Bunavaunish House

Detached three-bay two-storey over basement Board of First Fruits Church of Ireland glebe house, built 1819, on a T-shaped plan centred on single-bay single-storey flat-roofed projecting porch to ground floor; three-bay three-storey rear (north) elevation. Vacant, 1901. Leased, 1911. Hipped slate roof extending into hipped slate roof (north) with clay ridge tiles, paired roughcast "wallhead" chimney stacks to rear (north) elevation having cut-limestone stringcourses below stepped capping supporting terracotta octagonal pots, and replacement plastic rainwater goods on timber eaves boards on rendered eaves retaining cast-iron octagonal or ogee hoppers and downpipes. Part creeper- or ivy-covered roughcast walls. Segmental-headed central door opening approached by flight of four cut-limestone steps with concealed dressings framing replacement timber panelled door having overlight. Round-headed window openings ("cheeks") with dragged cut-limestone sills, and concealed dressings framing timber casement windows. Square-headed window openings with dragged cut-limestone sills, and concealed dressings framing six-over-six timber sash windows. Interior including (ground floor): central hall retaining carved timber surrounds to door openings framing timber panelled doors; and carved timber surrounds to door openings to remainder framing timber panelled doors with carved timber surrounds to window openings framing timber panelled shutters. Set in landscaped grounds with roughcast piers having lichen-covered truncated pyramidal capping supporting looped cast-iron double gates.

A glebe house erected with financial support from the Board of First Fruits (fl. 1711-1833) representing an important component of the early nineteenth-century built heritage of south County Mayo with the architectural value of the composition, one intended for occupation by the incumbent serving at Neale Church (Ballinchalla-Kilmolara) in Neale (see 31312105; Lewis 1837 I, 111), confirmed by such attributes as the deliberate alignment maximising on scenic vistas overlooking gently rolling grounds; the compact rectilinear plan form centred on an expressed, albeit later porch; and the slight diminishing in scale of the openings on each floor producing a graduated visual impression. Having been well maintained, the elementary form and massing survive intact together with substantial quantities of the original fabric, both to the exterior and to the interior where contemporary joinery; chimneypieces; and plasterwork refinements, all highlight the artistic potential of the composition. Furthermore, an adjacent walled garden (extant 1838); a symmetrically-composed coach house (extant 1838); and a much modified gate lodge (extant 1894), all continue to contribute positively to the group and setting values of a self-contained ensemble having subsequent connections with the Egans of Cloonnagashel House including John P. Egan (d. 1906; NA 1901) and Dr. James Egan (----; NA 1911); and a succession of tenants including Edward Joseph Conran (1864-1947), 'District Inspector Royal Irish Constabulary' (NA 1911).