Assolas, Kanturk, Co Cork
Bence-Jones, Mark. 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. 14. “(Wrixon-Becher, Bt/PB) A truncated tower-house, with a late C17 two storey three bay façade surmounted by a pediment-gable incorporating a chimneystack, to which a two storey bow-ended range was added in C18, to provide a new front at right angles to C17 facade. The side of the house incorporating the latter was made nearly symmetrical by the addition of a two storey wing with a curved bow, balancing the curved end bow of C18 front on the other side of the old tower. The house was re-roofed with exceptionally wide eaves, probably in the early C19. The interior contains some C17 and C18 panelling. Acquired ca. 1714 by Rev Francis Gore; subsequently owned by the Wrixon family. Now owned by Mrs. Bourke.”
Supplement:
“Owned, at beginning of C20, by Hon Alexis Burke Roche, whose lawsuit with Sir Timothy O’Brien (see Lohort Castle) is recounted by Mark Bence-Jones in Twilight of the Acendancy. Hon Alexis Burke Roche was a great-grand uncle of HRH The Princess of Wales.”
The Buildings of Ireland. Cork City and County. Frank Keohane. Yale University Press: New Haven and London. 2020.
p. 23. The first notable exponent of the Palladian style in Ireland was Sir Edward Lovett Pearce, but neither he nor his successor, Richard Castle, is known to have worked in Cork, and there are no great Palladian houses here to river Castletown, Co Kildare, or Russborough. In part this may be explained by Cork’s limited links with Dublin, so that its architecture instead held tight to a conservative Anglo-Dutch idiom well into the mid C18. The Palladian formula of a central corps de logis linked to pavilions by quadrants therefore found little favour in Cork during the early Palladian period. Exceptions include the demolished Hollyhill (near Kinsale). Garrretstown was to have had a central block but only the two-storey wings were completed. Crosshaven’s wings are free-standing.
Instead, architects, builders and patrons made do with a simple and often tentative assimilation of Palladian elements. What did find favour was the sort of compact and economical four-square block employed by Pearce at Cashel and by Castle at the central blocks of Bellinter and Hazelwood. External refinements at such houses are confined to combinations of window and door surrounds, platbands, occasionally a cornice, and in rare cases a parapet to conceal the hipped roof. Early Georgian examples include Doneraile Court and Maryborough at Douglas; Bessborough at Blackrock (Cork city), and Crosshaven date from the mid century. Late C18 examples of these high, four-square blocks such as Coolmore (Ringaskiddy), Hoddersfield (Crosshaven) and Altamira (Liscarrol) are particularly plain, with an almost complete paring back of embellishment.
A modest expression of Palladianism is occasionally encountered in which a simple unadorned Venetian window is placed over the doorway, as at Knockane (Castlemartyr), or on the staircase at Kilmoney Abbey (Carrigaline). At Lisnabrin (near Conna) a Diocletian window, Venetian window and Venetian doorway are stacked one above the other, although here again the openings are left unadorned in an otherwise plain façade. The centre could be given further emphasis by making it advanced and giving it a pediment, as at Carker (Doneraile), Coliney (Charleville) and Assolas (Castlemagner). A modest but charming example is Park House near Doneraile, a single-pile gable-ended house with an ashlar façade articulated by a cornice and platband, the advanced centre having moulded architraves to the pedimented doorcase, first-floor Venetian window and a Diocletian window in the pediment. At Bessborough this formula is developed further, the seven-bay three-storey façade having rusticated quoins and stepped keystones to the flanking windows.
