Churches & Houses of Architectural Interest in County Offaly

William Garner Report

CATHOLIC CHURCHES

BALLINA (One and a half miles south of Ballycumber)

It is a three-bay single-celled Catholic church of circa 1840, with rendered walls and narrow pointed windows with Y-mullions. The four-centered doorcase has a drip label and over it is a large wide window. The building is very plain. The interior has a west gallery and there is a decorative centre to the coved ceiling. (B&D)

BALLINAGAR

Ballinagar Catholic church dates from circa 1830 and is a large single cell of four bays with lined and rendered walls and raised coigns. The pointed windows have chamfered limestone dressings and y-mullions. The three stage west tower has raised coigns, string courses and clasping corner pilasters on the top stage, crenellations and pinnacles. There are three pointed door-cases at the west, end which are set in rectangular frames, and all have drip labels. Also at the west end, are holy water stoups with putti on them. The interior is simple; at the west end is a gallery and at the east end is a gothic screen which acts as a reredos. (A&D)

To the east is a building which appears to have been an old school and has two fine doric pilasters on the gable end facing the road, and a simple doorcase which are possibly of late eighteenth century workmanship. (B)

BALLYBRITT

Catholic church, three miles north of Roscrea. This is a very small T-plan, barn-style church with eaves. (B)

BARNA (Two miles north-west of Dunkerrin)

This is a transitional church of circa 1840 to 1850 with nave and chancel, diagonal buttresses to the walls, in and out dressings to the windows, cut stone frontispiece with a bellcote. There is an open timber roof and beside the church is a school-house. (B)

BELMONT

Sometimes called High Street, which is west of Ferbane. This is a single-cell Catholic church dating from the early nineteenth century. It is very prettily situated at the corner of the road and it still retains its roof. It has pointed windows with original switch-track glazing, and seems to be in some sort of parochial use. (B)

BOHER

Boher Church, Ballycumber, is a T-plan, transitional church, possibly a re-building of an early nineteenth century church, because it still retains some switch-track glazing over the doorcase which is obviously about 1800. The walls are lined and rendered. The windows have heavy tracery and it has a high, pitched roof, and small tower. The church is really better known for the Shrine of St. Manchan. (A)

BOHERA PHUCA (Five miles north-north-east of Roscrea)

This is a plain T-plan, barn-style church which is of local interest. (B)

BRACHNA

St. Brochan's church. This is a single-cell church with a facade of rough cut ashlar. It has a rather unusual arrangement of doors and windows having twin doorcases, which are pointed and have block and start dressing. The windows are immediately over the doorcases, and there is a blank oculi in the gable, with "St. Brochan's Church, Brachna' in it. The re-roofing of this church may have meant that it could have had pinnacles which would have been cut off and consequently the profile of the church looks rather strange. The interior has a barrel-vaulted east end, and in front of that tracery which comes down to form a pointed arch. (A&D)

CADAMSTOWN

Is a single-cell church with a west bellcote and a lined and rendered frontispiece. It has three bays with square headed windows and two romanesque stones inserted, one a head the other with interlace. The roof inside has Queen-post trusses. The church has been re-roofed and restored since the initial An Foras Forbartha list of 1973 was taken.

CLARA

The Fransciscan Monastery, is a very important example, as the building has not been added to and remains exactly as the architect first conceived it. It is a (3-plan building with a five-bay two-storey centre and gabled wings which are advanced forward and have tall windows with quatrefoils over them. The building is of rough-cut ashlar with drip labels over the ground floor windows. The whole affect is slightly Puginesque though a provincial version of Pugin's work and dates from about 1840. The interior was not inspected. (A)

CLAREEN

This church dates from after 1898 (not marked for l" Ordnance Survey map), it is a gothic, single cell, built of rusticated limestone with a large plate-tracery west window, bellcote, buttresses beside the west end of the nave and a pointed doorcase. (A)

COOLAGARY

Catholic church north of Portarlington. This is a small early nineteenth century T-plan barn church, with rendered walls and round-headed windows and a west bell cote. A porch has recently been added and the interior is plains (B)

COOLDERRY (Four miles north-north-west of Roscrea)

It is a very pretty T-plan barn-style church dating from the very early nineteenth century. (A)

DURROW

Durrow Catholic church, dated 1831. This is a very elegant gothic barn church being a single cell of four bays with a west tower of three stages. The walls are rendered, have raised coigns, pointed windows, drip labels, y-mullions and small panes of glass. At the corner of the roof are pinnacles with crockets exceptionally well detailed. The top two stages of the tower are of dressed limestone and the tower is topped with crenellations. The interior has perpendicular ribbed moulding, and at east end there is gothic reredos. The gate piers into the church yard are octagonal and appear to be contemporary. This is an exceptionally fine example of an early nineteenth century barn church, probably the finest in the county. (A&D)

EGLISH (Five-Alley)

This is a small T-plan Catholic church with rendered walls, raised coigns and a high-pitched roof, pointed windows. It dates from about 1850. It is transitional in style and was modernised in 1906. (B)

KILCLONFERT

This church is dated 1783 and is an exceptional survival. It is a T-plan church, with rendered walls, round-headed windows, and at the west end, a two-stage tower which has raised coigns. The gable-ends of the nave have coping stones and the tower has crenellations. The church is decorated with exceptionally fine carvings and has a pedimented doorcase with chamfered jambs at the west end. The interior is plain, having recently been changed. (A)

KILCOLMAN

Kilcolman is a T-plan barn church of three bays with very delicate painted lime rendering on the walls, pointed windows with original glazing bars and glass. It also has original slates on the roof and a pointed doorcase. The interior appears to have been altered in the late nineteenth century. The bellcote is not original indicating that the church is prior to 1830. This is a fine example of the type of building that is becoming very rare indeed. (A)

LONGFORD (This is south of Kinnity)

A T-plan barn church with rendered walls and pointed windows which has been modernised in recent years. (B)

MOUNT ST. JOSEPH

The church is an extremely fine mid-nineteenth century building. (A&D)

MOUNTBOLUS

This is a large single-cell barn church with a date-stone of 1837, and block and start dressings on the windows over the doors. The church has been modernised in recent years. (B)

POLLAGH (Four miles east of Ferbane)

This is a remarkable church of two converging naves "built by the faithful of locality in 1907". (Not seen 1984)

RAHAN

Beside the convent which is a small, three bay, two-storeyed house, is a T-plan church which appears to have been completely re-built. However, the tower dates from the early nineteenth century and is of coursed rubble and has two stages. (B)

RAHEEN

This is a large single cell church of circa 1900 with lined and rendered walls, a high pitched roof, granite dressings at the windows, triple window at the west end over the porch and pointed doorcase. It has four granite piers at the gates. The interior has an open timbered roof with crossed raised beams. (B)

RATH (It is north-east of Tullamore)

This is a T-plan Catholic church with pointed windows and appears to date from the mid-nineteenth century. (B)

RHODE

Rhode Catholic church is a pretty little T-plan, barn-style church dated 1816, with white tracery in the windows and raised coigns and rough-cast walls. The church is separated from the road by a very nice nineteenth-century railings.
(A)

TOBER

This is a T-plan early nineteenth-century church which was altered in the late nineteenth century. It has stone tracery in pointed windows, lined and rendered walls. (A)

WOOD-OF-O

It is a three bay, single-cell Catholic church, dated 1841. The walls are lined and rendered. It has round-headed windows and the original roof slates, with eaves and brackets. The facade has a four-centred-doorcase with three niches over it and all set in a panel. It also has the original door. The interior has a classical fronted gallery and a curious semi-circular sanctuary. (B&D)

Church of Ireland Churches

AGHANCON (Six miles north of Roscrea)

This is a barn-style single cell church with quaint finials and a bell-cote. It has an inscription to the Darby Family and the Board of First Fruits 1787. (A)

BALLINTEMPLE

A transitional design between the First Fruits type and the archaeological gothic of the mid-nineteenth century. It is a four-bay, single cell with battered, rough-cast walls, lancet windows with limestone dressings and a five-light east window which relates to medieval east windows. The tower rises over the west end and has huge pinnacles. The church is in a curious site being right beside the road. This is an impressive and curiously scholastic building. (A)

