Castle Oliver (also known as Clonodfoy), Kilfinane, Co Limerick – ‘lost’
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. 73. “(Oliver/IFR; Trench, sub Ashtown, B/PB) A large C19 castle of red sandstone in an Irish version of Scotch Baronial; built ca 1850 by the Misses Mary and Elizabeth Oliver-Gascoigne (afterwards Mrs. F.C. Trench and Lady Ashtown), in order to give employment after the famine; replacing an earlier house which was the birthplace of Marie Gilbert (better known as the adventuress, Lola Montez, the love to Ludwig I of Bavaria). The Misses Oliver-Gascoigne had an estate in Yorks as well as their county Limerick estate; and they employed a York architect, G. Fowler Jones, to design Castle Oliver. It has a massive tower like a keep, and many stepped gables and corbelled oriels; also a tall battlemented turret that formerly had a pointed roof. On the entrance front is a gabled porch-tower, carried on battered piers and segmental-pointed arches to form a porte-cochere. A terrace with a pierced “Jacobethan” parapet adorned with heraldic beasts runs along the two principal fronts. At the back of the castle is a long service range, enclosing a court. Large oak staircase. The framework of the high-pitched roof is of iron, which would have made the castle very much in advance of its time. On the hill above the castle is a Gothic “eyecatcher” dating from the days of the earlier house and known as “Oliver’s Folly.” Castle Oliver passed to Hon William Trench, step-grandson of Elizabeth (nee Oliver-Gascoigne), Lady Ashtown, one of the sisters who built the present castle.”
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.
https://archiseek.com/2013/1848-castle-oliver-clonodfoy-castle-co-limerick
1848 – Castle Oliver / Clonodfoy Castle, Co. Limerick
Architect: G.F. Jones
Also known as Castle Oliver, and constructed by English architect George Fowler Jones between 1845-48 for sisters Elizabeth and Mary Isabella Oliver-Gascoigne. Constructed in the Scottish Baronial style of a local pink sandstone, quarried on the estate. Fowler Jones designed several substantial commissions for the sisters, including almshouses and churches in England and Ireland, and named his first child ‘Gascoigne’ after the Oliver-Gascoigne sisters. The last descendant of the family moved out in 1978. Suffering vandalism and theft the castle fell into a period of decline until in 1998, it was taken over by Nick Browne. He put a halt to further deterioration, and subsequently it has been restored by new owners and is available to hire.
https://archiseek.com/2013/clonodfoy-lodfe-kilmallock-co-limerick
1848 – Clonodfoy Gateway, Co. Limerick
Architect: G.F. Jones
Extravagent gateway and lodge by George Fowler Jones to accompany the grand baronial castle he designed for the Oliver-Gascoigne sisters. Quite a severe design, and quite brooding in comparison to the pink castle.
https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/21905608/castle-oliver-raheenroe-co-limerick
Castle Oliver, RAHEENROE, County Limerick
Detached irregular-plan multiple-bay multiple-storey over basement country house, built between 1845-1848, in a Scottish Baronial style. Side entrance with double-storey porte-cochère carried on battered piers, projecting from a battlemented keep located at the south-west corner adjoining southern facing five-bay garden front with two-bay gable-fronted projection to south-east corner. Adjoining multiple-bay two-storey over basement with attic service block to north, having circular turret tower and squared keep, adjoining two-storey stable block terminating in octagonal tower. Pitched slate roofs having crenellations and corner towers, ashlar sandstone chimneystacks with cut stringcourses, cast-iron rainwater goods, wind vane to turret tower and dormer windows. Tooled ashlar sandstone walls with cut stringcourses. Mixed headed openings comprising openings with single, bipartite and tripartite openings with stone mullions and transoms, single-height canted-bay windows, oriel windows and timber sliding sash windows, pointed arch opening with stained glass window to north elevation. Pointed arch door openings with timber battened doors to east and south elevations. Stable blocks to rear (north) of house arranged around a courtyard with segmental-arched carriage arches and square-headed window and door openings. Raised terrace to front and side of house with balustrade punctuated by gryphons. Replacement gate piers to front of house supporting gryphons with replacement gates. Icehouse, underground tunnel and bridge contained within original grounds (now located in adjoining farm).
