COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, May 09, 2016

QUESTION NO.9

QUESTION: Councillor R. McMahon

To ask the Chief Executive was there ever a register completed and published of historical furniture (eg Old Street Signs, Lampposts) in the County and if not, is there any plans to conduct one.

REPLY:

In 2015, under the County Heritage Plan, a Survey of Features of Local Heritage Interest was undertaken which invited submissions from the public on features in the urban and rural landscape that are deemed to be of local heritage significance.  These features, sometimes referred to as ‘street furniture’, can include items such as old decorative lamp standards, historic cast iron sewer vent pipes, old railings and walls, original paving and cobbles, gate piers, wrought iron features, old post boxes and telephone kiosks.  Natural features can also be included such as rag trees, specimen trees, or historic townland boundaries and hedgerows.

While they are often significant in establishing local sense of place and can add to the unique local character of an area, street furniture often falls outside the standard protection mechanisms associated with Protected Structures or archaeological features.  The objective of the project was to raise awareness of the extent and the value of street furniture throughout the County and to record the location and status of these features on a GIS mapping system.   

267 different features have been inputted to the database.  These include records submitted by members of the public and features already known to the Heritage Officer and the consultant undertaking the study. 

The data set is currently being analysed but preliminary indications show that while a wealth of well-preserved historic infrastructure relating to public utilities was recorded (15 water pumps, 8 sewer vents, and 25 general utility features), it was notable when compared with adjacent counties how few historic utility covers (manhole covers) and infrastructure associated with historic public lighting and the historic tram system have survived. 

Some feature class groups recorded high numbers of examples: old post boxes (20), boundary walls (27), old estate entrances (22), venerated sites and features (16).  However, the class feature seen to be of most importance for local communities was ‘gates, railings and iron works’ with over 62 features recorded.  In the public’s opinion, simple vernacular gates and railings were highlighted as being the important features, more so than exceptional decorative iron work.  This would reflect the continued prevalence of these features throughout the County, suggesting that this feature class is seen as being synonymous with the unique character of the South Dublin County area. 

The Heritage Officer will be happy to include any further items of local heritage significance to the data base as and when identified.