BLACKLION

Is a First Fruits type with tower, diagonal buttresses and spire at the west end. The nave is of three bays, and has lined, rendered walls and pointed windows with y-mullions. The tower is of two stages and has crenellations and pinnacles though the spire is badly designed. Facing the road is a wall with gates. The church is no longer in use, but is a very fine site. (A)

CLAREEN (Lugamarlow / Killoughey parish)

This is a four-bay single cell church with narrow windows built from coursed rubble stone, and dating from the early nineteenth century. The church itself is plain, but the position within an island monastic site in the middle of a field makes it very attractive. (A)

CLONBULLOGE

This is a very plain single cell church of two bays; a tiny building with rendered walls limestone dressings and pointed windows with y-mullions. There is a late nineteenth century bellcote at the west end though it is said to date from the late seventeenth century. The church is still in use. (B)

CLONEYHURKE (Garryhinch)

This church is evidently by John Semple and is a five-bay single cell built of coursed rubble, with clasping buttresses and pinnacles on the buttresses at the east and west end. There is a large chamfered doorcase in the manner of John Semple with a hugh plain chamfer. The west tower rises out of the nave, and has tall pointed opes and tall pinnacles and crennellations. The gate piers are similar to those to be found at Cloneygowan church. (A)

CREE

This is dated 1844, and is a single cell of four bays with lined and rendered walls and narrow windows, porch and bellcote. It is now in use as a factory. (B)

CRUHISKHAN (Half a mile north west of Clononey)

This is a roofless church with transepts and has a rectangular sanctuary and short west tower. The roof has been removed since the 1973 An Foras Forbartha report. (B)

DURROW

This is a very important late seventeenth or early eighteenth century church in the demesne of Durrow Abbey and has a fine west doorcase, with architraves and a scroll keystone. The church was still roofed when visited in 1973. (A&D)

The present Durrow Church of Ireland Church, is built of rusticated limestone and is a small late nineteenth century single cell of four bays with a porch. It has three-light windows, west bellcote with a conical roof. It is by J.F. Fuller. (A)

EGLISH

It is a four-bay, single cell church of coursed rubble, dating from 1840. The church itself is of minor interest architecturally, but what is of importance is the surrounding graveyard and of course the relationship with Eglish castle.
(B)

ETTAGH (Five miles south-east of Birr)

This is a small single-cell church of two bays with rendered walls and a short tower with pinnacles. The short sanctuary is later and there are good monuments in the graveyard. Lewis says the church dates from 1831. This attractive church has been abandoned and the interior stripped though it is still roofed. (B)

LAUGHTON

This is a late First Fruits church perhaps of 1840, well kept but architecturally somewhat dull.
Behind the church and of much greater interest is the large mausoleum of the Atkinson family which has buttressed stone walls and stone roof. (A)

LISS (West of Ballycumber)

It is a tiny three bay, single cell church, with a west tower, built of coursed rubble limestone with narrow pointed windows. The west tower has three stages, pinnacles and crennelations and is very nicely placed opposite a small, gable-ended, four bay school. (A)

Beside the church are three mausolea one of which is dated 1768, and may once have been roofed, but now consists of a wall which was built of coursed rubble limestone, raised coigns and an arched doorcase and keystone. There is a large box mausoleum behind that and near the road a later mausoleum, circa 1900, with a crenellated front and rear, and stone gables. (A)

LYNALLY (Charleville)

This church of 1886 is by J.F. Fuller and is a memorial church to one of the Burys of Charleville. It is a single cell, built in the hiberno-romanesque manner and has rusticated stone walls and red-pantiled roof. The ornament is hiberno-romanesque with dog-tooth door case, round-headed windows and a three light west window. (A&D)

RAHAN

The tiny single-cell church is on an island site and incorporates hiberno-romanesque work of great architectural interest. Consequently the church, dated 1732 contains a hiberno-romanesque chancel arch and oculus at the east end. The simple round-headed doorcase dates from the eighteenth century and the east window appears to be a late nineteenth century copy of the doorcase of the church sited to the east of the present Church of Ireland church. (List A & B)

GORTEEN

This is a tiny single cell church, with one pointed window, and rendered walls. It is now in agricultural use.

COUNTRY HOUSES

AGHANCON (Six miles north of Roscrea)

It is a large five bay, two-storey building with a narrow central gabled projection. (B)

AGHANVILLA

The house is now an ivy-clad ruin. It dates from the late eighteenth century and has a five-bay, two-storey facade over a basement. It still retains a very fine pedimented doric doorcase. Behind the house are stable buildings and garden walls.

ANNAGHMORE (South of Tullamore)

This house of circa 1835 is probably of two dates. The rere appears to be an earlier house, but the present front is three bays and two-storeys, with full-height bow ends. Painted lime rendering, a base mould string course over the ground floor, and wide transom and mullion windows. The ground floor windows have bracketed cornices over them. The roof is largely hidden by a cornice and parapet and between each bay are strip pilasters. Over the centre is a pediment and in front a porch with a plain doorcase. All of this painted a dazzling white. Behind, is a large yard dating from the early nineteenth century, which is entered through an ashlar frontispiece, over which is a fine geometric bellcote of ashlar limestone. The interior is said to contain interesting pilaster work and an interesting staircase. (A&D)

ANNAGHVILLA (Kilcormac)

This is a three-bay, single storey house over a basement with painted lined rendering and a hipped roof. it has original fenestration and a wide elliptical headed limestone doorcase and side lights, very similar to Barnaboy. It is in good condition. (A)

ANNGROVE

This is a five bay, two-storey, gable-ended house, which is ivy coloured, has Georgian glazing bars in the windows and enclosed porch. (B)

NEAR ANNAVILLE

Opposite Annaville House, which is west of the Brosna river, near Gloster, is a three-bay, single-storey house with rendered walls, and a hipped roof. The doorcase is inset in a scooped out (or Morrison) porch. (B)

ARD (At Geashill station)

This is a fine big two-storey gable-ended house - more of a farmhouse than a country house and dates from the late eighteenth century. It has plain rendered walls with a shallow breakfront and strip pilasters at the ends of the façade. (B)

ARDNURCHER GLEBE HOUSE Horseleap

A small early-nineteenth century house with lime-rendered walls, a basement and a hipped roof. The three-bay, two-storey façade has a shallow breakfront and an enclosed porch. The limestone stacks are set parallel to the façade.

ASHFIELD

This is a fine big two-storey, gable-ended house, with painted and rendered walls and Georgian glazing bars, and a porch obscuring the doorcase. It appears to date from the mid-eighteenth century. (B)

BALLVER (Castle Iver) (Two miles south-west of Cloghan)

This is a house of five bays, with another five bays added of two-storeys, which makes a big square box with rendered walls and raised coigns and a glass porch. (B)

BALLINCOR

This is a five bay, two-storey house with rendered walls, basemould cornice, and hipped roof. The rhythm of the windows speeds up towards the centre so that there are three opes lighting the hall and the landing over the hall. It has a fine pedimented doric doorcase of circa 1780. This house is built in front of an earlier house which has early

BALLINLA (Edenderry)

Ballinla House is a plain, three-bay, two-storey early nineteenth-century house with rendered walls, hipped roof and inset doorcase. (It should not be listed)

BALLINTEMPLE (Near Toomevara)

This is a good example of a solid late eighteenth century house of five bays and three storeys with gable ends and deep stacks, rendered walls, a round-head, block and start doorcase with keystone. (B)

BALLINTEMPLE GLEBE HOUSE

Behind the Church of Ireland church is a small three-bay, two storey house with an advanced bay in the centre, rough- cast walls, a round-headed doorcase and hipped roof. The house is possibly the same date as the church (see above under Church of Ireland churches). (B)

BALLYAVILL (South west of Geashill station)

It is a five bay, three storey, gable-ended farmhouse, with rendered painted walls. The rhythm of the windows slows towards the centre. The enclosed porch obscures the doorcase. The house dates from circa 1800. (B)

BALLYBOUGHLIN (West of Clara)

This is a five bay, three storey, gable-ended house, with rendered walls, and round-headed doorcase with a scroll keystone. The ground floor windows have lintels and keystones. There is a cornice and a later wing to the side. The house is axially set to the road where the gate piers have corncies. This is a very attractive example of a late eighteenth century farmhouse and is illustrated in Dr. Craig's History of Irish Architecture. (A)

