Spike Island

1 registered freehold parcel lies mostly in Spike Island, from 418,916 m² (41.89 ha, 103.52 acres) to 418,916 m² (41.89 ha, 103.52 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary; 0 neighbouring parcels touch it.

Download the townland: DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its boundary, parcels and buildings; GeoJSON or KML.

• M1Special Policy Area (Mixed Use, general development, opportunity/proposal site)
  Cork County Development Plan 2022, Cork · 1 parcels The zoning objective in the plan

Source: Tailte Éireann and the Department of Housing (MyPlan), national zoning, CC BY 4.0.

No planning application touches the townland of Spike Island in the national file, which goes back to 2010.

Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.

Designated sites

No designated site (Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, Natural Heritage Area or proposed one) touches the townland of Spike Island.

Recorded monuments

• CO087-065001 Burial ground
  Description

  The Archaeological Survey of Ireland (ASI) is in the process of providing information on all monuments on The Historic Environment Viewer (HEV). Currently the information for this record has not been uploaded. To access available information for research purposes please make an appointment in advance with the Archive Unit (open Fridays 10.00 am – 5.00 pm), Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, The Custom House, Dublin 1 D01W6XO or email NMarchive@housing.gov.ie.

• CO087-065002 Ecclesiastical site
  Description

  According to Hurley (1980, 63), Spike island is 'identifiable with the early ecclesiastical site of Inispicht' (see also Coleman 1893, 1-8; Lynch 1912,162-4; J.C.Q. 1936, 47-8; Bolster 1972, XLI), of which there are no visible surface traces; map of 1625 appears to show ruined church on island (Hayes-McCoy 1964, plate 21) but none shown on Vallancey's map (MacCarthy ibid), nor does the latter show any remains of castle/tower house shown on 1587 map (Hayes-McCoy ibid., 25, plate 15). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 2: East and South Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1994). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009

• CO087-065003 Fortification
  Description

  Large star-shaped artillery fortification with glacis, occupying over half of Spike island, in Cork Harbour. Fort replaced a battery erected 1779 but abandoned by 1783 (Brunicardi 1982, 39). Work on new fortifications designed by Charles Vallancey began 1791; original plan for small irregular fort (MacCarthy 1970, 161-2), but structure built described as 'extensive artillery barracks' (Lewis 1837, vol. 2, 572). Barracks erected 1806 (Windele 1844, 193) and by 1811 ordnance depot established. Though Windele (ibid.) says 'these works are incomplete.. it is at present garrisoned by a small military force', the fort had largely taken its present form by 1842 (compare plan on 1842 OS 6-inch map and photo in Kerrigan 1978, 145 & Brunicardi ibid, 45); however work continued at least to 1860. From 1847-1883 fort used as convict prison. Described by Kerrigan (1978, 147) as of 'irregular outline consisting of six bastions connected by ramparts and surrounded by a broad dry ditch'; inside are ranges of barrack buildings arranged a round a large parade ground. Fort now used as civilian prison. To W are remainsof 'a large and handsome military hospital' (Lewis ibid.); various buildings erected for 'persons connected with the establishment' (ibid.) along shoreline to N. According to Hurley (1980, 63), island 'identifiable with the early ecclesiastical site of Inispicht' (see also Coleman 1893, 1-8; Lynch 1912,162-4; J.C.Q. 1936, 47-8; Bolster 1972, XLI), of which there are no visible surface traces; map of 1625 appears to show ruined church on island (Hayes-McCoy 1964, plate 21) but none shown on Vallancey's map (MacCarthy ibid), nor does the latter show any remains of castle/tower house shown on 1587 map (Hayes-McCoy ibid., 25, plate 15). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 2: East and South Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1994). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009

Architectural heritage

• Bleak House, officer's house, 1810–1820 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached multiple-bay two-storey admiral's house, built c. 1815, having single-storey wings to north and south elevations. Now in disuse. Hipped slate roof with rendered chimneystacks. Hipped slate roofs with rendered chimneystacks to wings. Rendered walls. Square-headed window openings, some with remains of six-over-six pane timber sliding sash windows. Square-headed door opening.

