Survey Data
Reg No
13312018
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Artistic, Historical, Social
Original Use
Worker's house
In Use As
House
Date
1860 - 1870
Coordinates
220210, 268623
Date Recorded
22/07/2005
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Detached four-bay single-storey former estate worker's house, built c. 1863, with advanced gabled bay to the west end of the main façade (south) and gabled porch offset to the centre. Now in use as private house. Late-twentieth century lean-to extension to rear (north). Pitched slate roofs with three decorative red brick chimneystacks, cast-iron rainwater goods, and scalloped pierced bargeboards to the gables. Snecked rock-faced sandstone walls over limestone plinth with dressed limestone quoins to the corners. Square-headed window openings with dressed limestone block-and-start surrounds with carved detail to lintels, stone sills, and metal frame windows with pivoting panes. Pointed segmental-arch entrance opening, having dressed limestone block-and-start surround and timber battened door. Accessed via stone step. Landscaped gardens to front and west, with snecked rock faced limestone boundary wall with chamfered dressed limestone coping and wrought-iron gate. Yard to rear, with outbuildings having hipped and pitched slate roofs, cast-iron rainwater goods, snecked stone walls, and square-headed openings. Snecked rock-faced stone boundary wall to rear. Located to the west of the centre of Ardagh.
Appraisal
This attractive building retains its early form and character, and is a fine example of its period. It is characteristic of Victorian estate architecture, which is relatively rare in Ireland. This building also retains much of its original fabric, including pierced bargeboards and quarry glazing to the window openings. The juxtaposition between the red sandstone walls and the grey limestone detailing creates an attractive appearance. It dates from a specific period of rebuilding and restructuring of the village of Ardagh in the early 1860s. It was erected to designs by the architect James Rawson Carroll (1830 – 1911), who carried out various works at Ardagh for Sir Thomas Fetherston (between c. 1860 – 1865) in order to improve the village as a memorial to his uncle, Sir George Fetherston. It is one of a number of houses, of varying designs, in the village of Ardagh that collectively represent one of the most interesting collections of its type in north Leinster. The rear outbuildings are significant, and were probably built as a stable, a laundry room, and a toilet. The simple but well-built boundary wall and the wrought-iron gate complete the setting and to this composition.