The Buildings of Ireland. Cork City and County. Frank Keohane. Yale University Press: New Haven and London. 2020.
p. 27. Of mid-C18 Palladian interiors, good representative examples with panelled dados, lugged architraves, fielded panelling and chunky cornices are found at Coole Abbey House, Assolas, Cloghroe, Kilshannig, and Blackrock House. Curiously, the heavy Palladian lugged architrave remained in use in the county long after it fell out of fashion elsewhere. At Lisnabrin, Dunkathel, Burton, Rockforest and Muckridge, the form is encountered in late C18 Neoclassical interiors, suggesting an innate conservatism among local joiners. The finest joinery in most houses is reserved for the staircase, and in many cases these have survived. The best early C18 staircases, at the Red House and Annes Grove, have alternating barley-twist and columnar balusters, big Corinthian newel posts, ramped handrails and carved tread-end brackets. Mount Alvernia (Mallow), Carrigrohane and Cloghroe all have good mid-C18 staircases of a similar type; that at Lota is exceptional in its use of mahogany and for its imperial plan. Good Neoclassical staircases, geometrical in form with delicate ironwork balustrades, survive at Maryborough, Newmarket Court and Castle Hyde; the destruction of those at Vernon Mount is a particularly sad loss.
The best early plasterwork is that of the Swiss-Italian brothers Paolo and Filippo Lafranchini at Riverstown, where highly sculptural late Baroque figurative ornament is applied to the walls and ceilings of the Saloon… Filippo alone decorated two rooms at Kilshannig, blending late Baroque figures with lighter acanthus arabesques and putti. Rococo plasterwork featuring scrolling acanthus and birds comparable to the Dublin school of the 1760s is encountered in the Saloon at Castlemartyr, and at Maryborough. At Laurentium (Doneraile) and the Old College (Youghal), it is rather more hesitant. For the most part, stucco workers remain anonymous, so it is a happy circumstance that Patrick Osborne’s accomplished work at the former Mansion House at Cork is recorded. He also probably worked at Lota, as well as at Castle Hyde. Good Neoclassical plasterwork in low relief and employing small-scale classical motifs of the type made fashionable by Robert Adam and James Wyatt is found at Maryborough, at Old Court House (Rochestown), and at the Old College and Loreto College at Youghal.
p. 300. The canalized river which runs alongside the house and lawn here makes for a charming scene. The house is of several periods. The central three-bay gable-fronted range, visible around the side, is said to be a tower house or mid-C17 house now reduced in height. It has an early C18 limestone bolection-moulded doorcase and windows notable for their narrow proportions. The adjoining south range was reportedly built around 1714 by Rev Francis Gore, Rector of Castlemagner, but looks mid-C18. One room deep and two storeys high, it has curved bows to each end and an early C19 hipped roof with particularly deep eaves. Five bays with an advanced central bay with an eaves pediment, a doorway with side-lights and a fanlight of simple switch-track tracery. The rubble walls with brick dressing muust have been rendered originally. A further bow-ended range of similar date at the back housed the kitchen. The rooms in the ‘tower’ have deep window embrasures with C17 panelling. The panelled Georgian rooms have lugged window architraves set on pedestals, box cornices and chair rails enriched with dentils. Ionic pilasters flank a sideboard recess in the dining room.
http://landedestates.nuigalway.ie/LandedEstates/jsp/property-list.jsp?letter=A
Built by the Reverend Francis Gore (died 1748) in the early 18th century and occupied by Philip Oliver circa 1750. This house was the home of the Wrixon family from 1774. Occupied by William Harris in 1814 and by Sir William Wrixon Becher in 1837. Richard Smith was resident in the mid 19th century, holding the property then valued at £25+ from Sir William W. Beecher. Owned and run as a guest house by the Bourke family until 2005.
