Cork is full of fantastic oddities if you know where to look for them.

If you’ve already spotted this ornate fireplace, nestled into a wall overlooking North Main Street, you may be wondering how on earth it got there.

Thanks to the super sleuths at St Peter’s, you’re about to find out.

Posting on their Facebook page, the local historians revealed: “The mantelpiece comes from Skiddy’s Castle: a medieval building that once stood on the main street and was originally built in 1445 by John Skiddy, a Lord Mayor of Cork.”

The 15th Century tower house was also used as a gunpowder magazine and stood near the junction of present-day Adelaide Street and North Main Street.

So far, so fascinating. But there’s more…

“Look closely at the inscriptions on the stonework and you’ll spot the date 1597 as well as the leaf design and ‘tudor knot’, a design you’ll also find hidden in our secret garden here at St. Peter’s Cork.”

Facebook fan Potluck O’Donovan posted this close-up to the St Peter’s page:

We’ll be dropping by for a coffee this weekend to check this out for ourselves.