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. 190. “(Long, sub Freese-Pennefather/LGI1958; O’Connell Bianconi, sub O’Connell/IFR) A three storey late C18 house, built by the Long family; with a curved bow in the centre of its front and rear elevation and a three sided bow at either end. One bay on either side of the bow in front; fanlighted rusticated doorway. Oval hall, curved staircase of wood, with slim balusters, extending into the real bow. Bought C19 by Charles Bianconi, “King of the Irish Roads,” an Italian who, having come to Ireland virtually penniless, made a fortune by running a fast and efficient system of horse drawn transport with his famous ‘long cars.’ Passed to a branch of the O’Connells by marriage of Bianconi’s daughter to a nephew of Daniel O’Connell. Bequeathed 1968 by Mrs Mary O’Connell Bianconi to the Irish Georgian society. Now run as a guest house by Mr Kevin Byrne, under the auspices of the society, in order to help meet the cost of upkeep.”
Detached three-bay three-storey over half-basement country house, built c.1770, having bowed entrance bay, central bowed central staircase bay to rear and canted-bays to end elevations, all having three openings to each floor, except rear bow which has two. Interior has oval hall to ground floor, leading to stairs bow at rear. Hipped slate roof with eaves course and rendered chimneystacks. Rendered walls. Square-headed window openings with timber sliding sash windows, three-over-six pane to top floor, six-over-six pane to first floor and nine-over-six pane to ground floor. Entrance door has round-headed block-and-start doorcase with cobweb fanlight and iron sheeted door.
The seat of the Long family, occupied by Richard Long in 1814 and in 1837. Bought by Charles Bianconi in the 1840s, he held it in fee in the early 1850s when the house was valued at £27+. By 1906 the house was valued at £37 and was occupied by Mary Anne O’Connell. The house remained in the ownership of Bianconi’s descendants until 1968 when it was bequeathed by Mrs Mary O’Connell Bianconi to the Irish Georgian Society.
House & Family History: Longfield is a late 18th century house of three stories with a curved bow in the center of the Entrance Facade. The Long family made their fortune in India; they purchased the estate of 1,000 acres and built the current house, to the designs of an unknown architect, in 1770. In 1846, after the potato famine had obliterated the rents and Captain Richard Long’s father had been murdered, the Estate was sold to Charles Bianconi for £22,000. Bianconi, called the “King of the Irish Roads,” came to Ireland penniless and made a fortune by operating an efficient and fast system of horse-drawn cars that transported mail and passengers over the whole of Ireland. Bianconi’s daughter married a nephew of Daniel O’Connell (“The Liberator”), from whence Longfield passed into the O’Connell family. The House is today part of Coolmore Stud Farms.
Garden & Outbuildings: Charles Bianconi (1786-1875) laid out a formal Italian garden with yew hedges and urns and statuary imported from Italy. [ when he purchased the house he sent to Italy for experts to lay out an Italian garden. He also planted a rose garden with white and yellow roses to represent the joyful mysteries of the Rosary and red roses for the sorrowful mysteries – p. 54 Tipperary Gentry.
Past Seat of: Long family. Charles Bianconi. O’Connell family.
Current Ownership Type: Corporation
Primary Current Ownership Use: Other
Ownership Details: Part of Coolmore Stud Farms
The Tipperary Gentry. Volume 1. By William Hayes and Art Kavanagh. Published by Irish Family Names, c/o Eneclann, Unit 1, The Trinity Enterprise Centre, Pearse St, Dublin 2, 11 Emerald Cottages, Grand Canal St, Dublin 4 and Market Square, Bunclody, Co Wexford, Ireland. 2003.
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. 189. “(Studdert/IFR) A plain and slightly irregular two storey five bay late C17 or early C18 house, enlarged mid-C18 by the addition of two one bay wings rising above the centre to the height of an attic storey; one of them with a gable treaded as a pediment and adorned with an eagle and urns; the other with a pediment to match. Each wing had a Diocletian or lunette window above two Venetian windows. The gable has now lost its embellishments and both of the semi-circular attic windows have been blocked up; the surround of one still shows.”
Lodge House, LODGE (KILLODIERNAN PR), Tipperary North
Detached five-bay two-storey house, built c. 1700, remodelled and extended, c. 1750, with addition of single-bay flanking wings and addition to north-east end of rear. Now disused. Pitched slate main roof with pitched and hipped later roofs, with rendered chimneystacks. Rendered walls, with limestone quoins to north-east flanking bay. Venetian-style tripartite sash windows to wings with blocked lunettes to upper gables, all with dressed limestone block-and-start surrounds. South-west wing retains gable front. Six-over-six pane timber sash windows with limestone sills in square-headed openings elsewhere, those of north-most bay being at different level to rest of façade. Square-headed doorcase with carved limestone surround and cornice and having timber panelled door with ornate overlight. Outbuilding to east with pitched corrugated-iron roof and rendered walls. Concrete block extensions with artificial slate roofs being added to rear.
Appraisal
This unusual house of irregular plan is a very notable feature on the rural landscape due to its size and form. Its façade is enlivened by features such as the Venetian windows, carved doorcase, and limestone dressings. Some internal plasterwork also remains. It is obviously a house with a history of several centuries and as such is one of the oldest buildings in the district.
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. 189. “Lloyd/IFR) a two storey late-Georgian house with an eaved roof, thee bay entrance front; single-storey Ionic portico with acroteria; front prolonged by a three storey wing set a little back, four bay side, prolonged by an elegant polygonal conservatory with pilasters.”
Lloydsborough House, LLOYDSBOROUGH (KILLEA PR), Tipperary North
Detached three-bay two-storey house over half basement, built c. 1820, with projecting cut limestone Ionic portico with flight of steps to entrance and with slightly-recessed three-bay three-storey wing to north-west. Hipped slate roof with rendered chimneystacks and paired eaves brackets. Roughcast rendered walls to main block, dressed limestone to basement, with cut limestone sting course, render quoins and with moulded render surrounds to window openings, shouldered to ground floor. Exposed rubble limestone walls to later block, with brick voussoirs to openings. Square-headed openings with timber sash windows, six-over-six pane to ground floor and eight-over-eight to first floor, of main block, two-over-two pane to later block and replacement elsewhere, with limestone sills. Square-headed door opening having timber panelled double doors with render surround. Bow windows to south elevation with carved limestone surrounds. Decorative cast- and wrought-iron balcony to west elevation. Multiple-bay single- and two-storey outbuildings to west, having rubble limestone walls with dressed limestone voussoirs to segmental-arched carriage openings and lunette windows. Rubble limestone boundary walls to yard with wrought-iron gates.
Appraisal
This imposing house is an interesting and notable example of late Georgian architecture in Ireland. The house retains its form and structure, which is enhanced by original features such as the carved limestone decorative window surrounds, and the ornate cast- and wrought-iron balcony. The highly decorative portico adds artistic interest to the building, and is clearly the work of skilled craftsmen. The house, together with the outbuildings form a notable group of demesne structures.
Lakefield (Formerly Gambonstown), Fethard, 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. 181. “(Hackett/IFR; Pennefather, sub Freese-Pennefather/LGI1958; O’Brien, Bt/PB; Goodbody/IFR) A two storey five bay late-Georgian villa by William Tinsley, of Clonmel; built 1831-33 for William Pennefather, whose family are said to have won the estate at cards from its previous owners, the Hacketts. It occupies the site of the Hacketts’ house, which was joined to wings by arcaded curved sweeps; the sweeps still remain, though their arches have been filled in, and have been extended by walls to form a circular walled garden at the back of the house. Centre bay slightly recessed, and further emphasized with framing bands; central Wyatt window above Doric portico. Eaved roof. Central staircase hall, lit by lantern. The staircase is unusual in having a double lower ramp and a flying run of steps from the half-landing to the main landing, like the staircase at Glin Castle, Co Limerick. It is of wood and curves gracefully with balusters of the very lightest; so well made that it has not been necessary to anchor it to the ground floor; it just stands, like a piece of furniture. Two drawing rooms en suite, with modillion cornices. Doorcases with reeded architraves and rosettes. Sold 1907 by W.V. Pennefather to Capt J.G. O’Brien. At one time let to Mr Hubert Hartigan, the trainer, who trained the champion high jumpber of the world in the walled garden at the back of the house. sold 1955 by Sir John O’Brien, 5th Bt, to Mr and Mrs Arthur Goodbody.”
Detached five-bay two-storey over basement country house, built 1831, having three-bay side elevations and seven-bay rear elevation, latter with slightly projecting centre bays. Prostyle tetrastyle portico entrance to façade and oval walled garden adjoining rear. Skirt slate roof with overhanging sheeted eaves and cut limestone chimneystacks. Rendered walls with render string course and eaves course having render brackets and pilasters to first floor of entrance bay. Portico has fluted limestone Doric columns, cut limestone entablature, and carved limestone steps. Square-headed timber sliding sash windows throughout with limestone sills and barred to basement. Six-over-six pane throughout except for end bays of first floor rear, which are six-over-nine pane. Tripartite windows to first floor of entrance bay and ground floor of side elevations, all having limestone sills. Segmental-headed door opening with timber and glazed double-leaf panelled door, timber pilasters, sidelights with panelled cut limestone bases and decoratively-glazed fanlight.