• Officer's house, 1820–1840 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached seven-bay two-storey house, built c. 1830, having two-bay two-storey extension to front (north) elevation and single-bay single-storey extensions to north and south. Pitched slate roof with limestone eaves course and brick and rendered chimneystacks. Flat roofs to extensions. Red brick walls. Rendered walls to east and west extensions. Square-headed window openings having limestone block-and-start surrounds and sills. Camber-headed window openings to front extension having brick voussoirs and concrete sills. Square-headed openings to front having limestone block-and-start surrounds, remains of overlights over timber battened double doors.

• Officer's house, 1820–1840 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached seven-bay two-storey house, built c. 1830, having two-bay two-storey extension to front (north) elevation and single-bay single-storey extensions to north and south. Pitched slate roof with limestone eaves course and brick and rendered chimneystacks. Flat roofs to extensions. Red brick walls. Rendered walls to east and west extensions. Square-headed window openings having limestone block-and-start surrounds, sills, some with remains of six-over-six pane timber sliding sash windows. Camber-headed window openings to front extension having brick voussoirs and concrete sills. Square-headed openings to front having limestone block-and-start surrounds, remains of overlights over timber battened double doors.

• Store/warehouse, 1820–1840 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached four-bay single-storey warehouse, built c. 1830, having lean-to to west elevation. Now disused. Pitched slate roof with raised pitched timber roof to ridge. Single-pitched slate roof to lean-to with brick chimneystack. Snecked limestone walls with brick quoins. Square-headed window openings with chamfered corners having timber fittings. Elliptical-headed carriage arch to east having limestone voussoirs. Square-headed window opening to lean-to having brick block-and-start surround and limestone sill.

• Barracks, 1810–1820 · Regional interest
  Description

  Multiple-bay single-storey range of barracks, built c. 1815, set around a courtyard. Hipped slate roofs with terracotta ridge tiles and rendered chimneystacks. Render over brick walls. Square-headed window openings, some with remainder of six-over-six pane timber siding sash windows. Square-headed door openings, some having timber battened doors. Pair of square-profile rendered piers to north. Multiple-bay single-storey chapel to west, having single-bay single-storey extension to north elevation. Pitched slate roof with brick and rendered chimneystacks. Rendered walls. Square-headed window openings. Round-headed door opening having overlight. Timber panelled ceiling to interior.

• Graveyard/cemetery, 1845–1850 · Regional interest
  Description

  Graveyard, with interments from 1847, having stepped roughcast rendered boundary walls with render copings. Pair of chamfered square-profile rendered piers with rendered caps and single-leaf cast-iron gate. Limestone grave markers to east wall. High cross style monument with brass plaque, erected 1945 to site.

• Dún an Mhistealach, prison/jail, 1800–1820 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached four-bay two-storey prison, built c. 1810, having single-bay single-storey wings to east and west elevations and two-bay single-storey extension to rear (north) elevation. Now disused. Limestone parapet with cornice to roofline. Ashlar limestone walls having limestone plat band, string course and plinth course. Carved cornices to wings. Camber-headed window openings with limestone sills, some having cast-iron bars. Square-headed door openings. Brick barrel vaulted ceiling and brick walls to interior having cantilevered limestone staircase leading to timber balcony with cast-iron brackets having trefoil motifs. Barrel vaulted cells, some with timber battened doors having cast-iron locks.

• Dún an Mhistealach, barracks, 1800–1820 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached twenty-seven-bay two-storey barracks, built c. 1810, having three-bay projecting blocks to end-bays and canopy to centre-bay front (east) elevation and external limestone staircases to north and south elevations. Now disused. Ashlar limestone chimneystacks and limestone parapet with cornice and plat band to roofline. Ashlar limestone walls having limestone string courses, plinth course and pilasters. Square-headed window openings with brick block-and-start surrounds and limestone sills. Square-headed window openings to north and south elevations having carved keystones and sills. Round-headed door openings with brick block-and-start surrounds. Brick barrel vaults to interior.