BALLYBRITT CASTLE

Is a four bay, two-storey, lined rendered house, with georgian glazing bars and a hipped roof. The doorcase is placed off centre. Behind the house are ruins of Ballybritt castle itself. The house verges on the vernacular, but the combination of the house, ruins, and farm buildings, makes it very attractive. (A)

BALLYBRITT HOUSE

It is a five bay, two-storey, with rendered walls, round headed doorcase and side lights, a venetian window over a pediment with an oculus and a hipped roof. It dates from circa 1770. (A)

BALLYCUMBER

This is a five bay, two-storey house over a basement, with the rhythm of the fenestration slowing to the centre. It has a round-headed tripartite doorcase. It appears to date from the mid-eighteenth century, but it was much altered in the late nineteenth century. The date stone at the back of the house says that Dermot Coughlan built the castle here in 1627.
The gates are curious having an early eighteenth century base moulds with late eighteenth century entablatures. (B)

BALLYDERMOT (North of Clonbulloge)

This is a five-bay two-storey house with gable-ends and a large return. It appears to be a late eighteenth century farmhouse. (B)

BALLYEIGHAN

This is a very fine neo-Greek essay of circa 1820 with a three-bay, two-storey facade over a basement. It has rendered walls, limestone stip pilasters, a very fine, neo-Greek inset doorcase, with doric columns set in antis, and a shallow bow on the return wall. The roof is hipped of low pitch and has brackets under the eaves. At the rear is a wing with a proto-victorian half-hexagon bow. On the garden wall behind the house are two mid-eighteenth century Palladian doric doorcases. The house is an important example of early ninteenth century villa almost certainly by Bernard Mullins.
(A & D)
The entrance gates are in keeping with the house, and outside the gates is a small gothic lodge of about 1830, with three bays on the facade, gabled silhouette and high pitched roof with pierced barge boarding, and gothic frippery. (A.A.)

BALLYLEIGHEAN

At Ballyforan, is a five-bay, two-storey gable-ended house; long in proportions with rendered walls, small windows and simple elliptical-headed doorcase which appears to date from the late-eighteenth century. (B)

BALLYMORAN

West of Edenderry, is a very simple, three-bay, two-storey house with a hipped roof and inset round-headed doorcase dating from about 1840.

BALLRIHY (Three quarters of a mile north-west of Dunkerrin)

The house is in ruins with a farmhouse made out of the buildings and a walled garden. (B)

BARNABOY HOUSE (Kilcormac)

This is a three-bay, two-storey house, with rough-cast walls, and a hipped roof. The windows have georgian glazing bars and it has a good elliptical-headed, limestone doorcase, with radial fan light and side lights. (B)

BARNAGROTTY (South-west of Laughton)
The house is of little architectural merit. The lodge has bow ends in a hipped
roof, in essence an up-graded cabin.

BELLAIR Ballycumber

This is a three-bay, two-storey villa with a longer front to the right including a bow. The door is deeply recessed in a niche and has string courses and a hipped roof. It appears to be by Sir Richard Morrison. At the end of the stables Is a gothic screen wall similar to those at Whigsborough and Emmel Castle. (list A)
The walled garden also has a gothic tower. (list B)
To the east of the big house, on the south side of the road, is a small, gable-ended house with a facade of the three bays and two storeys, lime-rendered walls, limestone cornice and a round headed, midland-type doorcase from circa 1800. This is a very good example of a small georgian farmhouse. (list A)

BELLEFIELD (Shinrone)

It is a four-bay, two-storey, gabled-ended farmhouse, with rough-cast walls
and an elliptical headed doorcase. (B)

BELLMOUNT HOUSE

This is an early-nineteenth century house which appears to have been given gothic crenellations at a later date (B). It has gothic gate piers energetially detailed. (B)

BENFIELD

A five-bay, single-storey house with a round-headed doorcase, dating from the mid-nineteenth century.

BIRR CASTLE

There are many items of importance here including the castle, the entrance gates from the mall in Birr, the stables, the telescope, a boat-house, the gardens. (A&D) The castle and the demesne should be the subject of a seperate study.

BIRR VIEW (South of Birr)

This a curious site with buildings of apparently two dates. The house facing Birr has two storeys; and three bays, is gable-ended and appears to date from circa 1830. It has painted lime rendered walls, double-sashed windows and a wide elliptical-headed doorcase. This house appears to have been added to a mid-eighteenth century gable-ended farmhouse facing east which is now entered through a yard. The group of buildings is very attractive. (B)

BLACKLION GLEBE HOUSE (near Mount Bolus)

Dated 1908 J.B. It is a tudor vernacular revival building with rough-cast walls, red-brick dressing and window sills. Windows with transom and mullion windows and red tiled roof.
(B)

BLOOMVILLE HOUSE

This is a five-bay, two-storey house which appears to date from the mid-to-late eighteenth century, but is dated on the slates 1794. It is gable-ended, has end stacks and lime rendered walls. It has single storey wings at either end. The wing to the east is of two bays and a large tripartite window on the end. The door case is an exeptionally fine example with blocked architraves or the original door and door furniture. The house has very good limestone cornices.
(A)

BROOKFIELD (Tullamore)

This house was re-built in the l920s and is a substantial house of that period and well detailed with rendered walls and mullioned windows. (B)

BROSNA (In the village)

It is a three-bay, two-storey house with rendered walls, of white lined rendering. The tripartite windows on either side of the inset doorcase are all well detailed, and the doorcase is of timber, dating from circa 1820. (B)

BROUGHAL (Kilcormac)

The house has gone, but the wall of a yard remains. It is gothic and has a cylinderical corner towers with cross loops and dates from circa 1830 to 1840. (B)

BUSHERSTOWN

The eighteenth century house was burnt in 1812 and the present house built a short time afterwards. It is essentially a simple two-storey house with rendered walls and a hipped roof. However the north front has corner towers with limestone machicolations linked by similar pasteboard gothic work. The garden front is of three bays and has a breakfront. In front is a short avenue of lime trees-evidence of the earlier house. (list B)
The lodge opposite the gates has a limestone ashlar frontispiece and parapet and is of the same date as the house (List B)
The Folly Tower, on the hill behind, dates from the early nineteenth century, is cylindrical and has crenellations. (List B)

CADAMSTOWN HOUSE

This is a curious house which is apparently two dates, having a facade of five bays, and a single storey over a basement with rough-cast painted walls and tall windows. It has a fine round-headed architraved doorcase with a cobweb fanlight and scroll keystone. The roof is hipped and has paired brackets under the eaves at the front (single brackets at the rear). The house is two-storeys over the basement at the rere and has three hips coming to the back wall which is an indication that the roof structure is mid-eighteenth century. It is possible that the house may have been altered in the early nineteenth century. (A)

CANGORT PARK

This is an early nineteenth century essay in the Jacobean style built of limestone ashlar with transom and mullion windows, gables and finials on the gables. The gateway has double headed eagles and very pretty eagles at the Lodge.
(B)

CANGORT

Is an important building by Sir Richard Morrison with a sightly ungainly exterior almost identical to Bellair. Internally it is very finely planned and has a well finished interior. (A&D)
The farm buildings include a range of stables and a huge barn. (A)

CAPPINCUR

Three miles east of Tullamore.

This is a seven-bay, two-storey house with gable ends and four windows and a round headed doorcase. The four windows give the impression of being late eighteenth century-in date.
(A)

CASTLEBERNARD

This is an early nineteenth century castellated house dated 1833 and still in its orignal state, externally finished in ashlar limestone with all the trimmings of Jacobean revivalism by the Brothers Pain. (A&D)
The lodge at the gate has three gables at the front and is rather provincial in its detailing. (B)

CAPAGOWLAN HOUSE (East of Ballyboy)

This is a small late eighteenth century house with five bays, and two-storeys and rendered walls and hipped roof. The glazing-bars have been altered but there remains a late-eighteenth century round-headed blocked-architrave doorcase and side lights.
The rhythm of the fenetration slows to the centre. This house is built in front of a gable-ended house which makes it an attractive grouping. It is however altered to some extent. (B)

CHARLEVILLE CASTLE

It was built approximately 1801. Much has beer written about this house lately in Country Life. It has a very fine gothic interior.
(R&D)
There are other fine buildings in the area including the Grotto, which is a very fine example. (A) Also the Camden tower. (A)
The lodge at the Tullamore entrance is a single storey house built of roughly dressed limestone. (B)
At the west end there are gothic gates to the lodge. (B)

CHERRY GARDENS

The house is an ivy-covered ruin: not inspected at close quarters.

