Survey Data
Reg No
20903505
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Artistic, Historical
Original Use
Country house
In Use As
House
Date
1830 - 1840
Coordinates
182671, 99819
Date Recorded
21/08/2006
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Detached five-bay two-storey country house, built c. 1835, facing north-east, south-east elevation comprising three-bay double bows and three further bays, recessed two-bay addition to front elevation and lower multiple-bay two-storey addition to rear running parallel to main block. Conservatory to rear of rear block. Painted rendered walls to front and south-east elevations, with limestone plinth course, and having moulded render dentillated cornice between floors of bowed bays. Exposed coursed rubble limestone and sandstone walls elsewhere. Hipped slate roofs with rendered chimneystacks and having ornate brackets to eaves of front and south-east elevations. Timber sliding sash windows throughout. Square-headed window openings to front and south-east elevations, with moulded render surrounds, render sills with moulded brackets, and nine-over-nine pane windows to ground floor and six-over-six pane windows to first floor. Round-headed window openings to side of north-west addition, having stained glass margined one-over-one pane windows with render sills and brick surrounds. Slightly cambered windows elsewhere, having two-over-two pane windows and brick surrounds. Segmental-headed main entrance doorway with spoked fanlight, and with timber panelled door flanked by paned sidelights over moulded timber panelled risers, openings in turn flanked by fluted engaged columns with plinths and decorative capitals, having cut limestone step to front. Conservatory has hipped slate roof with glazed timber lantern having decorative finials and brick and glazed timber sides. Multiple-bay two-storey outbuildings to north having pitched slate roofs with skylights and dormer window, painted roughcast rendered walls and square-headed openings with replacement timber glazed windows, and timber battened doors. Coursed rubble limestone wall separates yard from lawned gardens to south-east side of house, overlooking River Blackwater. Lean-to greenhouse built against dividing wall and having plinth walls of coursed rubble limestone and brick, glazed timber sides having nine-pane lights and paned glazed timber panelled doors, that to long wall being double-leaf and having flight of stone steps to front. Square-profile rendered piers with plinths, moulded panels and moulded pyramidal caps having shell motifs to faces, with replacement metal gates, set to ruled and lined rendered plinth walls having render copings and ornate cast-iron railings, and having limestone wheel guards to front.
Appraisal
Ileclash House is a notable example of late Georgian architecture. The classically inspired façade retains a sombre elegance through the restrained use of ornamentation. The use of bows is a common feature of domestic architecture in Cork, but Ileclash is distinctive in its use of double bows. The house retains Victorian additions to the rear. Ileclash House was once the holiday home of Sir Oswald Mosely, the politician and founder of the British Union of Fascists. Set in a mature landscape the setting is enhanced by the well-preserved outbuildings, decorative entrance piers and remains of Licklash Castle.