- Mount Congreve Gardens unveiled restoration plans for the Chinese Pagoda.
- The project partners with the Irish Follies Trust.
- Conservation targets the timber and fibreglass structure.
- Works are set to begin in 2027.
- Historic records support the restoration process.
Mount Congreve Gardens has commenced plans for the restoration of its historic Chinese Pagoda and partners with the Irish Follies Trust on the project. The structure, commissioned by Ambrose Congreve in the late 1970s, sits in a former quarry overlooking the River Suir in County Waterford. Conservation works focus on stabilising the timber and fibreglass elements.
The pagoda has suffered deterioration from decades of exposure. Specialists from Waterford City and County Council provide guidance alongside the Irish Follies Trust. Teams collect historic drawings, photographs and oral histories to inform the restoration approach.
Restoration works are scheduled to start in 2027 subject to funding approvals. The project forms part of wider heritage conservation across the estate. Public engagement includes interpretation panels and digital storytelling.
Sara Dolan shared “The Chinese Pagoda represents Ambrose Congreve’s deep curiosity about the world and his desire to create moments of surprise, beauty and discovery throughout the gardens.”
Primrose Wilson shared “This is a fascinating and unusual conservation project.”