Appraisal
This fine country house was built by the sisters, Misses Mary and Elizabeth Oliver-Gascoigne. It replaced an earlier house where their cousin, Maria Gilbert (better known as Lola Montez), the mistress of Ludwig I of Bavaria, was born. Constructed as an Irish interpretation of the Scottish Baronial castle, it is believed that the house provided employment during and after the famine. The house has been constructed to the design of George Fowler Jones, a Yorkshire architect and assisted by Sir Thomas Deane, and contains impressive architectural features such as battlemented corner keep tower, circular turret tower and finely executed oriel and canted-bay windows. The various window openings add interest to the building while the impressive entrance rising on battered piers displays references to medieval architecture. The castle forms a focal point of a larger group of associated demesne buildings. The contractor for the stonework was Thomas Carroll, Dublin.
http://landedestates.nuigalway.ie/LandedEstates/jsp/property-list.jsp?letter=C
The original Castle Oliver or Clonodfoy was the home of the Oliver family in the 18th and early 19th centuries. It was replaced by the present building in the mid 19th century. In 1814 Castle Oliver was occupied by George Fosbery who may have been employed by the Olivers. In 1837 Lewis described the castle as being in a very dilapidated state. It then belonged to R. O. Gascoigne of the county of York whose bailiff resided in it. The new building was designed by George Fowler Jones and built in the Scottish baronial style for the Oliver Gascoignes. At the time of Griffith’s Valuation the castle was valued at £75 and the house at £48 and both were in the possession of Elizabeth O. Gascoigne and her brother-in-law, Frederick Charles Trench. The house was eventually inherited by Elizabeth’s step-grandson, William Cosby Trench. He was the occupier in 1906 when it was valued at £125. Restored in the early 21st century it now provides self catering accommodation and is a venue for functions such as weddings.
Castle Oliver, County Limerick : Sleeps 16
Castle Oliver rental prices range from €10000 – 15000 per week. Rentals are Saturday to Saturday only. Please inquire about your particular dates to see if it is available and for an accurate, up-to-date price.
Payments are made by check, in USD and wired to Ireland on your behalf. Security deposit is usually paid in cash, direct to the owner or caretaker and given back upon departure.
After its extensive restoration historic Castle Oliver is still used as a private home but is available on a self catering basis when not occupied by the current owner. Castle Oliver is a sprawling baronial mansion which has well over one hundred rooms, there are twelve staircases, and five of them stone spirals.
The castle has the largest wine cellar in Ireland with a capacity for 55,000 bottles. You can explore this while choosing a bottle or two for your dinner party.
Set in 15 acres of beautiful private parkland, surrounded by thousands of acres of unspoiled Irish countryside. Located in the beautiful Ballyhoura Mountains, the castle is halfway between Limerick and Cork city. Both Shannon and Cork airports are less than an hours drive away.
The cost for renting this fine castle includes professional butler service, breakfast, heating and electricity.
The castle has five superior bedrooms and three deluxe, the superior rooms boasts unique hand carved 4 poster beds, which were commissioned for the castle during its recent restoration all beds are dressed in Egyptian cotton sheets with exclusively made throws. All the ensuite bathrooms are extremely spacious, they host unique large bath tubs; power showers and have luxurious toiletries, robes and towels to make your trip truly memorable.
The Castle can sleep up to 16 people in eight ensuite rooms. On arrival to Castle Oliver be welcomed by the butler in the Clondfoy Hall with its large open fire and stain glass windows depicting St Patrick’s life. Awaiting you under the large crystal chandeliers in the Ballroom and joining Drawing room a champagne reception. Partake of your meals in the candlelit Dining room with its antique oak dining table that seats twenty two, or tickle the ivories of the baby grand. Relax by the fire in the Library reading a book from the extensive selection or withdraw to the Billiards room. Why not de-stress with a soak in a luxurious scented bath tub, and relax in one of our unique 6ft four poster beds.
The east or Raheenroe gate lodge that formerly provided entrance to Castle Oliver, County Limerick. Both this and the west (Ballyorgan) lodges and gates were designed in the mid-1840s for the Misses Oliver Gascoigne by Yorkshire-based architect George Fowler Jones: his clients’ intention was to provide work to local tenants during the Great Famine. As with the main house, Jones chose a high Gothic style but while the east lodge looks like a miniature medieval French castle (the corner turret once had a tall conical roof), that at the west gate was meant to evoke the Scottish manorial style, the architect having been born in Inverness. Both alas are now derelict but being sturdily constructed could easily be restored and made habitable again.
While the two lodges designed by George Fowler Jones for Castle Oliver, County Limerick are today derelict, the main house itself is in fine condition, having been extensively restored in recent years. Jones was not yet aged 30 when he received this commission, the reason being that his clients – the Misses Mary Isabella and Elizabeth Oliver Gascoigne – had already employed him to design some almshouses near their Yorkshire estate, Parlington Hall. When therefore in the mid-1840s the sisters decided to build a new house at Castle Oliver, the old one having fallen into disrepair, Jones was the obvious candidate for the job. Constructed of local pink sandstone, the house’s Scottish baronial character may be due to Jones having been born in Inverness. The resolutely asymmetrical exterior is notable for its many stepped gables and corbelled oriels.
Irish Historic Houses 