House - 17th century

The National Monuments Service's description

Built by Edward Coyle in 1645, Gortnarapa was was bought by Capt. John Sproule and re-roofed in 1675. It was abandoned in 1824 (RIA Upton papers No. 7: see this web-page access on 23/10/2015; http://www.ria.ie/getmedia/3a3e5df7-6c7c-41a4-b009-658b35b85d5f/Upton-Catalogue.pdf). Gortfadda is represented without a house on the Strafford map of Athlone barony c. 1636 but it could be the house represented in neighbouring Kilmass (Simington 1949, Athlone (, 301302)). Edmund Coyle owned 57 acres at Gortfadda and the unknown Gortnegappagh in 1641 while the bishop owned the 97 acres of Kilmass (ibid. 116).
Situated in a low-lying landscape with a broad basin to the S. This is a rectangular three storey, three bay structure (int. dims 9.4m NW-SE; 5.2m NE-SW) with a stairs return (int. dims 3.25m NE-SW; 2.45m NW-SE) at the centre of the SW wall. There are good quoins but the front (NE) wall, which had a string course over the second floor, does not survive. There are simple lights and chimney stacks projecting inwards on the NW and SE gables, with larger widows with chamfered limestone surrounds on the SW wall. The walled garden (RO045-069002-) is c. 30m to the NW and may be contemporary.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of revised upload: 23 October, 2015

References

Simington, R.C. (ed.) 1949 Books of survey and distribution. County of Roscommon. Dublin. Stationery Office.