handle at a later date.

Surprised it hasnt been pinched. Quality bit of casting