Drumfaldra House

Detached L-plan three-bay two-storey house, built c.1830, on site of earlier house, having pedimented breakfront to front (east) elevation, and five-bay two-storey south elevation with pedimented breakfront to middle bay. Outbuildings attached to north elevation forming range to rear. Hipped slate roofs, pitched to pediments, having red brick chimneystacks and slightly projecting timber corbelled eaves. Render removed, exposing rubble limestone walls. Square-headed window openings with cut-stone sills throughout, having tooled stone surrounds to front elevation and ground floor breakfront to south elevation. Bipartite windows with central stone mullion to side bays of front elevation and to ground floor of breakfront to south elevation, having four-over-four pane timber sliding sash windows with margin lights, replacement uPVC window to ground floor of breakfront to south elevation. Six-over-six pane timber sliding sash window with margin lights to first floor breakfront to front elevation. Mixed six-over-six pane and eight-over-eight pane timber sliding sash windows and replacement uPVC windows to south elevation. Elliptical-headed door opening with carved stone surround having enlarged keystone detailing and fluted curved brackets to simple cornice. Leaded petal fanlight and geometrical leaded sidelights, and timber panelled double-leaf door. Diminishing cut-stone steps. Single-storey range of outbuildings attached to north elevation of house, having hipped corrugated-iron roof, rubble stone and rendered walls, square-headed window opening with eight-over-eight pane window to east elevation. Rubble stone walled garden to south of house, having brick-lined walls to south and west interior elevations, and cut-stone copings. Site entrance to south-east with recent piers and railings. Square-plan three-bay single-storey gate lodge having re-entrant corner, pyramidal tiled roof, rendered walls, and square-headed openings. Wall-mounted cast-iron post box to pier of site entrance, having V. R. Insignia and W. T. Allen maker's mark.

One of several houses in the Aughnamullen area which indicate through their size, detailing and craftsmanship the prosperity of the area in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. Many of these houses, including this one, were associated with nearby water mills, all fed from Crieve Lough. This structure is said to have been built by John Jackson Cunningham, (1805-1877), on the site of an earlier house. Jackson Cunningham later became a land agent for the Leslie estates, following the collapse of the linen trade in the Aughnamullen area. The stone dressings to the openings show skilled craftsmanship, and the large amounts of glazing indicate the wealth of the owners at a time when glass was expensive. The house is enhanced by the retention of outbuildings and a walled garden. The brick lined walled garden, although disused, is largely intact.