Kylemore Abbey Announces Conservation Plan for Historic Victorian Model Farm

Kylemore Abbey, with support from the Heritage Council, has commenced a Conservation Plan to safeguard and protect Mitchell Henry's historic Model Farm at Kylemore Abbey, one of the finest surviving examples of a Victorian model farm in the west of Ireland.

The project will bring together a multidisciplinary team of conservation architects, archaeologists, historic landscape specialists, survey engineers and other heritage professionals to develop a comprehensive Conservation Plan. This plan will guide the long-term preservation, management and future use of this unique heritage site.

Constructed in the 1860s by Mitchell Henry, the Model Farm was an integral part of the Kylemore Estate that included Kylemore Castle, the Victorian Walled Garden, the Neo-Gothic Church and extensive agricultural infrastructure. 

Located approximately 1.5 kilometres from the main estate, the Model Farm comprises an exceptional collection of historic buildings, including the Farmyard, Steward's House, Cruciform Barn, Farm Workshops, Piggery, Pigeon House, Turf Sheds, Fowl Houses, Abattoir, Smithy, Water Mill, Smokery and Hound House. Despite its historical significance, the complex has fallen into decline over recent decades.

During its peak between 1860 and 1890, the Model Farm was recognised as a centre of agricultural and technological innovation. Mitchell Henry introduced pioneering approaches that were decades ahead of their time, including micro-hydroelectric power generation, methane harvesting from peat bogs, water-powered sawmills and innovative heating systems using lime to warm glasshouses, enabling the cultivation of pineapples and melons in Connemara, one of Ireland's most remote regions during the nineteenth century.

Welcoming the support of the Heritage Council, Liz McConnell, Executive Director of The Kylemore Trust, said:

"Mitchell Henry's Model Farm is a remarkable part of the agricultural history of the west of Ireland. Thanks to the vital support of the Heritage Council, we can now undertake a Conservation Plan that will deepen our understanding of these original buildings, their purpose and design, and provide the roadmap needed to preserve this extraordinary place for future generations and for the benefit of our region."

The Conservation Plan represents an important first step in securing the long-term future of the Model Farm. 

This project reflects The Kylemore Trust's ongoing commitment to conserving one of Ireland's most significant historic estates while ensuring its heritage continues to inspire and benefit future generations.