Avonmore, Annamoe, Co Wicklow
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. 15. “A two storey Georgian house with an unusually long front of 11 bays. Eaved roof, entrance door not central.”
Avonmore House, CASTLEKEVIN, County Wicklow
Detached seven-bay two-storey house, built c.1830 but extended by four bays to the north side in similar style c.1955. The building is roughly a backward ‘C’ shape in plan with full-height outer projections to the rear. An attic storey has been created to the rear- probably also in c.1955, and to the south is a conservatory with ogee shaped roof. The walls of the original section are in rubble, whilst those of the extension are in squared rubble, with granite quoins and brick window surrounds to both sections. The attic extension is finished in unpainted roughcast. The roof is largely hipped and slated with an overhang supported on paired brackets, however the roof of the attic extension is flat. To the rear there are some roof lights and a small flat-roofed dormer; tall rendered chimneystacks. The entrance is set in an off-centre position and consists of a panelled timber door with plain sidelights, panelled pilasters with decorative brackets supporting an entablature and an elliptical fanlight with decorative tracery. Stone steps lead to the doorway. The windows are largely flat-headed and largely filled with six over six timber sash frames. There is a small Palladian window to the north elevation. Cast-iron rainwater goods. The house is set within its own extensive grounds.
Appraisal
This house is one of those rare pre 1900s buildings which have arguably benefited rather than suffered from mid 20th-century changes, the tasteful 1950s extension complimenting the original building and giving the whole structure an unassuming grandeur.
Irish Historic Houses 