Survey Data
Reg No
30405002
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural
In Use As
Building misc
Date
1880 - 1900
Coordinates
72419, 241489
Date Recorded
13/08/2008
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Detached irregular-plan three-bay two-storey house, built c.1890, having projecting porch to front, south-east, elevation, later additions to west, and later timber lean-to conservatory to south. Recent additions to north and west elevations. Hipped artificial slate roofs having rendered chimneystacks with replacement aluminium and uPVC rainwater goods. Smooth rendered walls with rendered sill course to first floor, and rendered quoins and eaves course. Flat roof porch with walls having rendered paired pilasters with architrave, frieze and dentillated cornice, with wrought-iron balcony. Square-headed window openings with replacement single, double and tripartite one-over-one pane and one-over-two pane timber sliding sash windows with rendered sills. Ground floor windows have render block-and-start surrounds and first floor windows have pilasters with moulded brackets to bases. Square-headed door opening with replacement timber battened door, having overlights, sidelights, timber stall risers, and flight of steps with piers. Decorative tiled interior porch floor with tooled limestone margin. Conservatory has carved timber post supports with spandrel detail to glazed timber front. Outbuildings to site comprising four-bay two-storey rubble stone store with pitched slate roof having dormer roofs to first floor, and three-bay double-height rubble stone stable block with corrugated-iron roof. Set within mature woodland and enclosed with landscaped gardens by coursed rock-faced granite walls and gate piers with ornate cast-iron gates.
Appraisal
Letterdife House is typical of middle-sized rural houses evident throughout Ireland at the end of the nineteenth century. It is distinctive in its irregular plan and attention to detail, seen particularly in the opening surrounds. The building has retained its original external character. The retention of original outbuildings adds to the architectural value of the site and the siting, in an extensive wooded area, combined with its unique form makes this an interesting part of the architectural heritage of the district.