Rathclaren

Detached five-bay two-storey former rectory, built c.1820, having recent two-storey return to rear (north). Currently undergoing renovation for use as private house. Hipped artificial slate roof with central valley, moulded render cavetto cornice to eaves, rendered chimneystacks, aluminium and uPVC rainwater goods. Rendered wall to front (south) elevation, slate-hanging to side (west, east) elevations. Rendered wall to rear elevation and to return. Diminishing square-headed window openings with stone sills throughout. Render hood-mouldings with label-stops to front elevation openings. Six-over-six pane timber sliding sash windows with blocked opening to front elevation. Missing windows to side (west) and rear elevations. Square-headed door opening with ashlar limestone threshold and rendered surrounds with chamfered edges and stop-chamfers to side (east) elevation, door absent with opening surmounted by timber framed overlight with fanlight tracery. Enclosed courtyard to north with rubble stone boundary walls, square-headed pedestrian opening to south-east and south-west walls, two-storey outbuilding currently in renovation to east. Single-storey rubble stone outbuilding to north-east. Landscaped garden to south, south-east and west with mature trees and shrubs. Gravelled forecourt to east. Snecked dressed rubble stone quadrant gate walls with rendered saddle-back coping to north-west, having rendered square-profile piers with recent aluminium gate.

Currently undergoing renovation, this substantial former rectory has retained much of its original fabric including some sash windows, slate roofs, limestone sills and a fine slate roof. The decorative fanlight is an handsome feature, while the slate hanging is of particular interest as it was once a characteristic feature of the county and is now increasingly rare. It is a reminder of the scale and quality of accommodation which was provided for the Church of Ireland clergy in the nineteenth century.