Appraisal
Lakefield House, an imposing late Georgian structure, was built by William Pennefather and designed by the architect William Tinsley. The house is said to be built upon the remains of the Hackett family’s former home, the adjoining arcaded curved sweeps of which were retained, enclosed and incorporated as a large, circular walled garden. The architectural design and use of ornamentation is restrained and coherent, culminating in the central carved limestone porch which exhibits a high degree of skilled sculpting and workmanship. The diminishing proportions of the windows, and the dressed limestone stringcourses add a further sense of grandeur to the building. The square-plan walled garden is notable both for its large size, good condition and ornate green house. The outbuildings retain an ornate bellcote, and cobblestones. The carved date stones add valuable context. The outbuildings to the circular walled garden are distinctive for their unusual shape and form a distinctive part of a diverse and interesting group of demesne structures.
Walled gardens, associated with Lakefield House, laid out c. 1835. Oval plan walled garden to rear of country house comprising rubble limestone walls with arcading of shallow segmental-headed recesses and entered through segmental brick-arched gate. Square-plan walled garden to west having coursed snecked rubble limestone walls, entered through gateway having limestone piers with carved caps and double-leaf cast-iron gates. Blocked square-headed gateway with dressed limestone voussoirs. Multiple-bay single-storey possible former workers’ houses to walled garden, with attached green house.
Appraisal
Lakefield House unusually has two walled gardens. The oval one is particularly noteworthy for its shape and its position, immediately adjacent to and incorporating the rear elevation of the country house. The arcading is of interest. The presence of buildings, possibly originally workers’ houses, within the square walled garden, is somewhat unusual.
Detached three-bay single-storey square-plan former gate lodge, built c.1830, with two-bay side elevations, now in use as private house. Hipped slate roof with rendered chimneystack. Painted rendered walls with rendered eaves course, plinth course and ilaster and bracket details. Square-headed window openings, set into square-headed recesses with dentils and having replacement uPVC windows. Square-headed door opening set into render surround slightly projecting from rest of façade and having timber panelled and glazed door. Quadrant gateway with square-profile roughly dressed limestone piers with double-leaf cast-iron gates, roughly dressed limestone plinths having cast-iron railings, terminated by outer similar piers.
Appraisal
This gate lodge formerly served Lakefield House. The render detailing repeat those of the main house and form a coherent decorative scheme. The simple form of the building is enlivened by the render panels which articulate and enhance the façade, the articulation of the doorway creating a central focus. The piers of the entrance gates are well carved and clearly the work of skilled craftsmen. The gate lodge and gates form an interesting group with the surviving related structures in the former demesne.
Gambonstown was occupied by B.B. Bradshaw in 1814. In 1786 Wilson had referred to it as the seat of Mr. Hackett. The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage records the building of Lakefield house in 1831 by William Pennefather, replacing the former Hackett home of Gambonstown. and the Ordnance Survey Name Books record it as his residence in 1840. At the time of Griffith’s Valuation William Pennefather held the house valued at £48.14 shillings and 413 acres from Mrs Hackett and others. Sold by the Pennefathers to the O’Briens in 1907 and sold again to the Goodbodys in 1955. Lakefield is still extant.
Knocklofty, County Tipperaray, photograph by Robert French, (between ca. 1865-1914), Lawrence Photograph Collection, National Library of Ireland.
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. 179. “Hely-Hutchinson, Donoughmore, E/PB) A C18 house consisting of a three storey centre block with two storey gable ended wings projecting forward on the entrance front, the centre block is seven bays and the wings are of two bays in their gable-ends, which are treated as broken and baseless pediments and surmounted by busts and balls on pedestals. They also each have an extra bay in the ends of the two storey corridors which have been built along their inner face and which are surmounted by eagles. In early C19, a single storey corridor was built along the front of the centre block, joining the wings; it is adorned with Doric pilasters, wreathes and acroteria and has a three bay projection in the centre, roofed with a shallow dome. The ground floor windows of the wings are camber-headed. On the garden front, which faces across the River Suir, the centre block is of five bays and the front is extended at one side by a very long two storey service wing, which turns inwards at an obtuse angle. There is a small square entrance hall with a domed ceiling, opening with arches on either side into book-lined galleries. Beyond is a very large two storey library, surrounded on three sides by a wrought iron gallery; the bookcases rising as high as the ceiling, which has a surround of delicate early C19 plasterwork. The drawing room has similar decoration; the dining room is panelled. The demesne extends across the River Suir into Co Waterford, taking in the demesne of Kilmanahan Castle, which was formerly a separate property. There is an octagonal domed Gothic octagon in the park near the house and the original set of elaborate gate piers to the house are very fine. Sold 1985.”
Detached country house, comprising seven-bay three-storey central block, built c. 1790, having late eighteenth-century three-bay two-storey with attic wings projecting forwards to give U-plan house, wings having three-bay façades comprising two-bay gable-fronts with single-bay flat-roof further bay of c. 1800. Single-storey flat-roofed early nineteenth-century gallery along front of central block, linking wings and has central advanced three-bay porch with five flanking bays each side having alternate blind and windowed bays. South wing has multiple-bay two-storey block connecting to rear and single-storey blocks connecting to front at south-west. Rear elevation of central block is five-bay three-storey and flanked by advanced bays of wings, inner bays of c. 1910 curving to central block. Multiple-bay two-storey block to south end, south-most bay being pedimented. Further multiple-bay two-storey block runs at skew angle to this block, along top of River Suir escarpment. Two-storey canted-bay to north elevation of central block. Hipped slate roof to central block and to block to rear of south wing, slate dome to porch, and pitched slate roofs elsewhere, with lead flashing, rendered end chimneystacks with terracotta pots and cast-iron rainwater goods. Moulded sandstone copings to gable-fronts of wings with stepped ends having pedestals with ball finials and having open-topped pediments to apexes with carved busts of English monarchs. Front corners of flat-roofed bays to wings have eagles. Moulded sandstone cornices to central block, with cut sandstone parapets. Cut-stone copings to canted bay. Painted pebbledashed walls with smooth rendered plinth, moulded sandstone string course to front and re-entrant elevations of wings. Cut sandstone pilasters to first floor of façade of wings, overlying string course and having fluted consoles beneath. Ashlar sandstone walls to gallery, with carved sandstone cornice and cut sandstone parapet, blind bays having carved wreaths, end bays and porch bays being flanked by pilasters with capitals and having antefixae to parapet, porch having panel and flanking finials and central bays having outer band of ashlar limestone. Timber sliding sash windows throughout with sandstone sills, square-headed six-over-six pane, except for ground floor front and south elevations. Ground floor of front and re-entrant elevations of wings have segmental-headed nine-over-six pane windows, gallery has six-over-nine pane windows, those of porch having segmental upper panes, and south and west elevations of south wing have nine-over-nine pane windows. Nine-pane casement windows to attic level of wings. Some six-over-three pane and one-over-one pane windows elsewhere to west elevation. Square-headed door opening with carved sandstone surround and timber panelled door. Square-headed door openings to rear and south elevation with timber and glazed doors with paned overlight, that to rear of central block having flight of cut limestone steps. Curved north-west corner of south wing has entablature over colonnade of limestone Tuscan columns and pilasters flanking doorway approached by cut limestone steps, and six-over-six pane timber sliding sash windows, door and windows having three-pane overlights. Forecourt to front of house, with small garden beyond. Garden terraces to rear falling to River Suir, accessed by flights of steps. Two-storey former servants quarters arranged around angled yard to south-west of house, accessed by gateway with dressed limestone piers with caps and plinths and having double-leaf wrought-iron gates. Pitched and hipped slate roofs with lead flashing and rendered chimneystacks. Painted smooth rendered walls. Square-headed window and door openings with replacement windows and doors. Segmental-arched openings to south-west range, now blocked with elliptical-arched cut limestone surrounds and imposts, now blocked. Carved limestone entrance gate to garden comprising round-headed gateway with pilasters and moulded archivolt and imposts and decorative wrought-iron gate, set into square-headed opening with entablature and cornice over engaged Ionic columns, gateway being set into rubble stone wall. Single-storey former workers’ houses to west, with pitched artificial slate roofs, brick bellcote having round-headed bell opening, rubble sandstone walls and red brick surrounds to square-headed windows and doors having replacement windows and timber panelled doors.
Appraisal
This former country house served as the seat of the Donoughmores until the mid-1980s. The architectural design draws on the influences of classical architecture in its detailing. This is exhibited in its ornate entrance front, which is adorned with features such as the broken pediments, Doric pilasters, wreathes and busts. The retention of features such as the timber sash windows enhance the buildings appearance, while the dome roof over the central doorcase is a striking feature which adds further to the architectural significance of the building. This former country house forms part of an interesting group of demesne related structures with the servants quarters, outbuildings, gate lodges, estate workers’ houses and bridge.
Entrance gates to Knocklofty House, erected c. 1780, and comprising vehicular entrance flanked by pedestrian gateways. Ashlar limestone gate piers with carved moulded caps and plinths, rebates with scroll details and having carved lions’ heads with crowns to frieze all faces of piers, and coats of arms in medallion below to front faces only. Decorative copper and glass lights to caps. Square-headed pedestrian entrances set into cut limestone walling having cut stone copings and moulded plinths to jambs. Cast-iron gates, double-leaf to vehicular gates. Gates flanked by convex random rubble walling.
