Tanrego House, Ballsadare, Sligo

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. 270. “(Verschoyle/IFR) A plain two storey ‘L’ shaped Georgian house. The home of the father of Derek Verschloyle, poet, literary editor of Spectator and reputed model for Peter Beste-Cherwynde in Evelyn Waugh’s novel, Decline and Fall.” 

https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/32401922/tanrego-house-tanrego-east-or-carrowmore-beltra-co-sligo

Detached six-bay two-storey rendered house, built c. 1790. Main house consists of two offset wings running north-south with further wing to north-east separated from north wing by narrow yard. Hipped artificial slate roofs, clay ridge and hip tiles, ashlar limestone corbelled chimneystacks, deep moulded cast-iron gutters on cast-iron brackets on overhanging eaves. Painted roughcast walling. Square-headed window openings, smooth-rendered reveals, limestone sills, painted six-over-six timber sash windows. Gabled ashlar limestone doorcases with columns on square bases flanking door openings, limestone steps c. 2000. Round-headed door opening to east elevation south wing, decorative fanlight, painted timber door with six raised-and-fielded panels c. 2000. Square-headed door opening to west elevation north wing, decorative oblong overlight, painted multi-pane timber door c. 2000. Extensive rubble stone outbuildings. Set in heavily wooded location at end of long approach road.

Appraisal

This unplanned, sprawling, house in a secluded location on the shore of Sligo Bay retains evidence of its evolution through time and retains many original features including fenestration and some interesting details such as the elaborate cast-iron gutter brackets. Original outbuildings have been refurbished.

http://landedestates.nuigalway.ie/LandedEstates/jsp/property-list.jsp?letter=T

In 1786 Wilson writes that Mr. Irwin’s property was situated “on the right of Strandhouse Inn” and nearby was Tanrago, the seat of Mr. Dodwell. At the time of Griffith’s Valuation, Capt.Richard Olpherts was occupying a house at Tanrego, barony of Tireragh. In 1894 Slater refers to Tanregoe as the seat of Richard Verschoyle. In 1906 Tanrego was the property of Richard J. Verschoyle and was valued at £25. It is still extant and occupied.