Deel Castle

In gently rolling pasture, overlooking the Deel River which lies 100m to W. This house, named ‘Castle Gore’ on the 1930 OS 6-inch map, was built c. 1790 on the Deel Castle estate by James Cuff, who became the first Baron Tirawley, and was a relative of the Gore family through his mother Elizabeth, sister of Arthur Gore, 1st Earl of Arran. The house was built close to the traditional Gore residence at Deel Castle, a tower house (MA030-064001-) and later fortified house (MA030-064002-) located 250m to SW. Following the Williamite War the estate had passed from the Bourkes to the Gores, who leased it to the Cuffs. James Cuff, Baron Tirawley had no legitimate son, and the house was left to his illegitimate son, Colonel James Cuff. Following the latter's death in 1828 ownership of the house reverted to the Gore family. Castle Gore is described in Bence-Jones (1988, 69-70) as follows: ‘a typical late C18 block of 3 storeys over basement. 3 bay entrance front; tripartite doorway with engaged Tuscan columns and pediment extending over door and sidelights. Plain 5 bay garden front. Hall with frieze of delicate late-Georgian plasterwork. Long and narrow staircase hall at back of main hall, lit by a tall round-headed window; also with plasterwork frieze. Drawing room with niches on either side of fireplace. Low service wing; office-court with stone arcade for coaches; barrel-vaulted underground service tunnel, passing beneath the formal garden.’ The house was severely damaged and the original staircase destroyed during the 1798 Rebellion, and in 1922 it was burnt and not rebuilt (ibid. 69). The roofless shell of the building remains. A full architectural description and appraisal (reg. no. 3130300) by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage is also available (blue dot).