Appraisal
The form and scale of these gates create a dramatic entrance to Knocklofy Demesne. The piers display fine carvings which exhibit the work of skilled craftsmen and which add considerable artistic quality to the appearance of the entrance. The random rubble flanking walls act as a foil to the decorative gateway proper.
Detached three-bay split level gate lodge, built c. 1820, having single-storey front elevation and two-storey rear, with recent two-storey extension to rear. Hipped slate roof with lead flashing, central red brick chimneystack and overhanging eaves. Exposed coursed rubble limestone walls with dressed quoins. Square-headed window openings with six-over-six pane timber sliding sash windows with red brick surrounds and limestone sills, set in segmental-headed recesses to front elevation, with red brick surrounds. Square-headed timber battened door with red brick surround set in segmental-headed recess with red brick surround. Garden to front with cast-iron fence and having pointed arch opening in rubble limestone boundary wall to west having red brick surround. Limestone entrance gateway and cast-iron gates adjacent to gate lodge.
Appraisal
The split-level form of this gate lodge is unusual and is an interesting adaptation to its sloping site. The recesses into which the front door and windows are set make the building distinctive and the contrast between the limestone and brick give the building pleasant textural variation. The lodge is accompanied by fine entrance gates to the demesne and along with the country house and other features, forms a significant architectural ensemble of related structures.
Shallow quadrant entrance gateway to Knocklofty House, erected c.1880, comprising cast-iron railings on brick plinth wall with cut limestone copings and set to ashlar limestone piers with limestone wheel guards, plinths and having carved coping to western pier, both piers having decorative wrought-iron lamps. Centre of gateway now missing and possibly removed to form gateway on opposite, north, side of public road. Detached double-pile three-bay single-storey lodge to south side of gates, having hipped slate roof with lead flashing, red brick chimneystacks with decorative detailing and overhanging eaves. Painted pebbledashed walls with elliptical-headed window openings with timber double casement windows with raised red brick surrounds and painted limestone sills. Square-headed door opening with timber battened door with raised red brick surround. Shallow quadrant gateway on opposite side of road comprises piers, railings and plinth walls of similar detailing to southern gateway, but with cast-iron piers having cast-iron double-leaf vehicular gates flanked by pedestrian gates.
Appraisal
These gateways demonstrate interesting and intricate cast-iron techniques, which are clearly the work of skilled craftsmen. The metalwork of the gates and railings contrasts with the brick plinth wall and limestone piers to create textural variation. Together with the country house and other structures and features, the lodge and gateways form part of a significant architectural ensemble.
Three-arch humpback bridge over River Suir, built c. 1800, with higher segmental middle arch flanked by lower depressed arches. Roughly coursed rubble limestone walls with cut-stone voussoirs and cut stone V-shaped cut-waters to both elevations, having cut stone impost course. Soffits have been gunnited with cement. Concrete capping to parapets.
Appraisal
The rubble limestone construction of this road bridge, contrasted with the cut stone voussoirs, adds textural interest to this site. The extra height of the middle arch gives the bridge a humpback. Located adjacent to Knocklofty Demesne this bridge is a significant part of the architectural heritage associated with Knocklofty House.
Freestanding single-bay single-stage folly or turret, extant 1832, on an octagonal plan. Creeper- or ivy-covered red brick Flemish bond octagonal dome. Lime rendered or roughcast rubble stone walls with red brick header bond stepped stringcourse supporting red brick chamfered battlements. Pointed-arch door opening below blind oculus with overgrown threshold, and concealed red brick block-and-start surround with no fittings surviving. Pointed-arch blind window openings below blind oculi with cut-granite sills, and concealed red brick block-and-start surrounds framing lime rendered or roughcast infill. Set on an elevated site.
Appraisal
A folly or turret erected by John Hely Hutchinson (1757-1832), second Earl of Donoughmore, illustrating the development or “improvement” of the pleasure grounds of the Knocklofty House estate with the architectural value of the composition, one colloquially styled “The Guggy” owing to its resemblance to a boiled egg in an egg cup, confirmed by such attributes as the polygonal plan form; the “pointed” profile of the openings underpinning a “medieval” Georgian Gothic theme; and the polygonal dome.
entry in MacDonnell, Randal. The Lost Houses of Ireland. A chronicle of great houses and the families who lived in them. Weidenfeld and Nicolson. London, 2002
p. 149. “This is a mid 18th century house (built around the core of a much smaller 17C building) with later additions. Formerly the home of the Earls of Donoughmore, Knocklofty is presently a hotel.”
p. 150. “The name Knocklofty derives from the Irish ‘Cnoc Lochta’ which means ‘the lofted or shelving hill.’ The original house dates from the late 17C and has later additions. In the 18th C, the Clonmel architect William Tinsley added a single-storey corridor with a domed porch to the entrance front. A pair of stone eagles surmounts the gable ends of the wings. Doric pilasters compete with wreaths are outside the ground floor corridor. Inside, there are a two-storey library (whose contents were sold in 1982 for £193,000), a drawing room, dining room, music room and study.”
“Knocklofty was the seat of the Hutchinson family who came from Alford in Lincolnshire to participate in the great government theft of Irish land that occurred in the first half of the seventeenth century. They received a grant of land in County Tipperary, and in 1751 their heiress, Catherine Nickson, married an up-and-coming barrister named John Hely, the son of Francis Hely of Gortroe, Co Cork….Eight years later and with the brand new surname of Hely-Hutchinson, John Hely was elected Member of Parliament for Lanesborough. He later represented Cork and Taghmon until his death…. By 1774 he was not only Provost of Trinity College Dublin, but also Principal Secretary of State for Ireland and Keeper of the Privy Seal, positions which he held until his death in 1794. His wife was raised to the peerage as Baroness Donoughmore of Knocklofty in 1783, together with a new coat of arms and a brave motto: Fortiter Gerit Crucem (“He bravely bears the Cross”). With his wife now a peeress and his own position secure John should have been satisfied, but his greed and unscrupulousness were infamous…. The Prime Minister Lord North commented, “If you were to give him the whole of Great Britain and Ireland for an estate, he would ask for the Isle of Man for a potato garden.”
“John Hely’s eldest son Richard, the 2nd Baron, was created a Viscount in 1797 and in 1800 he was raised to the Earldom of Donoughmore of Knocklofty (with remainder to the heirs male of his mother), which was one of the large numbers of titles that a grateful government doled out on the day before the Act of Union came into force. The future Earl commanded the militia that was routed by General Humbert at the engagement known as the “races of Castlebar” because the government forces took to their heels and fled, pursued by the rebels and their French allies. Nonetheless, despite this fiasco, Richard was chosen by his Order as one of the 28 original Representative Peers of Ireland on the abolition of the Irish House of Lords, and, as if this were not enough, in 1822 George IV created him a peer of the UK as Viscount Hutchinson of Knocklofty.”
“His brother, John, who had followed a career in [p. 152] the army (becoming a general in the process) succeeded him. He had been commander in chief during the Egyptian campaign in 1801 and was raised to the peerage as Baron Hutchinson of Alexandria. Described as having “harsh features, jaundiced by ill-health, extreme short-sightedness, a stooping body and slouching gait, and an utter neglect of dress”, he decided, in 1809, to throw in his lot with the Carlton House Party and became their chief military adviser. His attacks on the government’s handling of the Peninsular War earned him this damning epitaph: ‘He did not hesitate to sink his patriotism in the spirit of faction.’ When he became the 2nd Earl of Donoughmore, he made some little effort to assist liberal policies by supporting a very limited amount of toleration and emancipation for Catholics.”
p. 152. “The third Earl was a finer sort of individual altogether. He lost his commission and spent three months in gaol in April 1816 for his part in arranging – at the request of the Princess de Vaudemont – the escape of General Count Lavalette in December 1815. Lavalette was Napoleon’s Postmaster-General and one of those officers who had supported the Emperor during the Hundred Days. Marshal Ney and General de Labedoyere had already been executed – Marshal Ney’s sword was eventually to find its way into the Hutchinson family’s possession, as a gift from his widow. General Lavalette escaped from prison disguised as a woman, and made his way to England in the uniform of a captain of the English Guards.
“The 4th Earl was the first member of the family who thought it would be nice to call himself Viscount Suirdale – thereby completely overlooking the fact that no sovereign had thought fit to bestow such a title upon either him or his ancestors. Presumably it was some sort of romantic foolishness connected with the fact that the River Suir flows through the Knocklofty demesne; whatever the reason, it is an error the family still persists in today.
In 1883 the Earls of Donoughmore owned 11,950 acres in the counties of Tipperary, Waterford, Cork, Wexford, Kilkenny, Monaghan, Louth and Dublin. Despite this, John, the 5th Earl, managed to run into considerable financial difficulties, which did not stop him becoming for one year the Assistant Commissioner in the European Commission for the organization of Eastern Rumelia in the Balkan peninsula between 1878 and 1879.”
