House - 18th/19th century

The National Monuments Service's description

Located within the curtain wall of Roscrea castle (TN012-010007-). Known as 'Damer House', this is an early eighteenth-century house, three storeys over basement with nine bays, built of coursed sandstone rubble. It has simple architraves, keystones and moulded sills and a cornice, wide eaves and hipped roof in the early eighteenth-century style (Craig 1982, 22). The central doorway, with steps up to it, has fluted Corinthian pilasters and a scroll pediment. It has retained its original carved staircase which is elaborately panelled underneath (ibid). The house was used as a barracks for most of the nineteenth century, then as a school, after which it housed the County Library and Engineering Offices (Bence-Jones 1988, 99). After a period of neglect the building was saved from demolition in the 1970s by the Irish Georgian Society and restored (ibid.) .

The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Tipperary. Vol. 1 - North Tipperary' compiled by Jean Farrelly and Caimin O'Brien (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2002). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload/revision: 22 September 2008

References

Craig, M. 1982 The architecture of Ireland from the earliest times to 1880. Dublin. Eason and Son Ltd. London. Batsford.

Bence-Jones, M. 1988 A guide to Irish country houses. London