Altamount Gardens – Jewel in Carlow’s Gardening Crown

Carlow has over the past number of years adopted the name the Floral County and after visiting Altamount Gardens, near the village of Ballon, its easy to see why. Altamount Gardens are an enchanting blend of formal and informal gardens with riverside walks covering over 40 acres.

Photo Carlow County Museum

According to the gardens original brochure produced by the estate’s last resident, Corona North, Altamont is thought to have been the site of a convent, although there seems to be no existing records to corroborate this. However, the house as it exists today was evidently built upon the remains of an earlier dwelling dating from at least the 16th century as there are immensely thick walls, paved granite floors and arrow slit windows in the centre basement of the house to testify to this. There is also evidence of a monastic site on adjoining land - the convent at Altamont is believed to have been its 'Sister House'. At this time the estate is thought to have been known as Rose Hill, the name being subsequently changed to Sohoand marked thus on a map of 1777 (produced by Taylor & Skinner). The estate eventually came to be called Altamont sometime in the late 18th century, through some connection with the Marquis of Sligo. 

Further evidence of an earlier dwelling come from the 'Secret Passages' which run from the house, although these may simply be well-built drains. As these buildings date from the 17th and 18th centuries respectively, the passages beneath must predate them. The main bulk of the house was considerably altered sometime between 1740 and 1750 by either the St. George's or the Doyne's.

                                                                              
The original doorway of Altamount House. Photo Carlow County Museum.

The “new” front doorway of circa 1740. Photo Carlow County Museum.

At that time, the front of the house faced towards the Slaney river and Wicklow and Blackstairs Mountains. The road to the estate initially ran from Carrigslaney, behind the lake, and up to Kilbride. Upon construction of a new road from Carrigslaney to Kilbride circa 1740, the St. George family turned the house back-to- front by breaching the hall wall in the (then) back of the house and building on the porch with its decorative fanlight and the bow- ended wing consisting of dining room, smoking room, two bedroom and a lift room. It was about this time that lines of magnificent beech trees were planted along the front avenue, roadside and Nun's Walk, and specimen limes, beeches and chestnuts planted in the park.
Further alterations were made by new owners, the Borrors, in the 1850's. They added on an extending wing to the north of the house for a library and other rooms. They were also responsible for having the lake dug out by hand after the Irish Famine to give employment to the local population. Over 100 men with horses and carts spent two years completing this enormous task. Walks were laid through the ancient oak woods and the ice age glen down to the river Slaney. A hundred hand-cut granite steps were laid to negotiate the steep gradient leading up from the river bank.

                                                                                                  

Photos Carlow County Museum.

In 1923, Feilding Lecky Watson and his family moved temporarily to Altamont while repairs were being made to their Lumclone home near Fenagh. They fell in love with the house and garden at Altamont and subsequently purchased it.

                                                                                            
  Photo Carlow County Museum

Thereafter, Feiding Lecky Watson began extending his collection of rhododendrons which he had started on his return from Ceylon, from where he was invalided by malaria during World War I. Feiding and his wife continuously extended and planted up the garden which had become completely overgrown. Feiding’s daughter Corona North traveled extensively in her search for plants and spent over fifty years looking after and maintaining the garden. Before she died in 1999 she left the garden to the Irish State and it is now under the management of the Office of Public Works (OPW).
One of the anticipated weeks in Altamount is Snow Drop Week which takes place in mid February every year.

                                         
  Snow Drop Week photos Carlow county Museum

The gardens are opened all year round from Monday to Friday and during the summer months opening hours are extended to include the weekend. Admission is free.

                                                                            

Photo Carlow County Museum.

Also located within the grounds of the estate are the Walled Garden which contains the Corona North Commemorative Border and the Altamount Plant Sales which is privately run.