CLARA HOUSE

This house has been much altered having once been of three storeys. It is now of three bays and two storeys over a basement. The large very modern roof is very much out of proportion with the existing building. The walls are rendered and have channelling on the ground floor and has a good limestone porch of circa 1820 with columns in antis and a round headed doorcase. (B)

CLAREMOUNT

A pleasant, small, late-eighteenth century house, with a facade of three bays and two storeys over a basement. It is gable-ended and has tripartite windows. Of greater interest is the projecting porch which is slightly wedge shaped, originally had two doorcases, and incorporates two important Coade stone plaques dated 179?, one depicting drama and the other painting. The interior was not inspected. (List A)

CLAREEN

This is a very fine example of a small country house, dated PP 177?. The house is gable-ended with end stacks and has battered walls with a very fine quality lined rendering. It is five bays, and two storeys over a basement and the windows have good georgian glazing bars. The roof is slated with Portroe slates. There is a very fine pedimented doric doorcase with pilasters all cut in a very superior quality. And there is a yard through the arch at one side of the house. (A&D)

CLAREEN GLEBE HOUSE

East of Birr.

Tiny little house of two bay, two storeys to the side, over a basement, rendered walls and a central placed stack. The ground floor windows inset in blank arches. There are more recent additions at one end. (B)

CLOGHANMORE HOUSE (West of Kinnity)

Is a very odd early nineteenth century hotch-potch with general gothic overtones. It appears to be of two bays and is flanked in the centre by a two bay, three storey section which is parapeted. On the left hand side there is a turret and a large two bay, single storey ballroom added on the right hand side. It is now derelict. (B)

CLONAGH

This is a three-bay, two-storey house, dating from about circa 1800. It has lime rendered walls and a pedimented breakfront, with a very fine inset doorcase and leaded fanlight and side lights, also the oriqin.al door. The windows are tripartite and very well detailed and there is a strip cornice. (A&D)

CLONEARL Daingean

The house is gone but the enormous brick arcaded garden wall and the stable yard turret with weather cock survive (B)

CLOGHAN CASTLE Banagher

This is a much modified house with nineteenth century domestic additions and still occupied. (A)

CLONMORE (North of Bracknagh)

This is a plain late georgian house which has been added to a T-plan house possibly dating from the eighteenth century. There is a small three-bay barn building added to the rear which is being used for some sort of ecclesiastical purpose, with pointed windows and pointed doorcase. (B)

CLONEYGOWAN, GLEBE HOUSE.

Is a three-bay, two-storey gable-ended house with rendered walls and good fenestration and tripartite windows on the ground floor. An enclosed porch obscures the doorcase. (B)

CLONYHURK HOUSE

A very plain three-bay, two-storev house over a basement with white rough-cast walls and the original glazing bars, plain round-headed doorcase and a hipped roof. (B)

CLYDUFF (One mile south west of Mount St. Joseph)

It is a three-bay, two-storey house, with rendered walls, hipped roof, doric inset doorcase. (B)

COOLACREASE (One mile north-east of Cadamstown)

This is a ruin of a five-bay, two-storey house, with a full height, pedimented centre projection. (B)

COOLDERRY

South of Birr.

Is dated IR 1796 on the rere door. Its a very good example of a "squireen" house of that period. It is of five bays, and two storeys over a basement, with rendered and battered walls and the rhythm of fenestration slowing towàrds the centre. It has a high pitched hipped roof with a simple elliptical headed doorcase. It has an original porch at the rere with an architraved doorcase. (A)
The lodge dates from circa 1820s is of two storeys and has rough cast walls, eaves and a hipped roof, and outside are gate piers and railings. (B)

COOLVILLE (Rhode)

This is a two-storey, three-bay house with heavily rusticated surrounds in cement. (B)

CRUHISKAN GLEBE HOUSE (West of Belmont)

It stands behind the derelict Church of Ireland church and dates from the early twentieth century.- It has rendered walls with dressings and pantiled roof. (B)

CURRALANTY

This is an important example of a large though somewhat plain late eighteenth century box having side elevations which are of similar dimensions to the main elevation. The main front is of five bays, and three storeys over a basement. The walls are rendered and the roof is hipped. It has qeorgian glazing bars and a fine Gibbsian doorcase. (A&D)

DERRY HOUSE

It is a curious early eighteenth century house, gable-ended with rendered walls, of five bays and two storeys and having wide windows and good glazing bars with fielded shutter panels which indicate a mid-eighteenth century date.
The interior has a panelled screen at the back of the hall and a large wide staircase, indicating an early eighteenth century date. (A&D)

DERRYDOLNEY HOUSE (Near Eglish)

It is a small three-bay, two-storey, gabled-ended house with rough-cast walls and georgian glazing bars in the windows. It has a square-headed architrave doorcase with a rectangular light over it. Beside the house is a 1684 O'Molloy datestone. (B)

DERRYMORE (One mile west of Blueball)

A small mid-eighteenth century house with a very. unjusual U plan. The facade is of five bays and two storeys has lime-rendered walls and moulded sills to the windows. The side elevations are also of five bays though the north side has blank windows in the centre, one of which is round-headed. The rere elevation is deeply recessed in the centre and has a Venetian window on the half landing of the staircase. The cornice has a well detailed section on the main front and a slightly simpler section on the sides and rere. The roof is hipped. The interior has two rooms which are panelled in plaster. However the house is derelict and has lost its staircase. (List A)
The wall on the south side of the yard has a good limestone cavetto cornice.

DOVE HILL HOUSE

This is a five-bay, two-storey, gable-ended farmhouse with limestone cornices and decoration dating circa 1780 and has recently been burnt.

THE DOON

This is an early nineteenth century house, with lime rendered walls, and a cornice with blocking course, and facade of two bays and three storeys having a fine tetrastyie, doric porch.
(A&D)
The stables are of rusticated limestone, with a bellcote over the arched entrance. (A)

DUNGAR HOUSE Roscrea.

This is a very handsome Italian essay in the manner of Sir Charles Lanyon. The house is of three bays and two storeys, rendered and with Italianate features in Clonaslee stone. There is a single storey bow on the garden front and an enclosed proch in the main front. It has cornices over the windows and brackets under the eaves. Behind the house is a large walled garden. (A&D)

DUNGAR PARK Roscrea

Is in a gothic style dating also from the mid-nineteenth century, being of two storeys with gables, eaves, barge- boarding, and transom and mullion windows. (B)

DUNKERRIN DEANERY

The house dates from the mid-nineteenth century, has a high pitched roof, and gables. (B)
The Lodge which is a tiny inkpot with a conicle roof. (B)

DURROW ABBEY

An early nineteenth century jacobean revival "castle", built of ashlar stone with transom and mullion windows and the usual Jacobean vocabulary. The interior was re-built in the 1920s by Ralph Byrne in the Queen Anne - Art Nouveau manner. (A&D)
There are two lodges, one at the east gate one at the west gate. Both of which are gothic, have crenellations, and gables. (B)

DURROW GLEBE HOUSE

Is a small early nineteenth century, three-bay, two-storey house, built over a basement with rendered walls, hipped roof and half-hexigon enclosed porch. (B)

EGLISH CASTLE

This is a very important site consisting of a church, tower house, a late seventeenth century house, and a late eighteenth century house backing onto the seventeenth century house. The late seventeenth century house is of four bays with two bays in the centre and advanced wings with single bays each. There seem to have been some later alterations, because there is an venetian window on the ground floor at the centre and a triple grouping on the first floor. This building is of three storeys, built of coursed rubble stone and battered. The roof is hipped with two stacks. Round the back is a later house of circa 1770. It is five bays and two storeys over a basement, with lined and rendered walls, pedimented break-front which has a venetian grouped doorcase, triple grouping on the first floor, and occuli in the pediment. It also has a good cornice. It has the original slates on the roof. Beside the earlier house are the ruins of a tower-house. At the rere is a large cobbled yard. Both buildings are in very poor condition but make a fascinating historical record. (A&D)

EGLISH LODGE

Is a three-bay single-storey house over a basement with tripartite windows a wide elliptical-headed doorcase. It has walls and a hipped roof, and dates from circa 1840.

EMMEL CASTLE.

