Survey Data
Reg No
41403420
Rating
National
Categories of Special Interest
Archaeological, Architectural, Historical
Original Use
Castle/fortified house
In Use As
House
Date
1610 - 1840
Coordinates
285312, 297518
Date Recorded
23/03/2012
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Detached multiple-bay two-storey over basement castellated house, built c.1620, having full-height projecting bay to south-east corner and full-height projecting staircase block to centre of north elevation, remodelled in late Georgian period. Pitched slate roof with castellated parapets forming battlement. Square-plan cast-iron hoppers and down-pipes. Machicolations to east elevation, north elevation and single chute to west elevation. Rubble stone walls with lime render. Late Georgian round-headed door opening, having cut-stone surround to south elevation with fluted and scrolled keystone and cut-stone cornice with spoked fanlight, and recent timber panelled door. with granite steps. Timber battened door to east elevation, and half-glazed timber battened door to staircase block. Square-headed window openings with tooled stone sills, and timber sliding sash windows, six-over-six pane with exposed box frames to ground and first floor, eight pane timber-framed window to south elevation basement level, two-pane timber-framed windows and three-over-six pane sash window to staircase north elevation, and three-over-six pane sash window to first floor of south-east projecting bay. Standing on elevated and exposed site approached from main road by long inclining avenue. Complex of outbuildings to north-west of castle including single-bay, two-storey former horse-powered threshing mill aligned north-east/south-west in farmyard having replacement corrugated-metal roof, rubble stone walls with dressed quoins and square-headed openings with dressed stone jambs. Gables of mill abutted by multiple-bay single-storey farm buildings. No machinery survives.
Appraisal
Maghernacloy is an imposing fortified house typical of those built in seventeenth-century Ireland. In keeping with its original purpose it has an imposing presence in the local landscape. Occupied as a residence until 1942 followed by a period of neglect it is, again, in use as a residence and has received significant repairs in the past decade. The crenellated parapet is a characteristic specific to Irish castles. It is a magnificent structure with increased significance due to its ongoing use as a dwelling.