Discover Milehouse

Milehouse: Bridge building and local traditions

Milehouse can be explored through its structures and local traditions. Ballybough Bridge is a two-arched, hump-backed road bridge over a stream. It was already in existence in 1840 and is considered an integral part of County Wexford’s engineering heritage. The two arches and hump-backed profile describe different features of the structure; the year 1840 provides a clear historical reference point. The bridge can therefore be considered in terms of its form, its function as a road structure and its age.

For general orientation, a public minor road connects the village of Milehouse, about 1 km to the south, with the R745, about 8 km to the north. These figures show the road connection using two approximate distances; keep them in mind as a spatial reference when planning.

Another bridge in the surrounding area is Bloody Bridge. It is located about a mile on the Enniscorthy side of Mile House, so it is not situated in Milehouse itself. This spatial distinction helps differentiate two points of reference: Ballybough Bridge represents the structure in the village, while Bloody Bridge is a separate nearby local landmark.

A local historical tradition tells of a house in Mile House where a priest taught catechism to adults and children. After the period of the Penal Laws, the house came to be known as “Priests House”. This account shifts the focus from bridge architecture to religious education, offering another way to explore local history.

County Wexford: more cultural and natural attractions

In the wider destination of County Wexford, you can find other cultural attractions with different focuses. The Irish National Heritage Park is a 35-acre open-air museum with 16 reconstructed sites. The park offers activities, reconstructions, workshops and courses for visitors of all ages. At Hook Lighthouse, at the tip of the Hook Peninsula in County Wexford, guided tours cover 800 years of lighthouse history. Check tour times in advance if you are planning a visit.

Johnstown Castle and Tintern Cistercian Abbey in County Wexford also represent different areas of interest. A tour of Johnstown Castle includes an 86-metre-long underground servants’ passage. The Irish Agricultural Museum there displays agricultural machinery, vehicles and artefacts, some of which are up to 100 years old. Tintern Cistercian Abbey was founded around 1200 by William, Earl Marshal. It is located in a special conservation area and is surrounded by woodland with walking trails. The difference is clear: Johnstown Castle focuses on tours and an agricultural collection, while Tintern combines monastic history and landscape.

This makes it possible to decide whether you are interested first in the village itself or in the wider county’s range of attractions.

Discover more destinations: Ferns, Saint Helen's, Bannow Bay, Ardamine, Castlebridge, Kilmore Quay, Kilmuckridge, Duncormick.

Back to the wider travel overview: County Wexford.