Ballynaparka, Cappoquin, Co Waterford
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. 26. “(Davis-Goff, Bt/PB; Villiers-Stuart/IFR) A two storey double bow-fronted early C19 house with an eaved roof. The home of the parents of Muriel Bowen, the writer and journalist; afterwards the home of Ernest Davis-Goff, 3rd and present Bt; now of Mr and Mrs James Villiers-Stuart, who formerly lived at Dromana, nearby.”
Detached five-bay two-storey over basement house, c.1820, retaining most original fenestration with single-bay single-storey flat-roofed projecting porch to centre ground floor, two-bay two-storey shallow bowed flanking end bays, three-bay two-storey side elevations, and three-bay three-storey rear (east) elevation. Part refenestrated, c.1995. Shallow hipped slate roofs on a quadrangular plan (half-conical to shallow bowed bays) with clay ridge tiles, rendered chimney stacks, and cast-iron rainwater goods on overhanging rendered eaves. Flat roof to porch not visible behind parapet. Unpainted (ivy-clad) rendered, ruled and lined walls (painted to side (north) and to rear (east) elevations) with rendered band to eaves, and rendered piers to porch supporting moulded stringcourse/cornice having blocking course to parapet. Square-headed window openings (in tripartite arrangement to centre first floor; some in bipartite arrangement to basement) with cut-stone sills. 6/6 and 9/6 timber sash windows with 2/2 sidelights to tripartite opening, 4/4 timber sash windows to bipartite openings, one 16/12 timber sash window to rear (east) elevation, and some replacement replica windows, c.1995, throughout. Elliptical-headed window opening to porch in tripartite arrangement with cut-stone sill, fixed-pane timber window having bas-relief mullions, and spoked fanlight. Round-headed door opening to porch with rendered surround having archivolt, timber panelled door, and fanlight. Elliptical-headed door opening to house with timber doorcase, timber panelled double doors, sidelights having margins, and spoked fanlight. Interior with timber panelled shutters to window openings. Set back from road in own grounds with gravel forecourt, and landscaped grounds to site including shallow terrace to south-west with flight of six cut-stone steps having cut-stone parapets. (ii) Attached three-bay single-storey over raised basement range, c.1920, to north-east flanking service courtyard with square-headed carriageway to basement level. Roof not visible behind parapet (probably flat) with cast-iron rainwater goods on slightly overhanging rendered eaves. Unpainted roughcast walls with battlemented parapet. Square-headed window openings with concrete sills, and timber casement windows. Square-headed door opening approached by flight of steps with timber panelled door. Square-headed carriageway to basement level with timber panelled door. (iii) Detached single-bay two-storey outbuilding, c.1920, to south-east flanking service courtyard. Roof not visible behind parapet (probably flat). Unpainted roughcast walls with rendered battlement parapet on rendered stringcourse. Shallow segmental-headed window opening to ground floor with concrete sill, and square-headed window opening to first floor with no sill. Fixed-pane iron windows. Square-headed door opening with timber door. (iv) Gateway, c.1820, to east (accessing service courtyard) comprising elliptical-headed opening with unpainted rendered flanking piers supporting parapet with rendered stringcourse, blocking course, timber boarded double doors, and sections of unpainted roughcast recessed flanking walls having rendered coping. (v) Gateway, c.1820, to north comprising pair of inscribed unpainted rendered piers having chamfered corners, moulded rendered capping, cast-iron double gates, sections of unpainted rendered panelled flanking walls on L-shaped plans leading to inscribed unpainted rendered outer piers, and unpainted rendered panelled flanking walls extending into unpainted fine roughcast curved walls having unpainted rendered piers, and unpainted fine roughcast boundary wall to perimeter of site over random rubble stone construction.
Appraisal
An elegantly-composed substantial house incorporating a variety of features characteristic of the Regency period, including shallow bowed bays, and overhanging eaves, which enhance the architectural value of the site. Very well maintained, the house retains most of its original form and early fabric, both to the exterior and to the interior. A range of attendant outbuildings forming a service complex augment the group value of the site, while a gateway of undulating profile makes a strong visual statement in the landscape. The house is of additional importance in the locality for its historic associations with the Bowen, Davis-Goff, and Villiers-Stuart families.
Irish Historic Houses 
