Boakefield, Ballitore, Co Kildare
Mark Bence-Jones. A Guide to Irish Country Houses (originally published as Burke’s Guide to Country Houses volume 1 Ireland by Burke’s Peerage Ltd. 1978); Revised edition 1988 Constable and Company Ltd, London.
p. 45. “A two storey five bay mid-C18 house with a high-pitched roof and a rusticated doorway; the front being prolonged by lower wings which though they appear to be contemporary and balance each other in size, are asymmetrical as regards fenestration. The seat of the Boake family.”
Detached five-bay two-storey Classical-style house, c.1770, possibly over basement retaining early fenestration with square-headed door opening to centre ground floor, five-bay two-storey lower lateral wing to north-east and three-bay double-height lower lateral wing to south-west. Refenestrated, c.1990, to wing to north-east. Hipped roof to central block with slate. Hipped gabled roof to lateral wing to north-east with slate. Gable-ended roof to lateral wing to south-west with slate. Clay ridge tiles. Rendered chimney stacks. Cast-iron rainwater goods on rendered eaves course. Rendered walls. Painted. Square-headed window openings. Stone sills. Early 1/1 timber sash windows to central bock. Early 2/2/2 timber sash windows to lateral wing to south-west. Replacement uPVC casement and fixed-pane windows to lateral wing to north-east. Square-headed door opening to central block. Cut-stone Gibbsian surround with double keystone. Timber panelled door. Square-headed door opening to lateral wing to north-east. Cut-stone block-and-start doorcase with keystone. Replacement glazed timber door, c.1990. Set back from road in own grounds. Gravel forecourt to front. Attached two-bay double-height lower outbuilding, c.1775, to south-west retaining early aspect. Gable-ended roof with slate. Clay ridge tiles. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Roughcast walls. Unpainted. Openings not visible (no openings to front (south-east) elevation).
Appraisal
Boakefield (House) is a fine, Classically-balanced substantial Georgian country house of the mid to late eighteenth century that has been well-maintained to present an early aspect. The scale and fine detailing of the house suggest that it was originally built by a patron of high status in the locality, and it is therefore of social and historic interest, representing the formal architecture employed by the middle class at the time – the house is one of the largest private residences in the immediate vicinity of Ballitore. Composed of graceful proportions, the central block of the house is a prominent feature in the landscape, soaring above the surrounding landscape, and is complemented by the lateral wings. The house retains many important early or original features and materials, including timber sash fenestration (with an unusual triple sash arrangement to the lateral wing to south-west) and cut-stone doorcases – the re-instatement of traditional-style timber fenestration to the wing to north-east would benefit the entire composition. Without extraneous ornamentation, the only concession to decoration are the fine cut-stone doorcases to ground floor, the opening to the central block retaining early fittings. The retention of an early external aspect suggests that the house may retain early or original features and fittings of note to the interior. The house is an important component of the architectural heritage of Ballitore and has been well-maintained for the benefit of future generations.
Irish Historic Houses 