Reg No
21901220
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Archaeological, Architectural, Artistic
Original Use
Country house
In Use As
Country house
Date
1740 - 1760
Coordinates
147991, 148853
Date Recorded
13/10/2008
Date Updated
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Detached three-bay two-storey country house, built c. 1777, having porch to front (south) elevation, canted full-height bay to west elevation, recent single-storey extension to east elevation and three-bay single-storey extension to rear (north) elevation. Hipped slate roof with cast-iron brackets, rainwater goods and rendered chimneystacks. Hipped and pitched slate roofs to extensions with rendered chimneystacks. Roughcast rendered walls. Square-headed openings having bipartite four-over-four pane timber sliding sash windows and limestone sills. Round-headed opening to rear with spoked fanlight over multipane timber sliding sash window. Square-headed openings to rear having six-over-six pane timber sliding sash windows. Square-headed openings to porch, east and west elevations, with four-over-four pane timber sliding sash windows and limestone sills. Square-headed opening to porch having timber panelled door. Round-headed opening beyond porch with spoked fanlight over half-glazed timber panelled door. Carved Ionic limestone columns to porch supporting entablature having triglyph style motifs and roundels with floral motifs supporting carved cornice. Carved Ionic limestone pilasters to porch, east and west elevations. Single-bay single-storey outbuilding to north-west. Hipped thatched roof. Rubble limestone walls with partial brick walls to south elevation. Square-headed opening to east elevation having timber battened door and flanking fixed windows. Rubble limestone walled garden to south. Multiple-bay single-storey outbuilding to east with pitched slate roof. Rubble limestone walls. Square-headed openings, some with bipartite two-over-two pane timber sliding sash windows, some with two-over-two timber sliding sash windows, and some having fixed windows. Square-headed openings, some with brick voussoirs having timber battened doors. Elliptical-headed arch to east elevation with double-leaf timber battened doors. Timber battened stalls to interior. Two-bay two-storey outbuilding to south-east, having extensions to south and west elevations. Pitched slate roof and rendered chimneystacks. Rubble limestone walls with cast-iron patris plates. Rendered walls to south and west elevations. Square-headed openings with two-over-two pane timber sliding sash windows, those to first floor having brick voussoirs. Square-headed openings with timber battened doors. Pair of square-profile rubble limestone piers to east leading to east courtyard. Pair of roughcast rendered piers to south having double-leaf cast-iron gates and rendered sweeping walls terminating in rubble limestone boundary walls.
This handsome house, set in a mature landscape, maintains distinctive features characteristic of mid-to-late eighteenth century architecture, including the reserved classically derived proportions and detailing, all of which enhance the architectural value of the composition. Well maintained, the house presents an early aspect with much of the original form intact, together with a number of important features and materials including the bipartite windows and cast-iron eaves brackets. The salvaged porch is a notable later addition, which adds artistic interest to the façade. The attendant outbuildings present an historic aspect and contribute positively to the group and setting qualities of the site. A pleasant gateway of simple design distinction enhances the visual appeal of the street scene. The estate is of particular importance in the locality, being the original seat of the Lords Dunraven and former dower house of Adare Manor.