This bridge was built in 1846 for the sum of £500, half paid by the County and half by Lord Lorton, replacing a 5 arched bridge that was liable to flooding. The bridge has 3 arches, is 100ft long and 42ft wide with the longest span being 30ft.
A statue of William III on the bridge, erected originally in 1754 by Lord Kingston was removed to the Pleasure Grounds from where it disappeared in the 1930’s.
This church was built by Oliver Grace on land given by Lord Kingston in 1765, consecrated in 1773 and its bell was installed in 1784.
It was enlarged in 1818 to facilitate the increased number of soldiers from the local military barracks. Snipers were posted in the church tower during the Civil War in 1922 because of its commanding view.
The remains of Francis Edward Clarke MD LL D, Archdeacon of Elphin, Rector of Boyle for 26 years, who died in 1910, are buried in the adjoining graveyard.
This tower was erected circa 1880 in memory of Lawrence Harman King-Harman, who died 2nd September 1875, by the tenants on the Boyle and Rockingham Estate. He was the last member of the family to be buried in the family vault in Boyle Abbey.
A clock was placed in the tower in memory of Dame Frances Agnes Stafford, who died in 1916 and her son Edward Stafford-King-Harmon who died in 1914 at Ypres. A mechanised clock was mounted to the tower circa 1920 and replaced with an electrical clock in 1979. In the same year a plaque was installed to the memory of Gerard Dodd, TC, MCC, PC (1927-78), the first President of the Boyle Chamber of Commerce, for his services to the community.
A single large celtic cross was erected by the Board of Guardians who administered the Workhouse and especially during the famine. The Local Residents Association have had the cross cleaned and an altar erected. Mass is celebrated there every year for the Holy Souls. It is now also a children’s playground.
The pleasure grounds were created by Lord Kingston in front of his castle (before the building of King House) as one of two parks where the gentry might ‘promenade and discourse’. The other for the people of the town, extended west of Bridge Street to St. Patricks Well. Initially, these parks restricted the development of the town to Bridge Street and Green Street.
From here one will get the best view of King House. The house has an eleven bay front, set off by a central three bay pediment, containing a large Venetian Window. The regular chimneys, dormer windows and vaulted roof give an impressive glance.
Next to the existing children’s playground is the pedestal of a monument. This was the base of the statue in honour of King William, erected by Sir Edward King in 1763 on the bridge beside the Royal Hotel. When the original bridge was replaced in 1846 the statue was moved here. During the ‘Troubles’ in the early 1920’s, the statue was beheaded. Eventually the rest of the statue was removed, leaving only the pedestal.
Boyle Men’s Shed has been allocated a grant of €2,500 to build a shed to store timber benches made by members. The allocation has been welcomed by Deputy Denis Naughten who said “The majority of the funding provided to the local groups by Minister Michael Ring is for tools and equipment which is not only of benefit to the men’s groups but to many other community organisations who benefit from the work of these group..
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Boyle, Co. Roscommon, Ireland
