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.”
Lakefield House, BALLYGAMBON, Tipperary South
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.
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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.
Irish Historic Houses 