Glass works in Glasshouse (ballycowan By.)

Situated in the corner of a field of pasture beisde the townland boundary between Glasshouse and Mough or Greatwood in undulating countryside are the low grass covered wall footings of a 17th centuryglass working site. The remains of the furnace form a low rocky mound (H 0.4m; dims. 16.8m E-W x 16.6m N-S) in the corner of the field. Several glass covered stones possibly the remains of a glass furnace protrude above the surface of the ground. Local landowner Mr. Deigan informed me that over the years of ploughing in this field numerous glass covered stones had been removed from the field. This furnace was located in the middle of a forest that in 17th centurywas known as 'The Great Wood of Fircall'. Probable 17th century Huguenot glass furnace. The glassworks are mentioned in the Civil Survey of 1654-56 as located 'in the barony of Ballyboy through the great wood of Fercall to the Glasshouse of Boneturrin and from the Glasshouse of Bonneturrin in an antient highway through the said greate wood of Fercall' (Simington 1961, vol. 10, 30). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien. Date of upload: 23 May 2011