Detached multi-period two-storey country house, facing south-east and having two principal elevations. House now in use as guest house. North-east elevation comprises tower house, built c. 1640, modified to gable-fronted three-bay two-storey block with attic, c. 1780. Flanked to north-west by multiple-bay addition with bow to north-east end, and to south-east by single-bay two-storey addition in turn flanked by present five-bay entrance front facing south-east and having shallow pedimented single-bay breakfront and slightly recessed bowed end walls, latter matching that to north-west. Hipped slate roof, rounded to north-west, south-east and south-west corners, with carved limestone eaves course throughout except for north-west block which has moulded brick eaves, overhanging eaves wider to bowed ends, and rendered chimneystacks, one over tower house gable-front. Gabled dormer windows to north-west block. Rubble limestone walls to tower house. Coursed dressed limestone walls elsewhere, with tooled limestone quoins, cut limestone sill courses to ground floor of south-east elevation and to bows, and having carved limestone surround and slate cladding to pediment. Square-headed window openings with brick surrounds throughout, with limestone sills. Six-over-six pane timber sliding sash windows to ground floor of 1780 additions, first floor of south-east elevation having tripartite three-over-six pane window to breakfront and two-pane timber casement windows with render sills to rest of this elevation and its bows, and three-over-three pane timber sliding sash windows to north-west. Dormer windows have casement windows and slate-hung sides. Tower house has timber sliding sash windows, square-headed six-over-six pane to ground floor, round-headed six-over-six pane to first floor and round-headed opening to attic with two-over-two pane window having traceried fanlight, with render sills. One-bay addition has nine-over-nine pane window to ground floor and three-over-six pane window to first floor. Round-headed entrance doorway to south-east elevation with brick surround, limestone plinths, traceried fanlight and timber panelled double-leaf door, limestone threshold and step, flanked by square-headed sidelights with brick surrounds, limestone sills and four-over-four pane timber sliding sash windows, sills being part of sill course to ground floor of this elevation. Windows to north-west elevation are one-over-one pane timber sliding sash and some replacement windows. Square-headed entrance doorway to north-east elevation, having carved moulded limestone surround, part-glazed timber battened door and limestone threshold. Ornate cast-iron gates to road entrance, piers being papyriform with moulded necks and acorn finials, having decorative double-leaf cast-iron vehicular and single-leaf pedestrian gates. Farmyard complex, built c. 1750, to north of house, with walled garden to east. Outbuildings have pitched slate roofs and coursed rubble limestone walls with square-headed door and window openings. Four-bay two-storey north outbuilding, having brick voussoirs to windows and corrugated-iron fixings to doors, and vehicular entrances, one segmental-arched vehicular entrance with dressed limestone voussoirs and timber battened half-door, second being flat-headed. Ashlar limestone pier to west having carved cap and double-leaf spear-headed cast-iron gates. Four-bay single-storey west outbuilding having replacement timber casement windows with alternate limestone and sandstone voussoirs, and half-glazed timber panelled door. Single-bay single-storey south-west outbuilding. Three-bay single-storey east outbuilding having timber battened doors. Walled garden to east having rubble limestone walls. Square-headed opening with single-leaf, spear-headed cast-iron gate. Square-profile ashlar limestone piers to south having carved rounded caps, with putti statuettes to caps.
Assolas House is a fine example of a multi-period house, having a seventeenth-century core and a later frontage at right angles. The earliest part appears to be a tower house, modified in the late eighteenth century, when the later blocks were added. The classically-inspired 1780s entrance façade is enlivened by the gabled breakfront and framed by bows. The slatework to the breakfront is unusual and adds colour and textural variation. The house retains many interesting features such as the slate roofs and varied sash windows, some containing hand-blown glass. The entrance door is surmounted by a traceried fanlight, which adds artistic interest to the façade. The door to the older elevation has a finely carved limestone surround. Assolas House retains its farmyard to the rear and a fish pond. The unusually ornate cast-iron piers considerably enhance the setting of the house. The outbuildings are solidly built with good quality materials. The south piers, which form the main entrance to the farmyard, are also finely sculpted with ornate caps. The outbuildings and the walled garden, with its spear-headed cast-iron gate, serve as reminders of the range of demesne-related activities once associated with country houses in Ireland.
https://www.airbnb.ie/rooms/20534251?source_impression_id=p3_1589548372_F%2BgMnw2IRJKwsyE3&guests=1&adults=1
Assolas dates back to 1630’s, but the guest rooms are in the Queen Ann part of the house Circa 1720. They look out over the extensive gardens and ancient trees. It is a much loved family home hosted by Joe and Hazel who have extensive high end hospitality experience. It is a peaceful, calm welcoming house, comfortable spacious bed rooms listed as King doubles that may also be made up as twins, well appointed bathrooms, and inviting public areas.
The space
A complimentary light breakfast, homemade granola, homemade breads and preserves etc are included. All day tea and coffee is available in the hall.
Guest access
Guests enjoy the exclusive us of the large hall and drawing room where there are often open wood fires. The gardens and riverside path are to be explored and walks further afield locally.