A mainly 18th century house, cited by Wilson as the seat of John Hely Hutchinson in 1786. In 1840 the Ordnance Survey Name Books describe it as “spacious and handsome, having a fine plain front”. It was valued at £70 in the mid 19th century, the seat of the Earls of Donoughmore until 1983, though Walford mentions Samuel H. Goold-Adams of Knocklofty in 1885. The Irish Tourist Association surveyor writes that Knocklofty was De Valera’s headquarters for a time during the Civil War. Until recently it served as a hotel but in 2013 it was offered for sale.
THE EARLS OF DONOUGHMORE OWNED 4,711 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY TIPPERARY AND 2,878 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY WATERFORD THE RT HON JOHN HELY-HUTCHINSON (1724-94), an eminent lawyer and statesman of Ireland (son of Francis Hely, of Gortroe, County Cork, by a daughter of Christopher Earbury or Earberry), married, in 1751, CHRISTIANA, daughter of Abraham Nickson, of Munny, County Wicklow, and niece and heir of Richard Hutchinson, of Knocklofty, County Tipperary (in consequence of which marriage he assumed the additional surname of HUTCHINSON), and had issue,
RICHARD, his heir; JOHN, 2nd Earl; Francis, of Lissen Hall; father of the 3rd Earl; Augustus Abraham; Christopher; Lorenzo; Christiana; Mary; Prudence; Margaret.
Rt Hon John Hely-Hutchinson
Mr Hely-Hutchinson obtained a peerage for his wife, CHRISTIANA, in 1783, in the dignity of Baroness Donoughmore, of Knocklofty, County Tipperary.
Christiana, Baroness Donoughmore
Her ladyship died in 1788, and was succeeded in the barony by her eldest son,
RICHARD HELY, 2nd Baron (1756-1825); who was advanced to a viscountcy, as Viscount Donoughmore; and further advanced to the dignity of an earldom, in 1800, as EARL OF DONOUGHMORE.
His lordship died unmarried, when the family honours devolved upon his brother, JOHN HELY, 2nd Earl (1757-1832), GCB, a general in the army, Governor of Stirling Castle, Knight Grand Cross of the Bath, who died unmarried, when the honours he had inherited passed to his nephew,
JOHN, 3rd Earl (1787-1851), KP, who wedded firstly, in 1822, Margaret, daughter of Luke, 1st Viscount Mountjoy, and had issue,
RICHARD JOHN, his successor; Margaret.
He espoused secondly, in 1827, Barbara, daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel William Reynell, and had further issue,
John William, b 1829; Kathleen Alicia; Frances Margaret; Jane Louisa.
His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,
RICHARD JOHN, 4th Earl (1823-66), who married, in 1847, Thomasina Jocelyn, daughter of Walter Steele, and had issue,
JOHN LUKE GEORGE, his successor; Walter Francis (Sir); Patrick Maurice; Granville William; Margaret Frances; Mary Sophia.
His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,
JOHN LUKE GEORGE, 5th Earl (1848-1900), KCMG JP DL, who wedded, in 1874, Frances Isabella, daughter of General William Frazer Stephens, and had issue,
RICHARD WALTER JOHN, his successor; Nina Blanche; Evelyn; Norah; Margarita Oonagh Isabella.
His lordship was succeeded by his only son, RICHARD WALTER JOHN, 6th Earl (1875-1948), KP JP DL, who espoused, in 1901, Elena Maria, daughter of Michael Paul Grace, and had issue,
JOHN MICHAEL HENRY, his successor; David Edward; Doreen Clare.
His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,
JOHN MICHAEL HENRY, 7th Earl (1902-81), Colonel, Royal Armoured Corps (TA), MP for Peterborough, 1943-5, who married, in 1925, Dorothy Jean, daughter of John Beaumont Hotham, and had issue,
RICHARD MICHAEL JOHN, his successor; Mark; Sara Elena.
KNOCKLOFTY HOUSE, near Clonmel, County Tipperary, was the mansion of the Earls of Donoughmore.
The estate is almost four miles west-south-west of Clonmel.
The mansion stands on an extensive natural terrace on the left bank of the River Suir.
It commands a delightful prospect of the richly wooded slopes and highly adorned rising grounds of the Waterford side of the valley.
The demesne is – or was – extensive, containing some of the finest old elms and limes in the counties of Tipperary and Waterford.
The 18th century mansion comprises a three-storey central block, with two-storey, gable-ended wings projecting forward on the entrance front to form a three-sided court.
The centre block consists of seven bays, and the wings comprise two bays in their gable ends.
In the early 1800s a single-storey corridor was built along the front of the centre block, joining the wings, embellished with wreathes and Doric pilasters.
The central garden front, overlooking the River Suir, comprises five bays with an exceptionally long, two-storey service wing.
The demesne spreads across the River Suir into County Waterford, including Kilmanahan Castle, formerly a separate property.
The original, intricate gate piers are notable.
The 7th Earl and Countess were kidnapped from Knocklofty House in 1974 by an IRA gang and held captive for four days before being released in Phoenix Park, Dublin.
The Tipperary Gentry. Volume 1. By William Hayes and Art Kavanagh. Published by Irish Family Names, c/o Eneclann, Unit 1, The Trinity Enterprise Centre, Pearse St, Dublin 2, 11 Emerald Cottages, Grand Canal St, Dublin 4 and Market Square, Bunclody, Co Wexford, Ireland. 2003. Hely-Hutchinson
Knocklofty, County Tipperary, photograph by Robert O’Byrne, Irish Aesthete.
Knocklofty, County Tipperary, photograph by Robert O’Byrne, Irish Aest
Around 11pm on June 4th 1974, John Hely-Hutchinson, 7th Earl of Donoughmore and his wife Dorothy returned to their home, Knocklofty, County Tipperary having been out to dinner. As the couple got out of the car, a number of men ran towards them waving guns. They seized the elderly pair and when Lord Donoughmore, then aged 71, resisted, he was struck on the head a number of times. He and his wife were then forced into a car and driven away their eyes covered so that they could not see where they were being taken. The kidnap made international headlines, not least because there appeared to be no motive for the crime. In fact, the Donoughmores had been picked almost at random, their captors being members of a maverick IRA unit who sought to influence official policy on an on-going hunger strike in British jails by five IRA prisoners, including the Price sisters. But at the time this was unknown and the family thought that perhaps ransom money was sought. Later the couple explained that once they reached their place of captivity, they had been well treated and well fed. Senior Stewart of the Irish Turf Club, Lord Donoughmore was always keen to hear the racing results, and was provided with newspaper sports pages, the details of which he was evidently happy to share with his captors. ‘We did not talk about politics with them,’ he said, ‘but they know a lot more about racing now.’ Meanwhile, nationwide efforts were underway to find the couple and protests held in the local town of Clonmel against the kidnapping. Those responsible now found themselves in bad odour with senior IRA figures because a ntionwide police and army search had caused considerable problems for the organisation. Then, happily ongoing mediation led to the hunger-strike being called off and after four days, the Donoughmores were driven to Dublin and in the early hours of the morning released in the middle of Phoenix Park.
Knocklofty, County Tipperary, photograph by Robert O’Byrne, Irish Aest
Knocklofty, County Tipperary, photograph by Robert O’Byrne, Irish Aest
Knocklofty, County Tipperary, photograph by Robert O’Byrne, Irish Aest
Knocklofty, County Tipperary, photograph by Robert O’Byrne, Irish Aest
The Hely-Hutchinsons can be traced back to the Ó hÉalaighthe or O’Healy clan in County Cork, based around Donoughmore which lies some 12 miles south-west of Mallow. Like so many other families, they lost much of their territory and power during the 17th century, However, by the early 18th century one Francis Hely, described in contemporary reports as a gentleman, was living in Gortroe, to the west of Mallow. In 1724 he and his wife Prudence had a son, John Hely, who after studying at Trinity College Dublin was called to the Bar and rose to become one of the most notable lawyers and politicians of the period, also serving as Provost of his Alma Mater for many years. In 1751 John Hely married Christiana Nickson of Wicklow, great-niece and heiress of one Richard Hutchinson whose own forebear had been granted by the English crown some 1,200 acres of land around Knocklofty in County Tipperary: the married couple duly changed their name to Hely-Hutchinson. Despite his brilliant career, John Hely-Hutchinson declined a peerage but instead his wife was created Baroness Donoughmore, a recollection of her husband’s family background. Their eldest son Richard duly inherited the title on his mother’s death, before in turn being created Viscount Donoughmore and then in 1800 Earl of Donoughmore. He commissioned the construction of the present house at Knocklofty, the entrance front of which had a central block of seven bays and three storeys flanked by gable-ended two-storey wings that come forward to create a forecourt. At some point, a third inner bay was added to these wings while in the early 19th century along the front of the house a single storey corridor was added, with a three-bay domed projection at its centre. Other extensions were made to the building later in the same century, resulting in a very substantial house, along with several adjacent service wings. Inside, curiously, the largest reception space is not the drawing room but, at the centre of the house overlooking the gardens, a double-height library, a wrought-iron gallery running around three sides. Some of this work was presumably undertaken by the second Earl who inherited title and estate from his unmarried elder brother; rising to the rank of General the former had enjoyed a distinguished military career, not least in Egypt during the French Wars, and as a result had been granted his own title as Baron Hutchinson of Alexandria and Knocklofty. But he too died unmarried and so title and estate passed to a nephew John Hely-Hutchinson, from whom subsequent generations were descended.
