Survey Data
Reg No
32402622
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Historical, Scientific, Technical
Original Use
Building misc
In Use As
House
Date
1840 - 1860
Coordinates
170168, 325241
Date Recorded
09/09/2004
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Detached single-storey rendered former observatory, built c. 1850. Circular main structure without roof, pitched roof building to west, small circular brick structure to east, pitched roof house to north with two canted bay windows. Pitched slate roofs, transverse (telescope?) slot to west building, clay ridge tiles, moulded uPVC gutters, unpainted smooth-rendered flat-capped chimneystack, unpainted smooth-rendered walling, dressed stone coping to top of circular walls. Square-headed window openings, limestone sills, uPVC windows. Various plinths and podiums for scientific instruments. Located to north-east of Markree Castle, early weather station with wrought-iron boundary fence to south.
Appraisal
E J Cooper, a traveller and astronomer of note, built what was described as 'the most richly furnished of private observatories' at Markree. Though much of the original structures has been lost, some potentially important early remnants in the field of astronomy such as polished limestone pillars for holding instruments and a large plinth for a major telescope, remain.