This is an important roofed tower-house with an early eighteenth century house at the front. The house has a five-bay two-storey facade over a basement- with rendered and battered walls and a round headed late-eighteenth century doorcase set on a panel. The stacks project from the gable end and act as buttresses to the house in a rather anachronistic late seventeenth century manner. (A)

GAGEBOROUGH (Horseleap)

A T-plan, early nineteenth century house with rough-cast walls, a hipped roof and a wide elliptical-headed doorcase of circa 1840. The house is now derelict.

GALLEN PRIORY

An early- nineteenth century pasteboard gothic house with a facade of seven bays and two storeys, pinnacles at the corners and flanking the frontispiece which has a large oriel window. The house has been much altered including the insertion of aluminium framed windows. (List B)

GARRY CASTLE

A very pleasing complex of medieval castle with substantial walls and gate towers, white painted eighteenth century farmhouse setting in the bawn wall. The whole sitting island like in a field. (A)

GARRYHINCH

Very little remains of the ruins and is been quarried at the moment. What is left is of two storeys and is one end of a facade facing the river which has two large brick dressed venetian windows one over the other. On the scale of the window they appear to date from circa 1770.

GLENCARA CASTLE

A very small three-bay, two-storey house, with rendered walls and hipped roof with Georgian glazing bars.

GLENVIEW (Kinnity)

This is a tiny circa 1830 house with a three bay, -two storey facade, rendered walls, georgian glazing bars and, drip labels over the windows. There is a light over the doorcase. The hipped roof has eaves and is low pitched. (B)
The lodge to Glenview is a tiny three bay building with rendered walls and curious three light gothic windows which have drip labels over them and an ogee arch doorcase. It has a hipped roof now covered with corrugated iron. (B)

GLOSTER (Four miles north-west of Roscrea)

This is a very important early eighteenth century house of the school of Pearce with many curious and important features especially the interior of the house: two storey hall and vaulted landing behind. More can be said about this house, see comments in Dr. Craig's Classic Irish Houses. The garden has an obelisk arch and canal. (A&D)

GORTEENKEEL (south of Daingean)

A small three bay, two-storey house with lime-rendered walls, a good round-headed, block and start doorcase and a hipped roof. (list B)

GORTNAMONA

This is a house in ruins with the centre of the main front removed. It is of two storeys over a basement and of five bays. The rere has a large three bay bow facing down to Pallas Lake. The walls are rendered and has string coursing on the first floor, a large gap before the cornice and a blocking course. The profile of the cornice is good. The house dates from circa 1790. (B)

GREENHEDGE HOUSE

This is a small, single storey house which is long and low and has a round-headed block and start doorcase in the Edenderry manner. (B)

HEATH LODGE (Kinnity)

It is a five-bay single-storey house over a basement dating from circa 1820. It has large windows and plain doorcase, built brick with a hipped roof and eaves. It has a plain doorcase enclosed in the porch. (B)

HOLLOW HOUSE (North of Tullamore)

It is a very important, complex building. Initially there must have been an early seventeenth century house on the site but only part of a bawn wall, entrance arch and bawn towers remain. An early eighteenth century single storey gable ended thatched house sits in the centre and has a facade of five bays with hipped roof porch and fanlight over the door. In front of the house is a very rare eighteenth century garden layout having a small lake with two tiny ziggurat islands. It is a very well preserved site with several features of architectural interest. The site was visited in 1978 so deterioration may have taken place. (A)

HOLLYWOOD HOUSE

This is a three-bay two-storey house with rough cast walls, wide elliptical-headed doorcase and radial fanlight and a hipped roof. The rere elevation is of four bays showing the basement, while the basement is not apparent at the front. It dates from the early nineteenth century. (B)

JONESTOWN HOUSE (North west of Edenderry)

This is a mid-eighteenth century house which was altered the early nineteenth century. It has an L plan, is gable-ended and has a gable in the centre of the rere. The facade is of five bays and two storeys with rendered walils. The windows have limestone lintels, keystones in the mid-eighteenth manner and a round-headed blocked architrave doorcase, which appears to date from the mid-eighteenth century, though the two doric columns could date from circa 1820. However, the overall appearance of the house is gothic having four gothic turrets which were added to the facade about 1830. These have crenellations and linking parapets. Over the porch is a crest and a curious plaque with large figures on it. Interior not inspected. (A)

KILCLARE (North of Tullamore)

This is a house of circa 1775 with facade of five bays and two storeys. The walls are lined and rendered and it has a very fine tripartite doric doorcase with a venetian window over. The house has a hipped roof and is unfortunately fast becoming ruinous. (A)
In front of Kilclare is a folly tower (A)

KILCLONCORKY (East of Brackna)

It is an early-nineteenth century house with a five-bay two-storey facade and a pair of full height two-bay bows rather flat in appearance flanking the doorcase. This house seems to have been considerably altered in the mid-nineteenth century. (B)
The Lodge is a tiny three bay single storey house with a hipped roof and white rendered walls and glazing bars on the windows. (B)

KILDUFF (Near Tyrrellspass)

It is a fine transitional house of circa 1775 with Palladian proportion and details though neo-classical joinety inside. This is inconsistent and suggests that it could have been altered about twenty years after the house was actually built. The facade is of three bays and three storeys over a basement. It has lime rendered walls with a plat band over the ground floor and a cornice. The windows have fine N georgian glazing bars. The elevation to the north is of three bays with tiny attic windows squeezed in under the cornice and a fine Gibbsian doorcase with block architraves and a scroll keystone. The rere facade is of four bays. The front doorcase is comparable with that of Kilclare and is tri-partite with pilasters and pediment. The interior has a palladian layout though neo-classical cornices and chimney-pieces and joinery. For the plan see Craig's "Irish Houses". L (A&B) The out buildings are aligned to the north and have a central arch with bellcote over it. (A) The gate piers of the house are well detailed and have good ironwork in the piers of the house are well detailed and have good ironwork in the gates. (A&D)

KILFOYLAN (west-north-west from Clara)

An ivy covered ruin which has gable ends and a facade of five bays and three storeys.

KILLAVILLA, (Roscrea)

Is a small, apparently, early nineteenth century house possibly built in the late eighteenth century and altered. It has a facade of three bays and two storeys, with rendered walls and a round headed window under the gable at the front and an enclosed porch. It has a hipped roof and eaves and good stable buildings behind. (B)
A lodge of circa 1830's, low pitched roof, very deep eaves and a hot hexagon facade punctuated by the strip pilasters. The gates have simple piers. (B)

KILMURRAY (Five miles East-North-East of Tullamore

This is a T-plan, gable-ended farmhouse dating from about 1800. (B)

KILNAGARNAGH (north-west of Ferbane)

It is a ruin of a stone built gable-ended house with twin-stacks and two transverse walls and inset brickwork in the stacks. (B)

KINGSBOROUGH (East of Birr)

It is a small three bay, two-storey house with painted rendered walls, pediment with a half-moon window and a round headed doorcase. (B)

LARCH HOUSE Moneygall.

This is a large gable-ended farmhouse of three bays and three storeys with lime rendered walls and a simple round headed doorcase probably dating from 1810. (B)

LAUGHTON

This is an important late eighteenth century house which was re-built by the Pain brothers in the early nineteenth century. Originally it faced north and had a shallow full- height half-hexagon bow in the centre. It was turned around to face south and the doorcase put at one end so that the drawing and dining rooms date from the Pain Brothers renovation. The house has very fine detailing and is probably the Pain's finest classical work. Traces of the late eighteenth century decoration can be seen in the house as well as the early nineteenth century changes in internal layout. (A&D)

LAUREL HILL (Roscrea)

This is a small gable-ended, eighteenth century house which is exceptionally tall for its size. It is a T-plan, facade of three bays and two storeys over a basement with a centrally placed T-plan stack behind the roofline. The fenestration has been altered. (B)

LEAP CASTLE (Three miles south of Clareen)

It is a medieval tower-house of the fifteenth century with seventeenth, late sixteenth century additions at the north end. It also has eighteenth and nineteenth century additions on the south side. The early seventeenth century work consists of an extremely handsome chimney piece and a large oak beam underneath. This north wing has early eighteenth century windows on the walls with moulded window sills, base mould and cornice. Beside the house is a neo-gothic stable yard which has brick dressing and strangely pierced brick stacks, probably dating from the mid-nineteenth century.
(A&B)

LEITRIM HOUSE (West of Edenderry)

This is a simple, large farmhouse with three bays and three storeys, white painted rendered walls, gable-ends and round headed doorcase, block architrave dressings and dates from circa 1800. (B)

LISDERG HOUSE (Belmont Bridge)

Sometimes called Woodlands. This is a circa 1920 house with rough cut walls, mullioned windows with small panes, a high pitched roof, gables to the front and a full half-hexagon bow to one side. (A)
Towards Belmont cross, is a cottage of the same date and same style. (B)

LETTYBROOK

It is a very good mid-eighteenth century house with a square plan. The walls are battered, covered with line rendering and the roof is hipped with three hips to the rere. The facade is of three bays and two storeys over a basement, and has a fine Gibbsian doorcase, blocked architrave jambs and triple keystones. It has a small floating pediment at he centre of the front with a half moon window in it and the rere has two hips and a gable in the centre. The house was altered to some extent in the late nineteenth century. (A&D) The Lodge has a charming gothic doorcase. (B)

LISSANIERN HOUSE

It is a five-bay two-storey house which is plain and large but dates from the early nineteenth century.