Other things to note
Assolas is an historic house that is well cared for and comfortable but not in modern way. The stairs up to the guest rooms are truly beautiful, but there is no elevator. While we have Wi-Fi, there is no TV anywhere in the house. There is a chess board and other games and lots and lots of books to curl up beside the fire with.
Assolas Country House, Kanturk, Co Cork
Phone: (+353) 029 50015 Fax: (+353) 029 50795
assolas@eircom.net
www.assolas.com
- Six rooms, all with private bathroom
- B&B: €89 – €130 pps
- Single Supplement: €16
- Dinner: €49, book by noon
- Children welcome/separate High Tea
- Credit Cards: Visa, Mastercard
- Open: 1 April to 1 November
- Group bookings welcome all year round
Directions:
Signposts from the N72 (Mallow-Killarney Road) 8 miles west of Mallow. Assolas is 3½ miles Northeast of Kanturk.
http://castlemagner-his-soc.com/assolas-house/
The original house is today the centre of the present residence. The shape of the windows, the exterior of rough stone and mortar, strengthened by the addition of horse hair and ox blood, the great thickness of the walls, and the wood-panelled first floor rooms, are all in keeping with these monastic origins. The east wing would appear to have been added about a hundred years after the original building. Perhaps its most interesting features are the beautifully rounded frontage, the deep cantilever roof with windows just below, and the large old flagstone kitchen on the ground floor (the White dining room – which incidentally was in use up to 1915).
Unfortunately, no records are available to tell us when precisely the front wing was built. One can only surmise that it was in the latter half of the 18th century. It is most certainly Queen Ann style with the added rounded gables giving a soft exterior and a beautifully proportioned interior. The windows, all the woodwork, in particular the fresco around the hall ceiling, and the carved doors are the work of skilled craftsmen, while most of the window panes throughout the house are the original hand blown glass with all its imperfections. For nearly seventy years after the Battle of Knocknanuss, the shrouded mists of time have veiled the secrets of Assolas in its four and a half foot thick walls until 1714 when Reverend Francis Gore took up residence. He was responsible for much of the present layout of the house and gardens. The residence and surrounds prospered under his management.
Reverend Gore seems to have been a man of means and influence. He was also a minister and a Protestant Rector of Castlemagner parish for 34 years. He died on May 10 1748 and is buried under the reading desk in the Church of Ireland Church, Castlemagner. During his life at Assolas, the road from Kanturk to Cecilstown had not been constructed. An old carriage way ran through Lisduggan and crossed the river at a ford, still visible today beside Assolas House, joining the present road at Lacken Leigh. Every night during his 34 years at Assolas, Reverend Gore hung a lantern high on the wall of the house shining its light on the waters of the ford to guide the travelers on their way. It is reported that, during this period, highwaymen often lurked at dangerous crossings for innocent victims. Assolas House was always open to receive the wounded should they fall prey to roaming bands. This warm friendly light became so well known that the house by the ford took its name in Gaelic, the spoken language of the time, as Atha Solas (the ford of the light, later adapted to its English version, Assolas). As a final tribute to Reverend Gore, the ruling Church of Ireland authorities granted the use of a private pew in Castlemagner Church of Ireland Church to the owner of Assolas.
The pages of history turn Assolas:
In 1749 Assolas passed from Mr Gore to Mr Phillip Oliver, J.P. for County Cork. Subsequent transfers were as follows:
Henry Wrixon, Sir William Beecher Bart 1794
William Harris J.P. 1814
William Beecher D.L. 1830 Hayden O’Brien 1850
Henry Smith Iron Founder, Cork 1880
Colonel O’Hare 1900
Sir John Beecher Bart 1902
Hon Alexis Roche 1904
Burke family (1915)
The Burkes are the first Catholic owners of Assolas since the far off days of the monks some 300 years earlier.
To the present day, Assolas has withstood the ravages of time, seen war, strife, prosperity, and famine. The grounds still have many ancient yew trees that were planted exclusively in the early days for a plentiful supply of good quality bows. What the future holds for Assolas no one knows but it will continue to stand as a silent monument to the skills and craftsmanship of the unknown people who built it many centuries ago.
