Avondale House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Avondale House |
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| General information | |
| Location | Avondale Forest |
| Country | Ireland |
Avondale House is a famous old house located in Avondale Forest Park, County Wicklow, Ireland. It is well-known as the birthplace and home of Charles Stewart Parnell, an important Irish leader. The park covers a huge area of about 2 square kilometers (500 acres). The River Avonmore flows through the park on its way to the Irish Sea. Today, Avondale House is a museum that you can visit.
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History of Avondale House
Avondale House was built in 1777 for Samuel Hayes. He was a barrister (a type of lawyer) and loved trees. He wrote a book about Irish forests and was one of the first people to plant many trees in Ireland. He planted thousands of trees on the Avondale estate.
Owners of Avondale
Samuel Hayes did not have any children. When he passed away in 1795, he left the estate to his cousin, Sir John Parnell, 2nd Baronet. Sir John had to promise that the house would go to a younger son. After Sir John died in 1801, his third son, William, inherited Avondale. William changed his last name to Parnell-Hayes.
Charles Stewart Parnell, who was William's grandson, was born at Avondale House in 1846. He inherited the estate in 1859. After Charles Stewart Parnell's death in 1891, the estate was sold. Sadly, many of the trees were cut down at that time.
Architecture and Special Rooms
The house is built in the Georgian style, which was popular in the 1700s. It was probably designed by a famous architect named James Wyatt in 1777. The house is special because of its beautiful plasterwork (fancy decorations on the walls and ceilings). It also still has many of its original pieces of furniture.
One interesting room is called the American Room. It is dedicated to Admiral Charles Stewart (1778-1869). He was Parnell's American grandfather. Admiral Stewart was a brave naval officer who commanded the ship USS Constitution during the War of 1812. This ship is now in Boston Harbor.
Forestry and Modern Attractions
In 1904, the Irish government bought the estate. They started planting trees again, turning the house into a school for forestry. Many different kinds of trees were planted, especially conifers from the Pacific coast of North America. Today, you can see huge giant redwood trees from California and Sitka spruce trees from British Columbia growing there.
You can also find the old sawmill and a well that belonged to Parnell on the grounds. One fun way to explore the park is by riding the trackless Forest Train.
In 2019, a big project began to restore Avondale House and the Forest Park. In July 2022, a new visitor attraction called "Beyond the Trees Avondale" officially opened.
Visiting Avondale Today
Avondale House offers guided tours where you can learn all about its history. The "Beyond the Trees Avondale" visitor attraction has many things to do, including:
- A Treetop Walk and a Viewing Tower, where you can see amazing views from above the trees.
- A gift shop.
- Picnic areas for enjoying a meal outdoors.
- A beautiful walled garden.
- A children's playground.
The wider Avondale Forest Park has many forest trails and walks. These walks can be short, lasting about 30 minutes, or much longer, up to five hours.
See also
In Spanish: Avondale House para niños