Knocklofty, County Tipperary, photograph by Robert O’Byrne, Irish Aest
Knocklofty, County Tipperary, photograph by Robert O’Byrne, Irish Aest
Knocklofty, County Tipperary, photograph by Robert O’Byrne, Irish Aest
Knocklofty, County Tipperary, photograph by Robert O’Byrne, Irish Aest
Seven years after being kidnapped, the seventh Lord Donoughmore died in 1981 and soon afterwards Knocklofty was placed on the market. In 1984 the house and 105 acres were bought by a couple for £750,000 and sections of it developed as apartments in a time-share scheme, then a new concept in Ireland, while the rest was turned into an hotel. A nine-hole golf course was installed in the grounds, a swimming pool in the building and other facilities like tennis and squash courts created. Initially the business seemed to go well but within a decade it had failed badly. Protracted court proceedings with creditors ensued and in October 1991 the property was placed on the market with an asking price of £1.5 million. Failing to secure a buyer, Knocklofty went into receivership and in 1993 was again advertised for sale, this time with an expected price of £500-600,000. The complexity of dealing with the established timeshare commitments made by the previous owners seems to have deterred many potential purchasers. In any case, again there were no takers, so at the end of the year the place was once more offered on the market, this time with a disclosed reserve of £360,000, less than half of what had been paid for it a decade earlier, and less than a quarter of the asking price in 1991. Finally it sold to a local businessman, Denis English, who had previously bought another historic house in the same area, Marlfield (currently on the market) which he divided into self-contained apartments.
Knocklofty, County Tipperary, photograph by Robert O’Byrne, Irish Aest
Knocklofty, County Tipperary, photograph by Robert O’Byrne, Irish Aest
Knocklofty, County Tipperary, photograph by Robert O’Byrne, Irish Aest
Knocklofty, County Tipperary, photograph by Robert O’Byrne, Irish Aest
After buying the place, Denis English announced his intentions to convert Knocklofty into a series of apartments, as he had already done at Marlfield. However, the place continued to operate as before as an hotel until the advent of an economic recession at the end of the last decade. In 2013 the house was once more offered for sale, this time on 80 acres and for a price of €3 million. Two years later, that figure appears to have dropped to €1.9 million. Matters then grew more complicated when court proceedings were taken by US private equity group Cerberus Capital Management for possession of the property; it transpired that in 2014 the company had acquired a loan portfolio from Ulster Bank, which included a number of loans made to Knocklofty’s owner. He in turn disputed the matter and further legal arguments ensued until, in May 2017, it was announced that the High Court had granted Cerberus the right to take control of the property. All should have been resolved then but, alas, that does not look to have been the end of the matter. Although there has been no further reports on the matter, it looks as though dispute between relevant parties continues. Meantime, the looser in this, Knocklofty, has stood empty and falling into ever-greater disrepair. As these photographs demonstrate, unless circumstances are resolved soon, this has all the makings of a Jarndyce v Jarndyce scenario, with an equally unsatisfactory outcome.
Knocklofty, County Tipperary, photograph by Robert O’Byrne, Irish Aest
Knocklofty, County Tipperary, photograph by Robert O’Byrne, Irish Aest
I first visited this glorious country mansion back in 2021. A lot has changed from then. The house was taken over by a certain group of people and it’s condition has declined rapidly due to lead and copper theft. I posted last week regarding the dome ceiling that has collapsed in one of the rooms due to the lead being removed. Here are some shots of the ceiling 👇
How did it come about? I got a call a few months back from the gentleman who has recently bought Knocklofty. I was delighted to hear that he’s taken on this huge project and that the building will be sympathetically restored and brought back to life! This angel of a man was gifted my book for Christmas and has bought another mansion that has a chapter my book. He has started renovation work on it already and I am due a revisit there in the next few weeks. I can’t wait to see it and post up the progress for you all 👏
Knocklofty is a sprawling 40,000 sq ft country mansion that was built in 1790 and is one of Irelands largest homes. The mansion – Georgian with Victorian extensions has some jaw dropping features, a drawing room with parquet flooring, gold and white plasterwork ceilings, carved wood fireplaces and not to mention a two storey library 👇 The grounds also come with 80 acres of parklands. This really is the Irish Downton Abbey!
Through the grandeur there is also a colourful history. In the 1970s the house was owned by Lord and Lady Donoughmore. They came home from the house one evening to be greeted by masked men, Lord Donoughmore who was 71 at the time resisted however the masked men hit him over the head and bundled the couple into the back of a van.
They had just been kidnapped by the IRA, but it wasn’t for ransom money, it was to influence policy on an on-going hunger strike that was taking part in Northern Ireland. Over the course of four days, they became friendly with the captors, they said they were fed well, and they did not speak about politics with them. After some mediation in the early hours of the morning the Donaghmores were driven to Dublin and released in the middle of Phoenix Park. Seven years later Lord Donoughmore died, and the mansion was placed on the market.
In 1984 it was bought with 105 acres and sections of the property were developed as apartments in a time share scheme, which was the first in Ireland. The remaining sections were turned into a hotel.
Facilities were also added, squash courts, swimming pool and a leisure centre. All went well initially but within a decade it had failed. The estate went into receivership and back onto the market.
Finally in 1991 it was purchased by a local businessman, and it continued to run as a hotel until renovations would begin to renovating sections into apartments. Unfortunately, this also failed, and the banks took possession of the house in 2017.
Visible reminders of the hotel still remain. This looks to have been the check in desk.
Each of the doorways have detailed archways, with gold leaf impressions.
Not to mention the wood panelling, some with secret doorways!
Work has begun and there is a full team of men on site working to get the roof repaired and water tight.
Plans for Knocklofty are not set in stone yet, the immediate goal is to stop the water getting in and to start repairs. This will be no mean feat but so worthwhile.
Knocklofty could not be in any better hands. I can’t wait to get back next year to see how far it has come on. I’ll keep you all updated on the progress!
*This site is now lived in and protected by security 24/7*
Knockgraffon Rectory (and Castle), Newinn, 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. 178. “A charming little Georgian “doll’s house” built ca 1794 by Rev Nicholas Herbert, father of the diarist and authoress Dorothea Herbert; who was Rector of Carrick-on-Suir, where he normally lived, as well as of Knockgraffon; but who was ordered by his Archbishop to spend three months of every year here. Dorothea thought that the new Glebe had the appearance of a “neat English one,” but found the surroundings “barren: after Carrick; the society too, was not up to Carrick society; though it was here that she met and conceived her hopeless passion for a neighbouring young squire, John Roe, of Rockwell. The house was originally of two storeys and three bays; pedimented doorcse with blocking flanked by sidelights. A third storey was added in C19, and also a two storey one bay service wing at one side.”
Knockgraffon Castle is a tower- house standing to full height with gables in the north and south. There is an intact bartizan at the NE corner, with a fragment of a bartizan at the SW corner. The tower is possibly four storeys high plus attic and the entrance appears to be in the south wall. There is a spiral stairway at the NW corner at the upper level and there may be mural chambers along the west wall. There are chimneys in the east and west walls. The large window gap in the north wall may indicate a later occupation and there appears to be a large amount of plaster on the inside walls.
A close inspection of the castle is not normally possible. The photographs were taken in 1982 when it was possible to walk around the outside of the building. The interior could not be fully explored due to its ruinous and unsafe condition. I returned in 1988 but a ‘Keep Out’ sign on the gateway of the field prevented close inspection. I tried again in 2006 but now find that the gateway no longer exists and there does not appear to be any easy access. The hedge has grown tall and thick so even a distant photograph is not possible. If anyone has any detailed photographs or information about Knockgraffon Castle which they would like to add to this page please e-mail me.
Detached double-pile three-bay three-storey over basement former rectory, built 1789-90, top storey being later addition, with slightly recessed two-storey over basement extension to south-west. Pitched slate roofs with slightly projecting rendered end chimneystacks and cast-iron rainwater goods. Painted roughcast render to upper storeys, painted smooth render to ground floor, with tooled limestone plinth. Painted smooth render platband to first floor sill level. Square-headed window openings with tooled limestone sills and timber sliding sash windows, three-over-three pane to top floor, six-over-three pane to first floor and six-over-six pane to ground floor. One-over-one pane windows to addition. Square-headed door opening with pedimented cut limestone surround flanked by barred square-headed timber sliding sash one-over-two pane sidelights. Interior shutters to windows, staircase to entrance hall. Castellated screen wall, ruled-and-lined rendered wall and round-headed arch in dresed sandstone wall to yard of outbuildings. Rendered outbuildings with pitched slate roofs, square-headed timber battened doors with paned overlights and segemental-arched carriage entrances. Walled garden to north-east with cut-stone entrance with keystone and decorative cast-iron gate. Coursed rubble sandstone boundary walls to road with cut-stone gate piers having carved caps.