LOWLAND HOUSE (Roscrea)

It is a three-bay, two-storey house with rendered walls and hipped roof and enclosed porch. It dates from the early nineteenth century. (B)

MARSHBROOK (Horseleap)

A small, early-nineteenth century house with a three-bay, two-storey facade over a basement, rendered walls and a hipped roof with paired brackets. The round-headed limestone doorcase has brackets under the impost blocks. The windows have had modern casement frames inserted. (list B)

MILLGROVE (Bracknagh)

On the Figile River. It is a T-Plan house of circa 1850 with gothic overtones, gables, and porch. The walls are rendered and it is quite plain. (B)

MILLTOWN PARK

This is a distinguished mid-eighteenth century house with an L-Plan. It is tall and gaunt and has an exceptionally fine façade of ashlar limestone, of three bays and three storeys with a pedimented break-front. Gibbsian doorcase and side lights, venetian window on the first floor and an oculus in the pediment. The cornice is of very high quality. The interior contains a rococo plaster work in the hall and neo-classical plaster work in other rooms. The house appears to date from circa 1750. (A&B)

MONASTERORIS (Edenderry)

Is a Palladian composition, though dating from the late eighteenth century circa 1780/1790. The house is of five bays and two storeys over a basement and has a three bay, pedimented break-front. The three windows at the centre form the tripartite grouping and are over a bowed porch which has doric coigns. The facade is of ashlar with raised dressings to the windows and there is a hipped roof. The wings are farm buildings and are hipped with blank arches at the ends.
(A)
The entrance gates consist of large quadrants with channelled gate piers and behind one of the quadrants is a curious D-plan lodge with blank arches. (B)

MONASTERORIS

This is a large farmhouse connected to mill buildings. The facade is rough cast, of seven bays and three storeys, with a hipped roof and L-plan. There are iron bars over the ground floor windows, in the centre is a fine round headed architraved limestone doorcase, dating from circa 1800. Beside the house are various very fine farm buildings. (A) The tiny three bay Lodge of circa 1850 has drip labels over the windows. (B)

MOSSFIELD (East of Birr.)

A Palladian house dated 1768 with a facade of five bays and two storeys over a basement, rendered walls, cemented in the late nineteenth century, and a pedimented breakfront, architraved square-headed doorcase and sidelights and a Venetian window and oculus in the pediment. The interior has a good staircase. (A&D)

MOUNT LUCAS

The house has gone but there is a good three-bay, two-storey house with a hipped roof and round headed doorcase on the south side of the road.

MOUNTWILSON HOUSE

Is in essence a late-eighteenth century house, though altered in the late nineteenth century. It has a facade of five bays, two storeys, painted lime rendered walls and gable ended. There is an added bow and also a porch. (B)

MOYALLY (Horseleap)

This is a small early-nineteenth century house on a much earlier site having fragmentary ruins of a medieval building to the north. The house has a three-bay, two-storey façade with lime-rendered walls, a hipped roof and a round-headed Midland-type limestone doorcase. The house is unoccupied. In front of the house is a simple arch. The gate-piers are roughly finished though from their proportions they appear to date from the early eighteenth century.

NEWTOWN HOUSE (Ballycollin)

House has gone. The gate piers are important. There are four piers of circa 1800 and walls linking outer piers, blank architraved pedesterian gates and fluted friezes to the caps.
(B)

NOGGIN (Tober, north west of Clara)

This is a ruin of a strange two-bay, two-storey house over a basement, which is gable-ended and has no stacks. Apparently the stack was in the centre of the house which makes it similar to the glebe house at Clareen. It appears to date from circa 1800. (B)

OAKWOOD (West of Shinrone)

An early 19th century villa, of three-bays and two storeys with half-hexagon bow, at the ends, rendered walls and a low-pitched roof with wide eaves in poor condition.

ORMSTON (Killeigh)

This is a mid-eighteenth century house, much altered in the any nineteenth century. It is gable-ended with battered walls and end stacks. The rhythm of the windows slows to the centre and the doorcase is gone though sidelights remain. The fenestration dates from the nineteenth century.
The interior includes a good mid-eighteenth century staircase. (B&D)

PROSPECT (Ballycumber)

It is a house similar to Kilclare, having a facade of five bays, and two storeys with rendered walls and triple grouping. In the centre over the doorcase. The doorcase has slender oric columns and is partially hidden by an enclosed porch. The house has a hipped roof and appears to date from circa 1780. (B)

PALLAS HOUSE

This is a ruin. An oblong house, possibly dating from the late eighteenth century with a facade of five bays and two storeys with battered walls. All the cut stone removed for Killeigh church. The house was ruined in the great wind of 1839. (B)

The ruined three arch pedimented lodge and gate piers about 1830 are very derelict but have interesting features in the large flutes for the frieze. (B)

RAHAN LODGE

Is an early-nineteenth century house with a facade of three bays and two storeys over a basement, yellow, lime rendered walls, hipped roof and eaves and a wide segmented-headed tetrastyle doric-doorcase. (B)

THE RETREAT HOUSE (Rahan)

Is a large U-plan building, with five bays and three storeys in the centre, and single bay advanced wings which come out by two bays forming a court yard entrance. This has a greekionic doorcase, and dated 1818. The chapel has extremely fine Evie Hone windows (B)

RATHENNY

A delightful and excellent example of early nineteenth century architectural delicacy. This neo-classical essay has a three-bay, two storey façade with lime-rendered walls, basemould, parapet and cavetto cornice. The windows are all original, containing much original glass, though that in the Doric doorcase is finely detailed and has leaded sidelights and fanlight. The interior is simple though confidently handled. (list A&D)

RATHMOYLE Rhode

Is not seen and will need to be seen!

RATHROBIN

Is now a ruin, built in the late nineteenth century (about 1895) by Sir Thomas Drew and is of particular interest being of massed concrete throughout with cement rendering on the outside. The silhouette, seen through the ivy, is shown to have gables, dormers, and large tower with stone mullions to the windows. There is an early seventeenth century mullion window inset in one of the yard buildings. (A)

RIDGEMOUNT (Kilcormac)

This is a ruin of five bays and two storeys with lime rendered walls, the doorcase is gone, but there is a triple window over it. The west end is bowed and the east end is straight. - It has four stacks and dates from circa 1820.

