Mantua House, Castlerea, Co Roscommon
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. 200. “(Grace, sub Bowen/LGI1912) A Palladian house attributed to Richard Castle and believed to have been built ca 1747 for Oliver Grace, who married the daughter and heiress of John Dowell, the former owner of the estate. Centre block of three storeys over basement and five bays; roundel between niches in centre of top storey, above pedimented niche betwwen two narrow windows, above fanlighted doorway also between two narrow windows. Rusticated window surrounds. Single-storey corridors joining centre block to two storey three bay wings, each with a roundel above a Venetian window; the wings also having rusticated window surrounds.”
Not in national inventory
Listed in Vanishing Country Houses of Ireland by The Knight of Glin, David J. Griffin and Nicholas K. Robinson, published by The Irish Architectural Archive and The Irish Georgian Society, 1988.
p. 127. “A three storey house built c. 1747 to the design of Richard Castle for Oliver Grace.
https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/homes-and-property/worth-the-investment-1.1010983
Worth the investment?
Thu, Jun 1, 2006, 01:00
The address: Mantua, Elphin, Co Roscommon.
The agent: Sherry FitzGerald Gallagher.
The property: eight-bedroom 557sq m (6,000sq ft) house for €295,000 which represents a cost of €529 per sq m (€49 per sq ft).
The look: extended country farmhouse, currently the Mantua Arts Centre.
The landscape: located in the scenic countryside of Elphin, 14.5 miles from Boyle and 13.5 miles from Carrick-on-Shannon. Mantua national school is 100 yards away.
The features: tree-lined property with its own brook and private well. It has a kitchen, utility room, well, four reception rooms, eight bedrooms and seven additional rooms used as gallery space.
How much for an investor? The repayments on a 85 per cent loan at an interest rate of 3.6 per cent (APR 3.66 per cent) over 25 years would be €1,266 per month. With an interest-only loan at the same rate, the repayments would be €825 per month.
How much for owner-occupier to buy? Over 35 years, at AIB’s discounted tracker rate of 3.1 per cent (3.6 per cent) the repayments on this mortgage would be €1,151 per month for the first year.
At 92 per cent of the property price, at AIB’s discounted tracker rate of 3.1 per cent (Apr 3.6 per cent) the repayments over 35 years would be €1,058 per month for the first year. Repayments at the standard variable rate of 3.75 per cent (APR 3.81 per cent) would be €1,159 per month.
Potential: it has previously been a barracks, nursing home and shop/post office and is currently an arts centre. Other possibilities include a guest-house or a family home for which it would need some refurbishment.
Verdict: could be a golden opportunity for someone looking to get away from it all and start their own business in the country.
http://landedestates.nuigalway.ie/LandedEstates/jsp/property-list.jsp?letter=M
Built in the mid 18th century and owned by the Grace family in the 18th and 19th centuries. Occupied by R. Underwood in 1778. In 1786 Wilson notes that it was the seat of the late Richard Underwood and of Captain Grace. The 1st edition Ordnance Survey map indicates that it had elaborate gardens with a fishpond and terrace. It was owned by Edward F. Bowen in 1906. Mantua is now a ruin.
Mantua House, near Elphin. Oliver Grace married the Roscommon heiress Mary Dowell in the 1740’s and they built this large Palladian house at Mantua, to a design by celebrated architect Richard Castle. The house is now an ivy covered ruin.
Irish Historic Houses 