Appraisal
An attractive glebe house built by Rev. Nicholas Herbert, father of diarist and author Dorothea Herbert in whose writings, entitled ‘Retrospections 1770 – 1806’, there appeared a simple drawing of the dwelling in its earlier two-storey form. Historically the house is associated with stories of Dorothea’s descent into madness when the object of her affections, John Roe Esq., then resident of the nearby Rockwell House, rebuffed her advances. The elegantly composed, simple classical proportions of the house, articulated by the diminishing windows and finely cut pedimented doorcase, give it a sense of restrained grandeur most suitable to its function. The house retains a good example of a main internal staircase located in the entrance hall passing visibly behind a window on the front façade. The complex comprising the house, walled garden and outbuildings has been carefully maintained ensuring the original character of the buildings now remains substantially intact. The buildings, occupying an elevated site recessed from the road, forms a pleasant and interesting group in the landscape.
Knockagh (or Knocka) Castle, Templemore, Co Tipperary – ruin
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. 178. “A partly-curving keep, with a large house of late C17 or early C18 appearance built onto the front of it; the house being of two storeys over a basement, with a three bay centre recessed between wo bay projecting wings. Tall chimney stacks. In ruins by the end of C19, now only the keep stands.
Knockagh Castle is a round tower-house with the entrance in the west. There are traces of four machicolations at roof level but none exactly above the doorway. The entrance is greatly ruined, only about half the worked stone is in place. It is guarded by a murder-hole. To the right is a large guard-chamber with an ambry at the inner end and a fine corbelled roof. To the left, at the end of a short passage, rises a spiral stairway. The entrance to the ground floor room is at the bottom of the stairs but it is not directly opposite the outer doorway, although there is now a large gap here. This castle differs from Ballynahow in that the ground floor windows do not have the large square recesses.
There appears to be only one window at ground floor level. The castle is vaulted above the first floor and the murder-hole leads from a small chamber at the first floor. The stairway is broken above this level and access to the upper floors is difficult. There is only one vault. There are fireplaces at the second, third and fourth floors. There is a chimney stack on the south wall and traces of gables in the east and west walls. At the second floor, in the north wall, is a garderobe and another in the east wall at third floor. The stairway ends at the top floor which is missing, making access to the roof impossible. A number of windows opening off the stairway feature lower hinge-stones.
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. 177. “Butler, Dunboyne, B/Pb; Cooke, sub Cooke-Collis/IFR; de Sales la Terriere/LG1969) A castle of the Butlers, Lords Dunboyne, romantically situated on a rock high above the Clashawley River, originally with four square corner towers of which three remain; two of them having been altered and added to during C18 and C19 by the Cooke family, to form the present house.”
Multi-period country house comprising five-bay block of c.1600, modified c.1820, with three-storey south, garden, elevation and three- and four-storey north, entrance, elevation and flanked to east and west by projecting four-stage towers of c.1500. Garden elevation of later block projects beyond face of towers. Roof of house not visible. Crenellated parapets to all elevations, having decorative cut-stone copings and dentil course to south elevation and pinnacles with ball finials to corners of towers. Roughly dressed limestone walls. String course and crowsteps to west parapet of west tower. Timber sliding sash windows throughout. Brick surrounds to windows of entrance elevation, segmental-arched three-over-three pane to top floor with pointed arch lights to upper lifts of windows, pointed arched with traceried fanlights elsewhere, six-over-none pane to tall centre-bay windows and six-over-six pane elsewhere. Dressed limestone surrounds to windows of garden elevation, with pointed arch lights to upper lifts of windows, three-over-three pane to top floor, nine-over-six pane to middle floor and six-over-six pane to ground floor. West tower has traceried 15th c. window to first floor of west elevation, pointed arched windows and single- and two-light ogee-headed windows and oculus windows elsewhere. Replacement timber entrance doorway set into four-centred dressed limestone surround, in turn recessed into four-centred opening with brick surround. Five-bay two-storey return of c.1500 to rear of east tower. Return has pitched slate roof with brick chimneystack, rubble walls and 15th c. two-light windows, some with label-mouldings. Crenellated screen wall returns to rear of west tower to enclose courtyard to north of house and has 19th c. limestone armorial plaque over round-headed archway with timber battened double-leaf door. East-west range of outbuildings with integral segmental carriageway terminates north end of screen wall at right angles and leads into second courtyard which is curtain wall of 13th c. castle. Range is multiple-bay two-storey with pitched slate roof, brick chimneys and rubble walls, dressed to south side of archway. South elevation has timber sliding sash windows with limestone sills and dressed voussoirs, six-over-six pane with four-over-four pane flanking archway and some oculi to first floor with pivoted windows. Blocked carriage arch and replacement timber sliding sash windows to north elevation. Wall curving from north-east corner of range connects with donjon. Multiple-bay two-storey range along north-west curtain wall with pitched corrugated asbestos roof, rubble walls and has pointed arch doorways to ground floor and slit vents to first floor. Four-bay two-storey outbuilding in middle of north courtyard has pitched artificial slate roof, rubble limestone walls, square-headed timber sliding sash windows and some arched openings to ground floor with dressed voussoirs. Pointed archway in castle curtain wall, to south of donjon, has sculpted plaque of two-tailed cat and date 1821. Archway leads to rock-cut passage descending to two-storey fortified 16th c. wellhouse. House sited on eminence overlooking Clashawley River. Grounds contain 15th c. dovecote, medieval church and graveyard, remains of deserted medieval settlement. Gate lodges to west and south.
Kiltinan Castle, a of the Butlers, was substantially remodelled by the Cooke family during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The main block, said to be built by E. Cooke Esq., incorporates the 15th c. towers. At the rear is the donjon and curtain wall of a 13th c. castle. The overall form of the house presents an imposing façade, complemented by crenellations and pinnacles. The inclusion of the 15th c. towers and return has resulted in a multi-period residence with the fabric of at least five centuries contained within it. The variety of windows with pointed arch detailing is noteworthy. The courtyards of buildings behind the house add considerably to its setting. The demesne contains a myriad of features of archaeological, historic and scenic interest, including the site of a medieval village, a ruined medieval church, a medieval dovecote and imposing 19th. gatehouses.
Detached circular-plan single-storey dovecote, built c. 1500. Coursed rubble limestone walls and domed roof with limestone coping to top of wall. Square-headed opening to north-west side with roughly dressed limestone lintel.
Appraisal
This dovecote, situated in a prominent location within the grounds of Kiltinan Castle, retains its original form and materials. It is a valuable document and fine example of the extent and activities of this demesne in previous centuries.
Detached three-bay two-storey gateway, built 1842, with gable-fronted end bays and slightly recessed entrance bay. Crenellations with cut-stone copings to parapet. Coursed rubble sandstone walls with croix pommées to ground floor. Square-headed window openings, now blocked up, with limestone sills and label mouldings. Carved limestone date plaque over window above entrance arch. Tudor-arch archway with cut-stone voussoirs and double-leaf cast-iron gates. Sweeping rubble sandstone walls flanking gatehouse and terminated by roughly dressed sandstone piers having rough crenellations. Post box with crown and royal insignia of Queen Victoria to west sweep wall.
Appraisal
The southern entrance to Kiltinan Castle, prominently situated at a junction, presents a commanding and imposing façade to the roadway. Once the seat of the Butlers, Kiltinan Castle was substantially remodelled by the Cooke family during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The architecture of the gateway is modelled on that of the castle hence the crenellations and medieval motifs such as the croix pommées. The gateway is notable for its large size and decorative detailing such as the label mouldings.
Quadrant entrance gateway, built c. 1840, comprising pointed archway flanked by crenellated two-stage towers presenting V-plan to roadside. Coursed roughly dressed sandstone walls with cut-stone string course and eaves course. Square-headed arrow slit openings to towers and carved sandstone oculi to spandrels of archway. Double-leaf cast-iron gates. Crenellated screen walls to each side of gateway, with pointed arch pedestrian entrances, one blocked. Sweep walls terminated by crenellated dressed sandstone piers.
Appraisal
This imposing gateway, a fine example of castellated architecture, forms the west, main, entrance to Kiltinan Castle. The architecture of the gateway is modelled on that of the castle hence the use of medieval motifs such as the crenellations and the skilfully-made arrow slits. The gateway represents a striking roadside feature.
Kiltinane Castle was the seat of the Cooke family in the 18th and 19th centuries. Lewis describes the castle as the seat of R. Cooke, it “consists of an ancient circular tower …. and a residence erected on the old site by the late E. Cooke”. In the mid 19th century the buildings were valued at £38+ and held by Robert Cooke in fee. Noted by Slater in 1894 as the seat of Robert Cooke. Sold by the Cookes in the 1920s to Mrs le Terrier, Kiltinan Castle now belongs to Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.
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. 298. “(Bayly/IFR) An old tower with Georgian churchwarden Gothic windows. Lower curved addition, later domestic wing with C19 battlemented porch.”
Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.
