Rathescar, Dunleer, Co Louth 

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. 239. “(Foster-Vesey-Fitzgerald/IFR) A house originally built soon after mid-C18 by the Fosters, and greatly enlarged and altered early C19 by J.L. Foster, MP, afterwards Judge of Common Pleas. The C18 house forms the centre of the principal front: a three storey three bay gable-ended block with the top storey treated as an attic above the cornice. On either side of it are two storey one bay overlapping wings. In the lower storey of the wings there are Wyatt windows, set in arched recesses going down to the ground; there are similar arched recessed in the three lower storeys; presumably these date from an early C19 refacing. The centre block has a deep open Doric porch, a Wyatt window on either side of it and a central die on the roof parapet; all of which would also be early C19. The left-hand wing extends back to form a two storey adjoining front of eight bays with a two bay central breakfront and a trellised porch. From the centre of the house sprouts an odd round tower, rather like the top of a lighthouse; with rectangular windows all round it, a frill of pierced battlements and a conical roof. This might be thought to be a Victorian eccentricity, but in fact it dates from early C19, and could derive from the C18 central attic-towers of Ancketill’s Grove and Gola in the neighbouring county of Monaghan. Sold 1850s to the Henry family.” 

https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/13901826/rathescar-co-louth

Detached three-bay three-storey house, built c. 1760. Single-bay two-storey wings to north and south c. 1830, round rendered tower to rear (west) with pierced battlements and conical copper roof c. 1830, entrance portico to east, domed glass house to south-west; decorative covered veranda to south elevation. Pitched slate roof, hipped to north and south wings, red brick chimneystacks with dressed limestone corbelled courses and caps, gutter hidden by parapet, cast-iron hoppers, circular cast-iron downpipes. Smooth rendered ruled-and-lined walling, frieze with patera separating first and second floors, surmounted by moulded sill course to second floor windows, stone parapet; segmental-headed recessed blind arches, moulded rendered surround, running from ground to first floor on main house and ground floor to wings, block-and-start quoins to wings. Square-headed window openings, tooled limestone sills, painted timber tripartite windows to ground floor, six-over-six sliding sash windows to first floor, three-over-three to second floor. Doric portico to east, painted timber columns and pilasters to plain frieze and cornice, square-headed door opening, painted timber double doors with eight flat panels, two limestone steps to entrance, limestone entrance platform to portico. House opens onto oval grassed area, stableyard to north, approached by long avenue, through fields to east. 

Appraisal 

Rathescar is a fascinating example of a country house which has been enlarged and enhanced at various stages through the centuries. Originally a hunting lodge, the addition of two wings increased its importance and the delightfully eccentric observation tower which resembles a land-locked lighthouse adds to its architectural significance, in addition, the delightful curved glass house adds to its technical significance.