Assolas House, Kanturk, County Cork, Castlemagner, Co. Cork, P51T954
€1,495,000
6 Bed6 Bath711 m²
for sale Nov 2025 courtesy Sherry Fitzgerald
THE RENOWNED ASSOLAS HOUSE, A FINE, BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED PERIOD PROPERTY IN AN OUTSTANDING RURAL SETTING NOT FAR FROM KANTURK, IN THE COUNTY OF CORK, IRELAND. A TRUE HISTORIC IRISH COUNTRY RESIDENCE, WITH A WEALTH OF UNIQUE ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES. Offering approx. 7,651 sq. ft of living accommodation over three floors, including six en-suite Bedrooms and three Formal Reception rooms, on c. 17 acres of mature grounds, laid to lawn, grass tennis court, walled gardens, woodlands and paddocks.
Extensive Historic Coach Yard, Stable Yard, and Farmyard. The property dates back to the 17th Century, with the original Tower House built c. 1620 and the Queen Ann Wings of the House added c.1720.
Close access to Cork City, Cork International Airport, Kerry Airport and Shannon Airport. Assolas House is a Historic Irish Period Property located in rural splendour right in the heart of County Cork.
Built in the 17th & 18th Century, the house is of a dramatic, stately presence, yet reassuringly serene and private. With striking proportions, beautiful aspect, elegant layout and outstanding historic craftsmanship, the property has been well and sensitively cared for by the current owners. All elements of this fine historic property combined portray a Stand-Out Irish Country Property.
The Accommodation is set out as follows: Of three storey presentation, the property leads into an ornately decorated and classically symmetrical Formal Entrance Hall leading onto the Drawing room and Dining room. This Inner Hallway, with a gracious curving staircase features a typical Queen AnnE arched window. The Dining Room to the Front of the property offers dual aspect, looking out on the lawns and River Marybrook, while to the other side of the Hall, the Drawing Room has a matching set of five tall sash windows. To the rear of the entrance halls is the kitchen which holds an Aga, creating a very cosy family space. Beyond this is a study and extensive family room looking out on the gardens. The lower ground level offers huge opportunities for imaginative recreation.
The First Floor includes Six Bedrooms, all En-Suite; Three Grand Bedrooms in the Queen Ann section of the House and three Family bedrooms to the Rear Wing of the House. The six high ceilinged bedrooms are all of very generous, gracious proportions, and all ensuite, with enchanting views of the property grounds and the River Marybrook. Utility and Laundry Room also on this floor. The Second Floor Level Offers plenty of storage space along with a Lounge and Balcony. A peaceful, relaxing space with potential for a variety of uses.
HISTORY: Assolas House is rich in History, most likely the oldest existing dwelling in the barony of Dunhallow, though the Irish Yew trees near the residence dating from 1,000 years ago possibly denote a longer history. Of particular historic architectural note are the unusual shaped windows, thickness of the walls, exterior of rough stone and mortar, elegantly rounded frontage and unusually deep cantilever roof with windows just below. The original tower house was redeveloped in the 1720’s into the fine Residence of today.
GARDENS AND GROUNDS: A generous driveway leads through the fine grounds to the front of Assolas House. The walled gardens are to the north-eastern side of the house, with fine stands mature trees and a variety of shrubs along the west bank of the Marybrook river. A pretty walkway by the waterside leads to a waterfall and an old stone bridge over the river with cast iron garden gate to the road.
GATE LODGE AND STABLE YARD: Gate Lodge, Access to the Stable Yard via Cast Iron Gates, with a good array of stabling. Coach House, fully renovated with new heating system, two bedrooms, two bathrooms.
