Lissrenny, Tallanstown, Co Louth 

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. “(Filgate/IFR) A three storey seven bay red brick house of 1788-98, built by William Filgate onto the end of an earlier house with panelled rooms, and at right angles to it; forming a house with a T plan. The 1788-98 block had a pedimented and fanlighted tirpartile doorway and a parapeted roof. It was demolished 1974, leaving the earlier house to serve as the family residence. Two rooms have since been added to it.” 

https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/13901418/lisrenny-house-lisrenny-co-louth

Detached eight-bay two-storey with attic house, built c. 1740. Three two-storey returns to south, single- and two-storey extension to west c. 1800, squared bay windows to ground floor north elevation, gable-fronted dormer windows, pitched slate roofs to south elevation, projecting entrance bay to south elevation of extension c. 1800. Pitched and hipped slate roofs, crested clay ridge tiles to main house, clay hip tiles, copper flashing, roughcast-rendered and brick corbelled chimneystacks, moulded cast-iron gutters on carved stone corbelled eaves course to main block, cast-iron hoppers and circular. Roughcast-rendered walling, projecting smooth rendered plinth to main block. Square-headed window openings, tooled stone sills, smooth rendered reveals, painted timber four-over-four sliding sash windows to first floor north elevation, metal casement windows to ground floor north elevation, six-over-six, six-over-three and four-over-two sliding sash windows to extension; chamfered ashlar limestone flush sills and surrounds to bay windows and entrance-bay south elevation, multiple-pane metal casement windows, separated by stone mullions within bay-windows. Square-headed door openings, main entrance to north, carved sandstone pedimented surround, painted timber door with four raised-and-fielded panels and four plain-glazed panels, accessed by stone step; door set at angle within south elevation, tooled limestone surround recessed within segmental-headed tooled limestone arch with decorative label stops, painted timber door with nine flat panels, accessed by curved stone steps. Walled garden to south. Multiple ranges of roughcast-rendered and stone outbuildings to east centred around cobbled stableyard, pitched slate roofs, square- and round-headed window openings, brick surrounds, square-headed door openings and segmental-headed carriage arches, stone surrounds, random rubble bellcote to south range. Two-bay two-storey roughcast-rendered farmhouse to east. House set in own extensive grounds, accessed through large decorative gates with gate lodge to north-west. 

Appraisal 

Lisrenny House is an extensive eighteenth-century house which has evolved over the centuries having been extended in various stages and the retention of various features from different periods adds to the architectural value of the house. The large complex of outbuildings, walled garden and farm house are all part of the original site context, and these associated buildings reveal the social importance of a once significant demesne which possibly provided much work for those in the locality. 

https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/13901419/tallanstown-lodge-lisrenny-co-louth

Detached three-bay single-storey former gate lodge, built c. 1850, now in private domestic use. Projecting entrance to north elevation, extension to south; entrance gate to north-east. Hipped slate roof, hidden by rendered crenellated parapet, smooth rendered chimneystacks with caps, gutter hidden by parapet, cast-iron hoppers, circular cast-iron and uPVC downpipes. Painted roughcast-rendered walling, roughly dressed limestone quoins, painted smooth rendered plinth, roughcast-rendered extension to south, granite quoins, smooth rendered plinth. Paired shouldered-arched window openings with chamfered reveals and soffits, granite sills, smooth rendered surround with mullions and transoms, hood-moulding, painted timber casement windows. Projecting entrance, ballustraded parapet, smooth rendered channelled walling, basket-arched door opening, surmounted by hood moulding, painted timber door with five raised-and-fielded panels, plain-glazed overlight, rendered steps to entrance; replacement timber panelled door with sidelights to east elevation. Entrance gate to north-east comprising four finely tooled fluted limestone Doric columns surmounted by decorative capping stones, limestone plinth surmounted by decorative cast-iron railings with quadrant railings to square-profile limestone piers with Greek key motif to frieze and carved capping stones. Cast-iron gates made by R Turner of Stephen’s Green, resting on tooled limestone bollards give access to Lisrenny House. 

Appraisal 

Tallanstown gate lodge terminates the vista of the road coming from the north and the gates give access to Lisrenny House. The former gate lodge itself is an attractive well designed structure and though modest in its scale, the decoration and detail afforded to it are impressive. The crenellated parapet and balustraded entrance porch add a formality to the structure which is complimented by the fine entrance gates with beautifully tooled column and decorative cast-iron gates. This attractive grouping of structures forms a focal point on this rural roadway and they make a positive contribution to the architectural heritage of County Louth.