ROCKFIELD

It is a five-bay, two-storey house with gable ends, rendered wails, and raised coigns. It is a T-plan with a large return. (B)

RUTLAND (One and a half miles south-east of Shinrone)

A large block of a house with a five-bay, three-storey facade, now cement rendered. The house dates from the eighteenth century and was originally only two-storied. It had plain, raised sandstone dressings to the windows (an unusual feature) and raised coigns. In circa 1812 a further storey was added to the house. In this storey the windows were given sandstone dressings with keystones though the raised coigns are of limestone. The porch, which has two slender doric columns, appears to date from this period though the ground floor windows were altered in the late nineteenth century. The roof is hipped and there are three gables at the rere. Interior not inspected. (B)

SANDVILLE (West of Kinnity)

Is an attractive single-storey, three-bay, hipped-roof house with an rectangular fanlight of circa 1800. (B)

SHEEN HOUSE

It is a simple but pleasant house with rendered walls and hipped roof a facade of four bays and two storeys (of circa 1840) (B)

SHEPHERD'S WOOD Tullamore

This is a house by Michael Scott for the Williams family.
(A&D)

SPRINGFIELD (Mountlucas)

A good late- eighteenth century house which is gable ended and roofed in two spans. The seven-bay, two-storey facade has a three-bay, pedimented breakfront with a strip cornice. The rhythm of the windows in the breakfront have a vestige of a venetian grouping. The wide square-headed doorcase has a simple architraved moulding, the walls are lime rendered and painted and the windows have georgian glazing-bars. Interior not inspected. (list B)

SPRINGFIELD (Horseleap)

This appears to be a late eighteenth or early nineteenth century house renovated in the mid nineteenth century. It is gable ended and has a three bay, two storey facade with lined and rendered walls, architraves to the windows, brackets under the sills, a frieze with pateras and paired blocks to the eaves. The doric, limestone doorcase has a leaded fanlight and is set in an enclosed porch. Either side of the house are crenellated, single- storey wings. (B)

SPRINGLAWN

Is a simple three-bay, two-storey house of circa 1840 with a doric doorcase in antis, and rendered walls, a hipped roof and georgian glazing bars in the windows. It is north west of Clara. (B)

STRAWBERRY HILL (One mile north of Cloghan)

The house is a very strange conglomerate, all in the gothic idiom though built in two different styles. The main house is entered on the top floor, though this facade has been altered in recent times thereby making it impossible to establish the original form of the facade. At the rere it has seven bays of tall pointed windows on the main, first floor and a steep pitched, hipped roof. At the south end is a "castle" with gothic screen walls as in Whigsborough and other houses. Interior not inspected. (list A)
On the west side of the road is a tiny eye-hole and on the east side of the road gothic farm buildings which incorporate a rustic grotesque archway. (Both list A)

STREAMSTOWN

East of Birr on the Kinnity road.

This is a simple farmhouse with a segmented headed doorcase and sidelight, with a steep roof. Probably dating from the first half of the eighteenth century. There is a good avenue with trees. (B)

SYNGEFIELD (Birr)

Has magnificant tall stone gate piers dating from the early eighteenth century. The house is mid-eighteenth century, two storeys, with venetian windows and doorcase, and one on each floor at the left and once at the right end though burnt and demolished. It has lime-rendered walls and Georgian glazing bars. The rere of the house has two large gables thereby forming a U-plan. The interior has a handsome mid-eighteenth century staircase and the rooms contain heavy cornices. (A & D)

THOMASTOWN HOUSE

The house is gone though the gates survive. There are four limestone piers and pedestrian gates one of them blank, the other with an iron gate. The pedimented lodge has gothic windows flanking the doorcase and a blank half-moon window over. (B)

TOBER

This is a late-eighteenth century house to the south of Tober and scroll keystones. It has a facade of five bays and two storeys. (B)

TOBERDALY

An interesting large hilltop complex including a medieval tower-house and a late eighteenth century gothic octagon on top, vaulting, bawn walls etc., and one range of stable buildings which is still occupied. (A)
The ruins of the house. (A)
To the north is a nice three-bay, two-storey house with a round-headed doorway with a porch and a horse-shoe arch dated 1880. (B)

TULLY

The house is in ruins, dates from circa 1820 and has a facade of three bays and three storeys with a doorcase off centre. There is a shallow bow on the return wall. Perhaps of greater interest is the mill which has a very large channel though the mill buildings seem to have disappeared. (B)

TWICKENHAM (Ballycumber)

Is much altered. It has a facade of five bays and storeys, rendered walls and hipped roof and dates from late eighteenth century. (B)

URNEY HOUSE (Raheen, South East of Tullamore)

Is a small three-bay, two-storey house dating from the early nineteenth century. A very plain, but very satisfying house.
(B)

WHIGSBOROUGH

Is a late-eighteenth century house, of three bays and two storeys over a basement with rendered walls and round-headed doric doorcase with a fanlight. On the left hand side, a single-bay two-storey section has been added and on the right hand side a single-bay single-storey addition. (A&D)
At the end of the stables is a gothic tower which has pointed windows and provincial crenellations, possibly late eighteenth century. The gate piers are channelled and have swags on the friezes. (B)
The interior of the house is good. (D)

WILLIAM BROOK (Birr)

Is a three-bay single-storey house over a basement, possibly re-building of an earlier house. It has large windows with wide elliptical-headed doorcase, white rough-cast, half-hexagon bows with transom and mullion windows, a hipped roof and the rere elevation which indicates that the house is earlier than the date of 1830/1840 which the bay windows suggest. (B)

WILLIAMS FORT

Is a small three bay, two storey house with rough cast walls, georgian glazing bars, and tripartite window over a wide elliptical headed timber door, dating from circa 1830. (B)

WOODFIELD (Tullynisk, Birr)

This is an important neo-classical house of circa 1820 with a five-bay, two-storey facade which has lime-rendered walls and raised coigns. In the centre is a two storey blank arch which has a ribbed, gothic moulding and an exceptionally wide tripartite ionic doorcase set in a fluted scooped surround and carved to a very high standard. The windows have original georgian glazing bars and glass and the low-pitched, hipped roof has wide eaves and brackets. The hall has a gothic, vaulted ceiling and the other rooms are well detailed. (List A&B)

WOODFIELD (Clara)

Is an important early-eighteenth century, gable-ended house, with a facade of three bays, and two storeys, originally perhaps of five bays. The walls are rendered and have a cornice. The fenestration was altered in the early nineteenth century so that it has tripartite windows. Over the centre is a floating pediment with a very squashed oculus. The pedimented architrave doorcase has scroll brackets and dates from circa 1720.
The interior was slightly altered in about 1920. (A&D)

Seventeenth Century Houses

BALLINTEMPLE OLD GLEBE HOUSE

Is an unusual, late-seventeenth century house with assymetrical placed windows on a three bay, two storey façade. It has gable-end stacks with a further stack at the centre of the rere. The house is in ruins (A)

BALLYCOWAN

This is a fine, large, early seventeenth century stronghouse with a T-plan. The southwest corner has gone but otherwise it is very well preserved. It has fine chimney stacks and a good armorial of the Herbert family over the door.
Beside the castle is a long range with a five bay, single storey house, camping out in the early seventeenth century gable-ends. At the east end is an early seventeenth century window but there is more at the west end. (A)
The canal aquaduct is beside the castle. (A)

CASTLETOWN GROGAN (West of Ballycumber)

Is an important transitional house probably dating from the early seventeenth century. It is gable-ended with two storeys, and with pointed doorcase. The interior has a spiral staircase in the south-east corner which is a very unusual feature for a gable-ended house. There appear to have been vaulted rooms along the front of the building which is another strange feature. (List A)
This house should be carefully surveyed and recorded.
The walls in the vicinity of the house and the garden layout are important. (A)

CLOGHAN CASTLE

Already mentioned under country houses.

DUNGAR CASTLE

Is a cylindrical tower house with a cylindrical staircase.

LAUGHTON

This tower house is at the south end of the Park. It is a very fine, probably late sixteenth century example which has bartizans, is still roofed, and has a pointed doorcase (A)

LISCLOONEY CASTLE (Three-quarters of a mile west of Clononey)

It has only one gable, and part of the side wall left of what was a seventeenth century fortified house. There is some brick work in the stacks. (A)

SRAGH CASTLE (Tullamore)

This is an important tower house of circa 1588 in date with a variety of defensive features. To the west of the castle are the remains of a range of buildings probably seventeenth century in date. (A)

Venacular Houses

BALLYBOY

On the Birr-Banagher road. A well-kept, four-bay, thatched cottage. (list B)

CLASHAWAUN Clara.

On the Clara side of the railway bridge on the road to Ballycumber is a three-bay, thatched cottage which is gable-ended and has an asymetrical arrangement of tiny barred windows. (list A)

CUSHINA (north of Portarlington)

Thatched cottage at the north side of the hill. small porch. (B)

CLONSAST LOWER

On the north side of the road. A long, six-bay thatched cottage with mid nineteenth century glazing bars in windows.
(A)

DERRYCLURE

North of the wood on the west side of the road is a four-bay, thatched cottage which is similar to the other cottage in Derryclure Wood. (list B)

DERRYCLURE WOOD

On the Killeigh road.

