Rapla, Nenagh, Co Tipperary
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. 238. (Willington.LGI1958) a C18 house of three storeys over basement, 5 bays…now a ruin.”
Listed in Vanishing Country Houses of Ireland by The Knight of Glin, David J. Griffin and Nicholas K. Robinson, published by The Irish Architectural Archive and The Irish Georgian Society, 1988.
Outbuildings of now-demolished Rapla House, built c. 1760, comprising central courtyard with ranges to north, west and south. Pitched and hipped slate roofs with rubble limestone walls. Multiple-bay two-storey north range, now partly in use as house. Building has rendered chimneystacks and square-headed openings having replacement timber windows, cut limestone sills and dressed limestone voussoirs, and timber panelled door with carved limestone surround with keystone. Building has advanced three-bay part to west containing integral carriage arch converted to window. Single- and two-storey west range has rendered rubble limestone walls, brick and dressed limestone carriage arches and doorways with cut limestone surrounds with keystones and timber matchboard doors. South range has rendered rubble walls. Dressed limestone piers to entrance gateway having cast-iron gates. Cut stone piers to road entrance with wheel guards.
Appraisal
These former stables set around a central courtyard retain their original form and structure. The buildings are enhanced by the retention of original features and materials such as the slate roof and limestone sills. The outbuildings are of apparent architectural design, which create a picturesque ferme ornée. The limestone surrounds to the doorways are skillfully carved and are clearly the work of competent craftsmen. The decorative scheme is understated, unified and of high quality. This group of stables form part of a group of demesne structures, which includes an icehouse related to the now demolished Rapla House.
Irish Historic Houses 