The Gothic Arch is one of three beautiful follies that are situated on the estate of Belvedere House in county Westmeath. It was built around 1760, and comprises of a three bay, two story tower. Its a strange mix of the Gothic, the grotesque and the whimsical built out of rubble limestone and water eroded limestone on some of the detailing. The design for the arch is attributed to Thomas Wright, an astronomer, mathematician, and an architect from England who published designs for a variety of follies and grottos in his book ‘Universal Architecture’. Its believed that this folly is only the central section of a plan designed by Wright. The ground floor has a large carriage arch with two large loop hole shaped openings on either side. The first floor has a central rounded Oriel window flanked by pointed arch openings and topped with amusing crenellated parapet. The Gothic Arch is just one of three attractive follies at Belvedere, the other two being an Octagonal Gazebo and the Jealous Wall as previously featured here. This folly is situated to the north of the house and near the eastern shore of Lough Ennell.

GPS: 53.483856, -7.368515