Detached three-bay three-storey country house, built c.1850, with Gothic Revival porch and single-bay full-height return, attached to west side of two-bay four-storey castellated tower house built c.1550. Two-storey castellated D-plan tower added to east wall of tower house c.1840 and three-bay two-storey block, built c.1800, added to rear wall of tower house. Roof of main block not visible behind slate-hung parapet. Pitched slate roof and rendered chimneystacks to rear addition. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Roughcast rendered walls, with slate-hanging to southwest gable and rear elevations of main block. Roughcast rendered random rubble limestone walls to tower house and roughcast rendered walls to cylindrical tower. Square-headed window openings with timber sliding sash four-over-four pane windows surmounted by two-pane timber casement windows, grouped in triplet to ground and first floors of front and southwest gable, similar arrangement to second floor of front without casement detail, having double windows to rear, with sandstone sills, overall impression being that of mullioned and transomed windows. Pointed-arch window openings to second floor of tower house and first floor of cylindrical tower, with timber sliding sash six-over-six pane windows having timber intersecting tracery. Additional pointed-arch openings to ground floor of tower house, having paired pointed-arch openings with timber sliding sash windows having timber Y-tracery, also paired ogee-headed lights with timber sliding sash two-over-two pane windows surmounted by carved limestone human heads to spandrels, floral motifs and label-mouldings, and double timber sliding sash barred one-over-one pane window to ground set into blocked pointed-arch doorway, all having tooled limestone sills. Triple timber sliding sash windows to northeast gable of tower house and D-shaped tower, with lattice glazing. Timber sliding sash six-over-six pane windows to rear block. Tudor-arch door opening with chamfered render surround, surmounted by render label-moulding, having decorative timber panelled door and limestone steps, in rendered porch having timber sliding sash four-over-four pane windows to side walls of porch. Castellated random rubble limestone walls with pointed-arch openings leading to rear yard. Outbuildings to rear with pitched slate roofs and roughcast rendered walls, with horizontal blind oval recesses. Remains of walled garden to site. Random rubble limestone boundary walls with some castellated sections, having dressed limestone piers with carved caps and stile to rear entrance, rock-faced cut limestone piers to front entrance, both having double-leaf cast-iron gates, latter being more decorative and having associated gate lodge with pitched slate roof and rendered walls, extension and replacement door and windows.
Appraisal
This country house spans several periods and exhibiting a variety of architectural styles. The earliest remaining house on the site is a sixteenth-century tower house, with the remains of what may be castellated bawn walls. This accommodation was later expanded by the addition of an interesting D-plan tower, an early nineteenth-century extension and a more ornate mid-nineteenth-century building, with Tudor Revival style elements, to the west. This interesting house is pleasantly situated at the foot of a forested hillside and, together with its associated structures, forms an attractive element in the landscape.
Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.
A 16th century tower house with a number of additions, Lewis records Killough Castle as the “occasional residence” of the Honourable Mrs Plunkett. In 1850 the Honourable Bowes Daly occupied the castle valued at £22.14 shillings which he held in fee.
Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.
For sale Sept 2023
Killough Castle and Farm, Thurles, Tipperary
€5,500,000
By Dougan Fitzgerald
Thriving farm with approximately 191ha (471acres), with the option of a further out farm of approximately 22.91ha (56acres) by further negotiation, giving a total of approximately 213.91ha (527acres) in prime Golden Vale country. With acres of arable and pasture lands in the heart of Ireland’s premier county, Killough Castle and farm offers an extraordinary opportunity for a signature home, business and working farm. Main House: Approximately 555.4 sq.m (5,978 sq.ft) Gate Lodge: Approximately 94.6 sq.m (1,018 sq.ft)
In the heart of Ireland’s Golden Vale, Killough Castle has a history dating back to the early 1400s. The original Tower House has early Georgian and later additions including six bedrooms, and there is also a three-bedroom gate lodge. Today, the Castle sits at the heart of a c.191.19ha (471 acres) farm. The excellent lands comprise arable land and grassland, forestry and woodlands, which have been noted for their biodiversity. Rich with original features, the Castle offers a magnificent opportunity to create a home of significance, while its unrivalled seclusion also offers huge potential for hospitality or other uses. The farmlands are of excellent quality and come complete with a range of farm buildings.
The Farm at Killough The approximately 191ha (471 acres) of land at Killough are ideally situated in Ireland’s Golden Vale, an area renowned for its exceptional grasslands and pastures. The Golden Vale is considered the best in Ireland for dairy farming, and the rich rolling pastures support a strong network of farming and farming organisations. Killough Castle has been at the heart of this pedigree for more than five hundred years, and the lands have been well-tended and fenced throughout, and are presented in excellent condition, providing arable lands, grasslands, forestry and woodlands and a range of farm buildings. The farm itself is serviced by two long avenues, with internal farm roadways, with a well providing a pristine water supply and river running through the farm. Laid out in well fenced arable and grasslands, forestry and woodlands, the site also includes a generous section of Killough Hill. The woodlands were the subject of a Biodiversity Study, conducted by University College Cork, which confirmed its high ecological value. Land usage The farm at Killough Castle comprises of a total of approximately 191ha (471acres) and the land usage is as follows (please reference boundary map for land usage): Arable land: 116ha (286acres) approximately Grassland :18.9ha (46.68acres) approximately Forestry: 37.18ha (91.83acres) approximately Native woodland: 12.18ha(30acres) approximately Scrub land: 0.47ha (1.16acres) approximately Developed area -castle, grounds, avenue, roads, farm buildings, gardens and ground: 6.46ha (15.95acres) Species of trees within the forestry: Norway spruce, alder, oak and chestnut. There is the option to purchase a second farm at nearby Ballytarsna of approximately 22.91ha (56acres) by further negotiation, giving a total of approximately 213.91ha (527acres). The lands in Ballytarsna are in grasslands and are approximately 10 minutes from Killough Castle and farm by car. The farm is in receipt of significant EU payments. Gardens and Grounds A 2km sweep of tarmac drive leads to Killough Castle, at the centre of the extensive farm. Mature and specimen trees shelter the ancient building, and rolling lawns stretch towards Killough Hill.
A castellated arch leads to the first of three interlinked yards. The Castle itself is adjoined by patios, planting, further lawns and secluded seating areas, all with mature planting. These range from formal spaces to wilder woodlands. The sheltering walls create a microclimate for growing, and there is a kitchen garden, greenhouse and orchard. A further 1km avenue leads to the rear entrance, while the remainder is serviced by all-weather estate roads. Carefully laid out by successive generations, the gardens at Killough provide peace, tranquillity and seclusion, sitting comfortably alongside the amenities of a top-quality working farm. History Richly historic, Killough Castle was first built in the 1400s, and has been added to over time, including during the early Georgian period. This layering of times and periods creates a warmly welcoming home that simultaneously tells a history of Ireland. One of Ireland’s more complete Tower Houses, the earliest part of Killough is said to have been built between 1415 and 1450 and was substantially rebuilt one hundred years later. In the late 1800s, the tower was modified in the Gothic Revival style, which reached its zenith in Ireland with Lismore Castle, further south in neighbouring Co Waterford. At Killough, you can see the evidence of the era in the window arches, and carved details, including some neo gothic gargoyles. These are ecclesiastical in design, as during the 1500s, the Castle was the summer residence of the Bishop of Cashel, Miler McGrath, who cemented his prosperity by making his peace with Queen Elizabeth I, and who is buried at the Rock of Cashel. The early Georgian residential wing was added, as well as a coach house, to create an inner courtyard. Further accommodation was built in the 1800s, in the wing that now hosts the main reception rooms and two of the six bedrooms. By 1850, the Castle was owned by the Honourable Bowes Daly, and was written into the history books as being valued at £22.14 shillings. Killough has been in the hands of its current owners for more than one hundred years and presents a unique opportunity to acquire a home or business of huge potential, that resonates with the legacies of generations, and of Irish history itself. Services Private well water supply Septic tank Solid fuel and electric heating Mains electricity
Accommodation
Killough Castle Laid out over three floors, Killough Castle is testament to generations of Irish history and architectural design. The front hallway leads to a large inner hall, off which is a magnificent dual aspect dining room, with an open fire. To the right, and into the oldest part of the Castle, there is a vaulted pantry and inner halls, leading separately to the historic round tower, and further to a scullery. The early Georgian accommodation to the rear comprises a breakfast room, kitchen with an Aga, study, store and utility room. The rear hall includes a boot room and access to the stable yard. These rooms are replete with original features from the different eras, including plasterwork, panelling, shuttering, vaults and fireplaces, all of which flow into a welcoming, seamless whole. The first floor shares the same footprint, and includes an exceptionally bright and sunny drawing room, with magnificent views, a charming sitting room, and a lookout landing providing view of Killough hill. A winding staircase in the upper floor of the round tower leads to the second floor main bedroom and access to the upper floors of the original castle. The first floor of the Georgian addition accommodates an atmospheric spacious study, a bathroom with wc, a separate wc, and three of the six bedrooms which are doubles. The top floor has three bedrooms, including the dramatic Master, with superb Gothic revival windows and access to stone spiral stairs leading to the upper floors of the castle and battlements with views across the rolling pastures of the Golden Vale. In the same family for more than a century, Killough Castle has been a much-loved family home. It comes on the market as a unique opportunity to create a residence of distinction, hospitality offering, retreat or headquarters. The surrounding farm offers both complete privacy and seclusion, and the benefits of a highly successful and well-serviced going concern. Gate lodge The three-bedroomed gate lodge at the entrance to the long avenue has its own private garden, and is ideal for a farm manager, staff cottage, or for additional accommodation or income generation.
Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.
