Glasshouse

The placename 'Glasshouse' marked on the current edition OS 6-inch map marks the approximate site of a late 17th century glassworks that was set up by Ananias Henzey on the estate of Lord Arlington just outside Portarlington. A letter in the Calendar of State papers dating from 14th November 1670 records the failure of this glass-house which may appears to have been a coal-fired glass furnace. The details of this letter writen by A. Henzey who is the glass-maker records his failure in the following account ' 'I have used all the best ways and means I could hitherto to make glass but cannot as yet do it.' This is a great damage to me, and disheartens the new inhabitants of the Corporation [Portarlington]. I am disabled by it, and unless my Lord Arlington will encourage me I shall impoverish myself and do no good. I have sent to Dublin for things to make a further trial, which I hope will do some good ; and I shall not leave off until every expedient has been tried. I shall devote all my efforts and those of my people to it, and all the money I can procure. If the next trial do not succeed I shall have to put out the fire till next summer to get some things that cannot be had at this time of the year. A great rent is now due to my Lord and will increase ; and I do not know how I shall discharge it without making glass, which is the only way I hoped to do so'(C.S.P. Ire. Chas II 1669-1670, 301-02). The exact location of this glassworking site has not been ascertained and there are no surface remains to indicate exactly where within the fields around this placename there was a 17th century glass factory. On a map of the Bog of Allen c. 1810-11 (NLI 16. D.13) a house now known as Barrowbank House was depicted as Glasshouse (Horner 2006, 42). It appears that the present Barrowbank House was known in the early 19th century as Glasshouse and its name records the existence of the 17th century glass works which were located in close vicinity to the country house. Patrick Clarke (1786-1845) who was a solicitor in the Dublin firm of 'Clarke and Vincent' acquired the house known as 'Glass House, Barrowbank, Portarlington'. In 1811 he married Mary, the only daughter of Wray and Catharine Palliser Hickman of Clonmel. Catharine was the daughter of John Elliot of Glasshouse or Barrowbank, Portarlington. Later this house must have changed its name from Glass House to Barrowbank House which is its current designation on the OS 6-inch map.