By Dan Walsh at Johnstown Castle
A secret room in the 800-year-old gothic-revival Johnstown Castle, near Wexford town, has been discovered during conservation works and the story is generating massive public interest.
As restoration works continue the Castle and gardens through 2023 a brand-new discovery was made on Sunday, August 13th by a carpenter who was working on window conservation in the castle itself. The contractors from National Gates and Joinery Company broke through a section of wall only to uncover a hidden room which had remained untouched.
Manager at Johnstown Castle Brenda Comerford says “this room has been covered up for a very long time. It is part of one of the towers and looking around it, on initial inspection we think it was most likely a small turret bedroom.
“There is quite a tragic family history associated with Johnstown Castle, so this room could have been sealed off due to a tragedy, which would have happened in times past, who knows. We will need to investigate this further.”
Ms. Comerford added; “Just last year we discovered a room under the tower at the lake which could only be accessed by boat. We’re discovering secrets all the time here at Johnstown Castle and that’s mainly thanks to the support of our visitors, our members at the Irish Heritage Trust and the Department of Heritage who provide the funding so we can carry out these restoration works and secure the future of the castle.”
Anne O’Donoghue, CEO of the Irish Heritage Trust, told WexfordLocal.com; “This is a really incredible discovery. It is highly unusual to find additional hidden treasures in heritage properties and this is the second time that this has happened at Johnstown Castle following our discovery of a secret room under the tower at the lake just last year.
“The Trust’s mission is to care for the properties and work towards making them financially sustainable, this is done through several different ways, such as, welcoming visitors to our sites, philanthropy, and competitive grants. In the case of the windows here in Johnstown Castle the work is being completed with support from the Dept. of Heritage”, said Ms. O’Donoghue.
Dating back over 850 years to the Norman times in Ireland, Johnstown Castle was in private hands for centuries and went through a few aristocratic families before coming into public ownership in the late 20th century.
In 2018 the Irish Heritage Trust took over the care and management of Johnstown Castle in Co Wexford and the Estate underwent a €7.5 million makeover, which included conservation of the castle itself, the construction of a new visitor centre and the restoration of an 86 metre underground servants’ tunnel.
The Irish Heritage Trust will now assess the room to see how it can unlock the potential of the wonderful new space and understand how it can be used to the benefit of the castle and visitor experience. It’s not the first secret that Johnstown Castle has turned up in recent times either.
The beautiful neo-Gothic Castle is set on a 120-acre estate with three lakes and extensive walking trails in the Southeast corner of Ireland aptly within Ireland’s Ancient East. For more details on the gardens, events and tours, visit johnstowncastle.ie
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