Dungulph Castle

Detached four-bay three-storey fortified house, restored 1917, on a rectangular plan; single-bay three-stage engaged turret (north-east) on a circular plan. Flat roof not visible behind parapet with concealed rainwater goods retaining cast-iron octagonal or ogee hoppers and downpipes; pitched slate roof (turret) with clay ridge tiles, rendered coping to gables, and concealed rainwater goods retaining cast-iron downpipes. Roughcast battered wall to front (east) elevation on lichen-spotted rendered chamfered plinth with roughcast battlemented parapets having lichen-spotted coping; cement rendered surface finish (remainder); part creeper- or ivy-covered lime rendered surface finish (west) with battlemented parapet having lichen-spotted coping. Elliptical-headed opening in square-headed recess (north) with threshold, and "bas-relief" surround having bull nose-detailed "Cavetto" reveals with hood moulding framing timber panelled double doors. Remodelled square-headed window openings centred on inserted square-headed window openings, "bas-relief" block-and-start surrounds with hood mouldings framing timber casement windows. Square-headed window openings (top floor) with "bas-relief" surrounds framing timber casement windows. Remodelled square-headed window openings (west), creeper- or ivy-covered dressings with hood mouldings framing timber casement windows. Square-headed window openings (top floor) with mullions, and creeper- or ivy-covered dressings framing timber casement windows. Set in landscaped grounds with creeper- or ivy-covered piers to perimeter having overgrown capping supporting wrought iron-detailed "farm gate".

A fortified house 'RESTORED [1917] BY MICHAEL CLONEY [1867-1934]' representing an important component of the built heritage of south County Wexford [SMR WX045-041----] with the architectural value of the composition, one repurposing the shell of a "castle" defended (1642) by Walter Whitty from attack by a party of Royalists under the command of Lieutenant Treviscoe and later destroyed (1798) in retaliation for support given by the Devereux brothers to the 1798 Insurrection, confirmed by such attributes as the rectilinear plan form recalling a contemporary hall house in Fethard [WX050-011003-]; the doorcase recalling the contemporary Enniscorthy Castle (1588; see 15603115); the battered silhouette; the disproportionate bias of solid to void in the massing; and the parapeted roofline. Furthermore, adjacent outbuildings (----) continue to contribute positively to the group and setting values of a self-contained ensemble having historic connections with the Cloney family including Seán Cloney (1926-99) and Sheila Cloney (née Kelly) (1926-2009).