SERVICES | Bulk gas fired central Heating/Mains water/ Oiled fired Aga LOCATION: Assolas House is just 5km from the market town of Kanturk, Co Cork, recognized as the capital of the ancient barony of Duhallow. Kanturk Castle nearby is one of the largest structures built by a native Irish chieftain. A very beautiful setting with a wealth of country and sporting activities on the doorstep. Good local shopping available, post office, friendly pubs, colourful cafes and an array of restaurants, primary and secondary schools. Mallow town is just a 15 minute drive with plenty to see such as Mallow Castle, Cork Racecourse, and Bridgetown Priory. Trains available to Dublin and Cork, while the N20 and N72 national routes link with the motorway network at the M8 junction, just thirty minutes’ drive away. DISTANCES: 5.4 km / 7 minutes to Kanturk 17.3 km / 15 minutes to Mallow 25.4 km / 24 minutes to Millstreet 46.2 km / 50 minutes to Fermoy 48.9 km / 48 minutes to the M8 49.8 km / 51 minutes to Cork City Assolas House is also within easy driving distance of Adare Manor, Killarney, Blarney and Kinsale. Offered For Sale by Joint Agents Roseanne De Vere Hunt, Sherry FitzGerald Country Homes and Helen Cassidy Auctioneer.
For Sale 24/5/22: €690,000 eircode: P51 T954
ASSOLAS HOUSE IS A CLASSICALLY ELEGANT PERIOD COUNTRY HOUSE SET IN A PRIVATE HAVEN IN KANTURK, CO. CORK. THE SIX BEDROOMS AND GRACEFUL RECEPTION ROOMS PROVIDE IDEAL, AND FLEXIBLE ACCOMMODATION IN A TRANQUIL OASIS. SPECIAL FEATURES – Original Tower House built in the Circa 1620. – Queen Ann Wings of the house added circa 1720. – Tasteful period features, with elegant proportions. – Approx. 710.8 sq.m (7652 sq. ft) of living accommodation. – Six ensuite bedrooms. – Formal reception rooms including drawing, dining and sitting rooms. – Splendid stone coach yard, stable yard and farmyard. – c 6.89 ha (17.03 acres) of grounds. – Extensive grounds include lawns, grass tennis court, walled gardens, woodlands and paddocks. – Close access to Cork City, Cork International Airport, Kerry Airport and Shannon Airport Assolas House is a historic Irish country house set in the heart of County Cork. Built in the 17th & 18th Century, the house is grand and imposing yet enormously comfortable and truly private. With gorgeous proportions, beautiful aspect, generous spaces and marvellous craftsmanship, the house has been exquisitely maintained by the current owners. Set on some 6.89 ha (17.03 acres) of lands including lawn, paddocks, a walled garden and woodland, Assolas House is a divine residence bursting with potential. The property is complimented with outbuildings such as a coach house, stone clad storage and an old stable block. All elements of this ravishing property create an unforgettable setting.
ASSOLAS HOUSE Built at the turn of the 17th century and extended circa 1720, Assolas House is a stately like grand country house. It’s three storey design gives a bright and airy ground floor in which a stunning entrance hall introduces you to the drawing room and dining room. This ornately decorated and classically symmetrical entrance hall leads on to an inner hallway, with a gracious curving staircase featuring a quintessentially Queen Ann arched window. A front dining room to the right has dual aspect, looking out on the lawns and River Marybrook, while to the other side of the hall, the drawing room has a matching set of five tall sash windows and exudes elegance, comfortably accommodating large parties. To the rear of the entrance halls is the kitchen which holds an Aga, creating a very cosy family space. Beyond this is a study and extensive family room looking out on the gardens. The lower ground level offers huge opportunities for imaginative recreation is waiting for you to put your own stamp on it. Presently, the first floor includes six bedrooms; three grand bedrooms in the Queen Ann section of the house and three family bedrooms to the rear wing of the house. The six bedrooms are all exceptionally generous, with ensuites. With views of the gorgeous grounds, rolling fields, the River Marybrook, these are light-filled spaces, with gracious high ceilings and good proportions. A utility room and laundry room are also found on this floor. The second floor provides ample storage space along with a lounge and balcony which is archetypal of this style of house. This floor has the potential to be utilized as a hidden sanctuary for relaxation within the household.