On the west side of the road is a venacular cottage of four bays, with white-washed walls, and thatched, hipped roof: possibly mud built. (B)

GALROS (Cloghan)

On the road west of Cloghan, is a good vernacular cottage. (B)

KILCOMIN West of Shinrone

Facing south, in front of the windmill building is an eighteenth century farmhouse, gable ended with a façade of four bays and two storeys. (List B)

KILLURIN

On the west side of the road is a four bay, two-storey, gable-ended, lime-rendered farmhouse, with porch with side lights to a plain door. (B)

LEA BEG (Six miles east of Cloghan)

It is a fine venacular thatched cottage. (A)

SCONCE (west of Annaghmore)

Is a thatched cottage, with white-washed battered walls, gable ended and thatched roof, cobbles in front. (A)

Miscellaneous

BALLINACARRIG MILLS (East of Ballyboy)

Derelict mill building beside a three arch bridge which has a flood arch. The mill has nice Clonaslee rubble stone, and is of three storeys. (B)

BALLYBURLEY

The church is gone and the house is gone too. There is one large farm building left, built of coursed rubble limestone rendered. (B)

BELMONT

A very fine stone weir across the river, a five arch bridge with cut waters and refuges (A) Also a huge mill, partially derelict. (B)

BLUEBALL DISPENSERY (West of Tullamore)

Is an early twentieth century building with rendered walls and brick courses. There are brick segmented lintels to the windows, one gable to the front, three bays, two storeys and limestone jambs to the canted doorcase, transom and mullion windows. (B)

BROOKFIELD

At Brookfield are a pair of estate houses dated 1842, which are entered from the rere, built of yellow brick and string course and base mould. They have a single bay each on the advanced gables, high pitched roof and pierced barge boarding. The wide windows are mullioned and there is a 'C' monogram on each house. (A)

CASTLEGARDEN (BANAGHER)

On the north side of the road, opposite the former distillery, is a row of mid-nineteenth century artisans houses. They are built of yellow brick with dormer windows and pierced bargeboarding (List B)

CASTLEGARDEN
The Distillery. Not inspected for this report.
(B)

CHARLEVILLE (Crossroads for Kinnitty & Birr)

A single-storey estate cottage, built of yellow brick, which is gable-ended and has eaves and is similar to the previous entry. The advanced gable has a 'C' monogram.

CLONEYGOWAN HOUSE

The house is in ruins but in front of it is a dove-cote in the form of four arch structure with square plan piers, round headed arches at the base and blank arches on the first floor. It once had a pyramid roof and it appears to date from the early eighteenth century. (B)

To the east of the house is an ivy covered arch. Beside the house is a canalized river, and there is a bridge over that. The gate piers are ruinous but indicate an early eighteenth century date. The top stone caps and balls are buried in the ground.

DIGBY BRIDGE

On the Grand Canal, one mile east of Tullamore, dated 1797, and has a lock-keeper's house beside it. There is another larger, and more interesting lock-keeper's house about three quarters of a mile to the west, apparently inaccessible but with castellated porch. (Boland's near Tullamore.) (B)

ESKER BRIDGE

There is a two-storey constabulary barracks which has towers set on diagonally opposite corners. The rusticated porch is dated 1874. (B)

FIVE ALLEY (north-East of Eglish)

Dermody's has a good shop-front with simple timber pilasters and good lettering.

GARRYHINCH- PORTARLINGTON GOLF CLUB

This is a mid-nineteenth century gothic lodge built on ashlar limestone with channeled reveals to the windows, gables and pierced barge-boarding, gothic gate piers with pyramidal caps. (B)

GEASHILL STATION

This is a very fine example of a mid-nineteenth century gothic railway station perhaps dating from, circa 1850, built of ashlar limestone with station master's house combined. The roof is high pitched and it has paired lancet windows. Beside the station is a goods shed with a low pitched eaved roof. (A)

CORNMILL AT GOLDEN GROVE

The mill is a large early-nineteenth century mill building with half hipped roof and beside it is a house with a large central bay, rendered walls and raised coigns. (B)

GORTEEN FORGE

At the house (west corner of cross roads) is a forge with a horseshoe arch. The arch is painted with aluminum paint, which is rather unsuitable. The forge has coursed rubble, with eaves to the roof. (B)

GORTEEN BRIDGE

Dated 1779. Randal Coates Esq., Overseer. It has three arches and a flat deck, the parapets have been modernized and it still has cutwaters on the upstream side. (B)

GORTNAMONA

The school at the east entrance to Gortnamona is a T-plan, dating 1897 and looks earlier. It has a gable on the front and stacks behind the gable. It is now no longer in use. (B)

GRANGE HOUSE (Clareen)

The stables date from the early nineteenth century. (B)

GREENHILLS HOUSE

The house is gone but the buildings remaining include the lodge which has a pedimented frontispiece which has two round-headed arches with square-plan piers. (B)
And one large farm building with a fine elliptical headed arch at the gable-end and limestone dressings. (B)
The stable range has tall square-headed doors, and round headed windows between them. All with fine dressings of circa 1790 (B)

KILCOMIN (West of Shinrone)

On the west side of the river is an interesting complex of buildings incorporated into the walls and ruins of the abbey. There is nothing of tangible architectural merit yet the sum of the parts makes it an important site. (list B)

KILADERRY GRAVEYARD

Graveyard gates with primitive carving on one of them. (B)

LAUGHTON

To the north of the Church of Ireland is an L-plan group of estate cottages with lime-renedered walls, diamond paned windows, eaves and attic windows. (list B)

MILGROVE BRIDGE (West of Bracknagh)

The bridge has five arches also small arches and dates from the eighteenth century. (B)

MILL AT MOUNT ST. JOSEPH

Is a massive eighteenth or early nineteenth century building. (B)

MOYSTOWN

The mill building is derelict, roofless and there is a walled garden to the left of the house.

MULLAGH TOWER

A small early nineteenth century folly tower of two cylinders, with rendered walls and pointed ope with brick dressings (approximately twenty feet high) (B)

RATH

Opposite the church already mentioned, is a four bay, two-storey house, rough cast, with Georgian glazing bars in the windows and an arch. (B)

TINNAMUCK (West of Ballycumber)

This is Tinnamuck spire, a turreted folly tower. (B)

LIST OF HOUSES WHICH HAVE DISAPPEARED

BALLYBURLY HOUSE & CHURCH AT RHODE

GREENHILLS (see list):

LAURELHILL (between Rhode & Edenderry)

BALLYCOLGAN (Killen)

MILLMOUNT (Killan)

MOUNT LUCAS (Daingean)

SILVER HILL (Moneygall)

CULLENWAINE (Moneygall)

KILLURINE (Tullamore)

KILLOULEY (Tullamore)

MULLAGH (Tullamore)

NEWTOWN (Geashill)

FINTER LODGE (Killeigh)

WOODFIELD (Cloneygowan)

SCREGGAN MANOR (Tullamore)

GEASHILL (GLEBE HOUSE) (Geashill)

GARRYHINCH (see list) (PORTARLINGTON)

BROGHALL HOUSE (Kilcormac)

DERRENBOY (Kilcormac)

THOMASTOWN HOUSE (Kilcormac)

DROUGHTVILLE (Kinnity)

THE RATH HOUSE (Kinnity)

BALLINALINTA HOUSE (Kinnity)

KILCURLEY (Clara)

BIRDVILLE (Ballycumber)

BALLYLIN (Ferbane)

MOYCLARE (Ferbane)

BALLYMOONEY HOUSE (Ballinagar)

CLONEARL (Daingean) see list

BENTLY HOUSE (Clareen)

KILLENBEIGHEAN (Birr)

CLOGHAN HOUSE (Birr)

RATHMORE (Birr)

GRANGE HOUSE (Clareen)

GRANGEMORE (Birr)

GOLDEN GROVE (Roscrea)

ANNERVILLE (Shinrone)

OAKWOOD HOUSE (Shinrone)

GLENALOGHAN HOUSE (Dunkerrin)

FRANKFORT CASTLE (Dunkerrin)

DUNKERRIN HOUSE

KILMANTOGUE (Rathangan)

BARROW BANK (Portarlington)

CLOONALOUGHLAN (Cloughjordan)

GLASS HOUSE (Shinrone)

MOUNTCARTERET (Banagher)

Back to List

Site Hosted by Dotser

A-Z of Offaly - About Offaly - Community History - Famous People - Photographs - Maps - Town Crests - 19th Century Offaly