Last Day of 2013

View from the New Studio

Icy Winter Skies......

Christmas Gift!

Gift from my parents - Colin and Marion Castle

A Manure Fork

 (4 prongs as opposed to the 3 prongs of a Pitch Fork)

Restored by my father Colin Castle

1. 

Seasonal Greetings!

Phase 1 - The restoration of the farmstead is complete and is now my studio/workshop.

Phase 2 - The new build. We hope to be back on site in the Spring - March/April 2014

The Irish Farmstead is almost complete - with crushed sandstone gravel in the Courtyard

A raised, formal central garden to be implemented at a later date - a perfect sheltered setting with South Light

Once washed down by the rain, the gravel will reveal its true colours ..... to match the stonework

Gravel sourced from nearby Kiltorcan Quarries 

Existing Stonework

The Main Stone Wall with Pedestrian Entrance

The main stone wall with the  pedestrian access is growing fast out of the ground.

Soon to be capped to match the walls of the farmstead.

 The pedestrian columns will be covered with a mosaic of slate - recycled from the roof of the old farmstead - and black glazed tiles....

View from the South and the site of the proposed new build.

October Bank Holiday - Graffiti Chalk Drawings on the Plastered Walls of the Farmstead

Greyhound Chalk Drawings

Courtyard boundary walls are complete

Panoramic view from driveway

Ready for the black sheeted gates...

 Detail of beautiful stonework

Eddie and Shane starting the boundary wall

Rain after months of Summer dryness...

The Autumn rain has been bucketing down - a mud bath outside while plastering happening inside...

Breaking new ground!

Platform has been defined and the top soil removed in preparation for the

 ground works of the new passive house!

Original axonometric sketch

Jennie Castle

Out of Sandstone

Stone Masons at work on the wall enclosures of the Farmstead

Internal workings of the Farmstead

Timber Trusses

Mezzanine

How fine are we looking without our scaffolding?

Autumn Berries at the Bottom of the Garden - Summer Equinox Weekend

While the farmstead is being wired up by Electrician Kieran McMahon, of Goodwins Electrical, Kells, Co Kilkenny, the Autumn berries are ripening at the bottom of the garden.

Summer Equinox Weekend 2013

Blackthorn or Sloe Berries

Hawthorn Berries

Elderberries

Blackberries

The Farmstead in the morning light...

Evolution of the Farmstead

Windows and doors are in - a weather tight building...

The Farmstead

View into the Courtyyard

Farmstead Slated and weather tight

View from the site where the proposed, new passive house will be built.

The Old Farmstead is ready for Roofing

The stonework is finished to the wall plate level and the internal skin of block work

 to the gable ends  is built. All ready for roofing this week.

The service channel has been dug for the service runs to and from the proposed

passive new build.

 These will include : water, electricity, under floor heating form the geo-thermal source,

 sewerage, stormwater

Late Summer/Early Autumn Thistles at the Bottom of the Garden....

Now the roof for the Old Farmstead ....

The First Stone Outbuilding gets its Slate Topping.......

Roofing done by Brian Healy Carpentry Ltd, Co Kilkenny

Counter battens and battens

First line of slates

Large 500x500mm slate laid on ridge end, every alternate course

Cupa 98 Premier - Spanish Slate (no Irish slate available)

Cupa 98 Premier Slate