Country house

The National Monuments Service's description

Ornate 3-storey 19th-century castellated house, on site of and possibly incorporating part of earlier castle (14297). Entrance front (S) has central block with embattled parapet, flanked by taller 4-storey semicircular embattled towers with fake machicolations, upper windows blocked. Central 1-storey embattled porch of ashlar limestone with tall corner turrets. Double sash windows of various sizes throughout front elevation with switchline tracery with block and start limestone surround and hood mouldings. Front portion of W elevation blank with embattled parapet and false machicolations; slim tall embattled tower at N end. East elevation of 4 storeys; irregular fenestration, upper-floor windows blocked. Embattled parapet has short machicolation at S end, and central turret-like machicolation. Date stone at N end of parapet wall inscribed "1613/T/W/I". Long 3-storey rear elevation with irregular fenestration; roughly central is 3-storey, 5-sided projection. Hipped roof with central valley; chimneys off-centre, on rear wall and on E end wall.
Present house 'rebuilt' (Lewis 1837, vol. 2, 389) c. 1830s by E. Badham Thornhill; designed by architect named Flood (Bence-Jones 1978, 71). Castle (14297) shown here on Down Survey (1655-6) barony map. Some of internal dividing walls of present house are c. 1m thick, suggesting house incorporates parts of earlier structure. On top of a high wall at back of house is carved human head (known as Cromwell's Head): facial features indistinct but wearing hear covering, neck ribbed. Farm buildings to NE. Partially blocked pointed door ope in field wall to W- keystone inscribed with date "1831".

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 4: North Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2000). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009