Features
• Working farm with high quality acreage • Approximately 191ha (471acres) of arable land, grassland, forestry and native woodland • The potential to purchase an arable out farm of approximately 22.91ha (56acres) by further negotiation, giving a total of approximately 213.91ha (527acres). • A full range of farm buildings • Tarmac avenue with farm roadways throughout the land • Two entrances: the main 2km avenue leading to a beautifully secluded setting and a 1km back entrance • Historic castle accommodation, with Georgian wing • Original Tower House dating back to the 15th Century • Approximately 555.4 sq.m (5,978 sq. ft) of living accommodation • Six bedrooms • Spectacular uninterrupted views of Killough Hill • Gardens, patios and orchard • Three bedroomed gate lodge • 4km to Horse and Jockey exit to M8
BER Details
BER: Exempt
Directions
Location Situated in the heart of some of Ireland’s best pasture land, Killough Castle is beautifully secluded, yet less than 4km from the Horse and Jockey and exit to the M8 Dublin to Cork motorway. The town of Thurles is less than fifteen minutes away. Here there are regular direct rail connections to Dublin and Cork. Nearby Cashel boasts prestige accommodation with the recently refurbished Cashel Palace attracting visitors from around the world, many of whom are visiting the nearby Ballydoyle and Coolmore equestrian facilities. This means there are many wonderful pubs, cafés, restaurants and boutique shops on your doorstep. Sporting enthusiasts are catered for with golf courses, equestrian centres, racing, hunting and fishing; while the land at Killough Castle lends itself to walking, horse riding and other country pursuits. The local schools are excellent, at primary and secondary level, boasting famous alumni. The area is noted for its welcoming community, exceptional amenities and forward-thinking outlook, which is still embedded in a rich sense of history and legacy. 4km to M8 at Horse and Jockey, with access to Cork and Dublin 9km to Thurles 15km to Cashel 68km to Limerick City 84km to Adare 97km to Shannon International Airport 120km to Cork International Airport 157km to Dublin City Centre 164km to Dublin International Airport
Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.Killough Castle, County Tipperary for sale Sept 2023 photograph courtesy of sales advertisment.
Killoskehan, County Tipperary, photograph from sale advertisement, Premier Property Ireland.
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. 171. “(Willington/LGI1958) An old castle with a two storey early C18 wing; the latter has a projection with a very handsome pedimented and rusticated doorcase. In the C19 the whole building was reroofed; the old castle battlemented and C18 wing given roof-dormers. A gable was added to the projection with the doorcase, and mullions were put into all the windows. The other front was made more consciously Tudor, with a porch oriel and tall chimneystack.”
Killoskehan, County Tipperary, photograph from sale advertisement, Premier Property Ireland.Killoskehan, County Tipperary, photograph from sale advertisement, Premier Property Ireland.Killoskehan Castle, County Tipperary, photograph by Robert French, (between ca. 1865-1914), Lawrence Photograph Collection, National Library of Ireland.Killoskehan Castle, County Tipperary, photograph by Robert French, (between ca. 1865-1914), Lawrence Photograph Collection, National Library of Ireland.
and supplement: “Remodelled 1867 to the design of Sir Thomas Newenham Deane.”
Killoskehan, County Tipperary, photograph from sale advertisement, Premier Property Ireland.Killoskehan, County Tipperary, photograph from sale advertisement, Premier Property Ireland.
Detached rectangular-plan multi-period country house. Comprises early seventeenth-century towerhouse to south corner with single-bay gable and two-bay side elevation and larte seventeenth/early eighteenth-century L-plan six-bay two-storey with dormer attic block with central full-height projecting entrance bay with date plaque, built onto north-east wall of towerhouse. Whole remodelled and Tudor Revival block added to north corner in 1865, with full-height projecting entrance bay and with courtyard filling south-west corner of plan. Pitched slate roofs with cast-iron rainwater goods, rendered chimneystacks, some multiple-offset to second phase. Gabled dormer windows and moulded limestone course to façade of second phase. Carved finials, eaves course and details to 1865 block. Ruled-and-lined rendered walls to towerhouse and second phase, exposed rubble limestone to latter’s return gable, and rusticated limestone to 1865 block, courtyard and machicolation and battlements of towerhouse. Carved limestone date plaque to second phase façade. Square-headed window openings, mullioned to outer elevations, with hood mouldings to towerhouse. Rendered block-and-start surrounds to early blocks and chamfered surrounds to 1865 block, with various early openings to gables of second phase and with carved balconies to end gables of towerhouse and second phase. Carved limestone Gibbsian door surround with pediment to second phase with replacement timber door. Four-centred carved limestone doorcase to 1865 block, with replacement timber door and stained glass overlight. Courtyard to north of house with multiple-bay single- and two-storey outbuildings, with snecked limestone walls and accessed through gatehouse comprising segmental-arched carriageway with possible former chapel to first floor. Cast-iron vehicular and pedestrian entrance gates with carved limestone piers to road entrance.
Appraisal
This house incorporating fabric from three periods, is a fine example of historical continuity. The 1865 block is an interesting example of Tudor-style architecture that was revived in Ireland in the nineteenth century. The architectural form of the complex is enhanced by many notable features and materials, such as the moulded window surrounds and ornate carved limestone entrances. The house forms an interesting group with the surviving related outbuildings, gate lodge and entrance gates.
This house was the seat of the Willington family. In 1837 Lewis wrote that Killoskehane Castle “includes part of the ancient castle in the modern mansion”. The property was held by John Willington in fee at the time of Griffith’s Valuation when the buildings were valued at £29+. Edward D. Martin was the occupier of Killoskehane in 1906 and William Costigan in the 1940s. The building is still extant and occupied.
For sale by Helen Cassidy, Premier Properties Ireland:
Charming Historic Irish Castle/ Mansion dating from the 1600′s available for purchase. Price includes the bulk of the furniture.
Renovated to a beautiful standard during the 1800′s.
Killoskehane Castle is located in a most beautiful, tranquil private situation just a short drive from the town of Templemore, County Tipperary,
with superb views of the Devil’s Bit mountain and the Slieve Felim Mountains.
This house was the seat of the Willington Family. The property consists of approx. 15 acres of paddocks and gardens, with outhouses and Gatelodge.
Killoskehan, County Tipperary, photograph from sale advertisement, Premier Property Ireland.Killoskehan, County Tipperary, photograph from sale advertisement, Premier Property Ireland.
Located at the foot of The Devil’s Bit Mountain.
4 km to Borrisoleigh,
1hr 45 mins to Dublin, 1 hour to Shannon/ Limerick, 1hr 45 mins to Galway. 7km to Templemore, 18 miles to Thurles, 20 Mins to Nenagh.
The accommodation comprises:
Ground Floor:
Large Hallway with elaborate wood panelling and floors, leading to
Drawing Room with fine wood panelling, historic fireplace, French windows to Gardens
Extensive Dining Room with fine wood panelling, historic fireplace and French windows to Gardens,
Fully fitted Kitchen, Games Room with feature fireplace, assorted service rooms.
Killoskehan, County Tipperary, photograph from sale advertisement, Premier Property Ireland.Killoskehan, County Tipperary, photograph from sale advertisement, Premier Property Ireland.Killoskehan, County Tipperary, photograph from sale advertisement, Premier Property Ireland.Killoskehan, County Tipperary, photograph from sale advertisement, Premier Property Ireland.Killoskehan, County Tipperary, photograph from sale advertisement, Premier Property Ireland.Killoskehan, County Tipperary, photograph from sale advertisement, Premier Property Ireland.Killoskehan, County Tipperary, photograph from sale advertisement, Premier Property Ireland.Killoskehan, County Tipperary, photograph from sale advertisement, Premier Property Ireland.Killoskehan, County Tipperary, photograph from sale advertisement, Premier Property Ireland.
First Floor: Gallery/Studio,Lounge, Four Formal Bedrooms, Three Bathrooms.
Second Floor: Five Bedrooms, Two Bathrooms.
Killoskehan, County Tipperary, photograph from sale advertisement, Premier Property Ireland.Killoskehan, County Tipperary, photograph from sale advertisement, Premier Property Ireland.Killoskehan, County Tipperary, photograph from sale advertisement, Premier Property Ireland.Killoskehan, County Tipperary, photograph from sale advertisement, Premier Property Ireland.
Externally the property offers charming gardens to the rear and fore, barbeque area, outbuildings, paddocks.
Killoskehane Castle is set in 20 acres with beautiful views of the Devils’ Bit and Slieve Mountains. The house sleeps up to 11 persons. All rooms are of generous size and beautifully proportioned. Everything is functional and nicely decorated. However, the modern luxury standard is not to be expected with these places.
A great place to withdraw from the hectic world and to take a real break!
The space
Killoskehane Castle is a masterclass for Georgian buildings. It has 4 double bedrooms, 1 twin double bedroom and 4 bathrooms in use currently. All rooms are bright with big windows overlooking the beautiful premies of the estate.
Killoskehane Castle has a beautiful bright sitting room, a stunning dining room, a cosy kitchen, a warm and peaceful lounge and a great games room. The house welcomes you with several cosy fireplaces which are all in use at the ground floor. Entering the impressive hall you feel having arrived in a different world.
Other things to note
Killoskehane Castle is an ancient building with lots of history. Guests will feel being transported back in time a few hundred years. The hiuse has been renovated regularly and is functional. However, modern luxury standard is hard to meet with these kinds of buildings.
Irish Historic Houses 
