We recently visited Duckett’s Grove in Co. Carlow. We went for a quick walk, and ended up spending the afternoon there; it was just fantastic (and this was even without the cafe being open, about which, by the way, I’ve heard only great things. I plan on a return visit very soon to check out these rumours…)
Duckett’s Grove, is the ruins of a large sprawling castle, built in the 18th, 19th and 20th century, formally the home of the Duckett family. The castle itself, although ruined, can be accessed through the courtyard craft shop for a nominal fee of one or two euro, and is an extraordinary glimpse into a bygone era (the only negative was that there were no tours or signs to say what the rooms were. Thankfully, though, I had my resident historian (Fergal) who figured out where everything would have been) Many of the details are still intact, or partially intact: stucco work, beautiful lead-paned windows, and the exterior of the house is decorated the whole way around with gargoyles, each one completely different.
Sounds like you had a lovely day!! I must check this place out at some stage. I’ve actually never been to Co. Carlow yet. Beautiful pictures!
Wow great photos! Never heard of this place before, looks amazing and sounds like my ideal day out : )
strangely enough, at the Blog Awards on Saturday night, there was one bar of Cadbury’s Dairy Milk on our table (not one for each person, just one bar sitting on it’s own on one plate). It had a label wrapped around it, advertising Duckett’s Grove – a place I had never heard of before. Then spotted your post a couple of days later. It’s a sign (either I must go there, or eat more chocolate)
Gorgeous photos!
Well, I couldn’t recommend it highly enough! I’m hopefully going to get up there in a week or two to check out the cafe **for research purposes** of course… 😉 (And that is really bizarre about the chocolate!! I think it was definitely a dual sign: more choc while visiting Duckett’s Grave, ha ha)
I heard about this place for the first time at last year’s blog awards, when I sat next to the lovely owner of the cafe and spent much of the evening chatting to her: am still hoping to head down there one day with my brood – especially now that I’ve seen your photos! It really looks wonderful x
Oh, does she have a blog?? I’ll ask her that next week when I’m stuffing myself at one of her cafe tables 😀
You know I just can’t resist a bit of Latin not to mention gargoyles!
Spectemur agendo…. Let us be judged by our acts.
Wow!
I thought ye had jumped on a plane and ran off to visit some extraordinary historic site.
This place looks like another world. Beautiful photography as always, Emily.