LOCATION Assolas House sits in a rural location 5km from the town of Kanturk, in the historic parish of Castlemagner. Kanturk is a market town in Co Cork, known as the capital of the ancient barony of Duhallow. A deep sense of history and tradition has shaped Kanturk, and it is reflected in the town’s cultural and physical atmosphere. It’s hinterland straddles the Sliabh Luachra region to the west, and the region to the east around the Munster Blackwater. The magnificent Kanturk Castle nearby is one of the largest structures built by a native Irish chieftain and the town’s name, derived from Ceann Turic (Boar’s Head), reflects the legend that the last wild boar in Ireland was slain here. With its remarkable combination of mountain views, lush rolling hills, forest and river valleys, Kanturk offers nature lovers a plentiful feast as well as countless amenities for those keen on outdoor activities, be it sporting or recreational. It also has all day-to-day amenities: supermarkets including Lidl and Supervalu, a Post Office, pharmacies, public houses, restaurants, cafés as well as national, primary and secondary schools. A 15 minutes’ drive will take you to Mallow. This lively market town is home to a plethora of amenities along with notable points of interest such as Mallow Castle, Cork Racecourse, and Bridgetown Priory. The train station at Mallow is on the main line between Dublin and Cork, while the N20 and N72 national routes link with the motorway network at the M8 junction, just thirty minutes’ drive away. Assolas House is an oasis of tranquil quiet, and an ideal base in this thriving part of Ireland.
Assolas House is the oldest known and perhaps the most historic residence in Duhallow. There is evidence that this sylvan place was originally settled in the 11th century, with Irish Yews near the house which have been dated to over 1,000 years old. It was the focal point in the Battle of Knocknanuss in November 1647 The original house is today the centre of the present residence. The shape of the windows, the exterior of rough stone and mortar, the great thickness of the walls, and the wood-panelled first floor rooms, are all in keeping with it’s historic origins. Interesting features include the beautifully rounded frontage and the uniquely deep cantilever roof with windows just below. Reverend Francis Gore took up residence in Assolas House in 1600’s. Reverend Gore seems to have been a man of means and influence. He was also a minister and a Protestant Rector of Castlemagner parish for 34 years. His name is found on the old Ballyhass school as well as the bridge in Kanturk. Circa 1720 Assolas passed to Mr Phillip Oliver, J.P. for County Cork. It was at about this time that the original tower house was redeveloped into the landscaped manor that is there today. Subsequent notable transfers were as follows: Henry Wrixon, Sir William Beecher Bart (1794), William Beecher D.L. (1830), Henry Smith Iron Founder, Cork (1880), Colonel O’Hare (1900), Hon Alexis Roche (1904) and finally the Bourke Family (1915). Sir William Beecher notably was the first master of the Duhallow Foxhounds. The Duhallow pack existed before 1745, but there is no recorded history. The kennels were based at Assolas House for several years. Sir William had taken on his wife’s maiden name, Beecher, she from the same family for which the infamous obstacle on the Grand National Steeplechase course at Aintree, England, Becher’s Brook, is named. Honourable Alexis Roche, the last Beecher tenant before the present owners, died 18th December 1914 and is buried in a small grave in Castlemagner cemetery. He was a great uncle of the deceased Princess of Wales, Lady Diana Spencer.
A curving driveway sweeps through luscious paddocks to reach the front of Assolas House. This adds a welcoming privacy, and that perfect peace and quiet which is one of the wonderful bonuses of living in the countryside. The imposing front aspect the house looks out on a manicured lawn’s, which extends into the front paddock meeting the road. The 6.89 ha (17.03 acres) of grounds are laid out in lawns, paddocks, a walled garden, and an orchard. The walled gardens flank the north-eastern aspect of the house and compliment the abundance of mature trees and native shrubbery which line the west bank of the Marybrook. An enchanting, pebbled walkway along the waterside leads to a waterfall (with potential for hydro power), and an old stone bridge over the river which includes a private cast iron garden gate, giving access to the road. STABLE YARD Decorative cast iron gates open into an old stable yard, where there is potential accommodation for horses. The stables are roomy and are plenty with potential to meet all equestrian needs. TECHNICAL INFORMATION SERVICES | Bulk gas fired central Heating/Mains water/ Oiled fired Aga
Irish Historic Houses 