• Dún an Mhistealach, battery, 1840–1860 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached gun room, built c. 1850, comprising ashlar walls to north elevation with external staircases to east and west. Oculi over camber-headed openings having limestone surrounds, keystones and recessed timber battened doors with metal gates. Half-barrel vaulted brick corridors and concrete corridors to interior leading to gun room having cannon dated 1918. Concrete cantilevered canopy to south elevation over firing range.

• Dún an Mhistealach, barracks, 1790–1800 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached thirty-three-bay three-storey barracks, built c. 1795, having external limestone staircases to east and west elevations. Now disused. Limestone parapet to roofline with limestone plate band. Octagonal water tanks to west end-bay having limestone consoles. Ashlar limestone walls having limestone plat band, pilasters and cast-iron plaque to front (north) elevation. Square-headed openings some with six-over-six pane timber sliding sash windows to first floor, some with three-over-three pane timber sliding sash windows to second floor. All having limestone sills. Round-headed window openings to ground floor having limestone sills. Round-headed door openings with limestone voussoirs. Round-headed door openings to rear, some having spoked fanlights. Barrel vaulted brick rooms to interior.

• Dún an Mhistealach, barracks, 1820–1840 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached fifteen-bay two-storey former barracks, built c. 1830, having projecting central gabled breakfront and recent porch to front (west) elevation, flight of limestone steps with cast-iron railings and open work bellcote to pediment apex. Hipped corrugated-iron roofs with limestone eaves course. Pitched corrugated-iron roof to breakfront. Lined-and-ruled rendered walls having limestone quoins and sandstone string course. Square-headed openings with replacement uPVC windows. Round-headed openings having replacement uPVC windows. Clock to pediment having render hood moulding. Cast-iron veranda to rear (east) elevation.

• Dún an Mhistealach, fortification, 1780–1800 · National interest
  Description

  Ashlar limestone six-bastioned star shaped fort, built c. 1790, having glacis, two sets of casements to the north and dry boundary ditch to site. Battered walls with round-headed door openings now blocked up. Ashlar entrance comprising Doric-style pilasters with carved caps, copings and impost course having recessed square-headed opening with inset round-headed arch having brick quadripartite vault to interior. Attached multiple-bay single-storey block to south having rendered parapet. Ashlar limestone walls with limestone plinth course. Round-headed window openings having limestone sills and replacement uPVC windows. Round-headed openings having replacement overlights over metal doors.

Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. Buildings: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Works at or in relation to a recorded monument need two months' written notice to the National Monuments Service (National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, section 12).

Radon

The EPA radon map gives no estimate at the centre of the townland of Spike Island.

Landslides

Susceptibility moderately high, moderately low, low, low (inferred), on the 1:50,000 map; parts are made ground.

Terrain model

No LiDAR survey of the Office of Public Works covers the centre of the townland of Spike Island.

Flooding

The flood maps of the Office of Public Works: floodinfo.ie.

Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency; Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland; both CC BY 4.0. LiDAR: contains Irish Public Sector Data (Geological Survey Ireland & the Office of Public Works) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.

No address of the register names Spike Island with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Cork.

Name

Spike Island · Inis Píc

Area

423,412 m² (42.34 ha, 104.63 acres)

Civil parish

Templerobin, and its townlands

Barony

Barrymore

Electoral division

Cobh Rural, the unit of the census

Census 2022

Cobh Rural electoral division: 9,050 people in 2,954 households; 73% of households own their home; 51% of homes were built since 2001; 5% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 1% were holiday homes.

Placenames

Spike Island on logainm.ie, the Placenames Database of Ireland

Townlands, civil parishes, baronies and electoral divisions, National Statutory Boundaries, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. Census 2022, Small Area Population Statistics by electoral division, Central Statistics Office, CC BY 4.0. A townland is the smallest land division of Ireland, and the unit of a rural address; old registers such as the 1901 and 1911 censuses file it under its civil parish and barony.