Fanningstown House

Detached three-bay three-storey over part-raised basement house, c.1775, with two-bay three-storey side elevations. Extensively renovated. Pitched roof with replacement slate, terracotta ridge tiles, rendered chimney stacks, slightly sproketed eaves, and iron rainwater goods on rendered eaves having iron brackets. Painted rendered, ruled and lined walls with rendered quoins to corners. Square-headed window openings with tooled cut-limestone sills, and replacement six-over-six timber sash windows having replacement timber casement windows to top floor. Round-headed door opening under replacement canopy (comprising Ionic pillars on panelled pedestals supporting shallow gabled slate canopy having timber eaves) approached by flight of five cut-limestone steps having iron railings with timber panelled door having fanlight. Interior with timber panelled shutters to window openings. Set back from road in own grounds.(ii) Detached seven-bay single-storey outbuilding with half-attic, pre-1840, with elliptical-headed carriageway to centre, and two-bay single-storey side elevations. Extensively renovated. Pitched and hipped slate roof with clay ridge tiles (rolled lead ridge to hip), and iron rainwater goods on rendered eaves. Random rubble limestone walls originally rendered with render removed. Square-headed window openings with cut-limestone sills, red brick voussoirs, and timber casement windows. Square-headed door openings with red brick voussoirs, and timber boarded half-doors. Elliptical-headed carriageway to centre with red brick voussoirs, and timber boarded double doors.(iii) Detached four-bay single-storey stable outbuilding, pre-1840. Extensively renovated. Pitched slate roof with clay ridge tiles, and iron rainwater goods on rendered eaves. Random rubble limestone walls originally rendered with render removed. Square-headed door openings with timber lintels, and timber boarded half-doors.

A well-composed substantial house representing an important element of the mid to late eighteenth-century domestic architectural heritage of County Kilkenny. Classically-proportioned the diminishing in scale of the openings on each level produces a tiered effect contributing to formal tone of the composition while a sparse decorative treatment compounds the elegant quality of the house. Despite the loss of much of the original fabric a comprehensive renovation project has sought to replicate many of the historic features, thereby maintaining much of the character of the house: meanwhile early timber fittings to the interior exhibit traditional craftsmanship. A collection of attendant outbuildings ranges contributes pleasantly to the group and setting values of a site having connections with the Connell and the Walsh families.