Shortly after Belvedere House was completed, Lord Bellfield's (seated at Gaulston some 5 miles away) wife confessed to adultery with his brother, whereupon he incarcerated her at Gaulston, forbidden to see anyone but servants until her death, for almost 30 years. As a result another of his brothers fell out with Lord Belvedere (as he had now become) and so the latter then built the largest Gothic sham ruin in Ireland to block out the view of his brothers house, at Rochfort, close to Belvedere House. This structure became known as the 'Jealous Wall'.. A 10m section collapsed in 1991 due to shallow foundations but the structure was reinforced and still stands today, some 300 years later.
Date: 14/03/2022
Location: Mullingar, County Westmeath, Ireland
Photographer: Colin McKeeman
