Claremount House — Claremorris

Detached five-bay (four-bay deep) two-storey over part raised basement country house with dormer attic, extant 1770, on a U-shaped plan with single-bay full-height advanced end bays. Sold, 1858. Vacated, 1874. Resold, 1876. Adapted to alternative use, 1877. Reroofed, 1941-3, to accommodate alternative use. Refenestrated, ----. Vacated, 2000. Now disused. Replacement flat-topped Mansard slate roof behind parapet with pressed iron ridges, cement rendered, ruled and lined chimney stacks having corbelled stepped capping supporting terracotta or yellow terracotta pots, and concealed rainwater goods with cast-iron hoppers and downpipes. Repointed coursed tooled cut-limestone walls to front (south) elevation on dragged cut-limestone ogee cushion course on limestone ashlar base with drag edged rusticated cut-limestone quoins to corners supporting ogee-detailed cornice below parapet centred on Cross finial-topped ogee-detailed pediment on fluted consoles; cement rendered surface finish (remainder). Square-headed central door opening in tripartite arrangement approached by flight of nine tooled cut-limestone steps, drag edged dragged cut-limestone doorcase with rusticated pilasters supporting ogee-detailed cornice centred on ogee-detailed pediment framing timber panelled door having replacement uPVC casement sidelights. Square-headed window openings with drag edged dragged cut-limestone sills, and drag edged dragged cut-limestone Gibbsian surrounds centred on keystones framing replacement uPVC casement windows replacing nine-over-six (ground floor) or three-over-three (first floor) timber sash windows without horns. Interior including (basement): groin vaulted cellars; (ground floor): partitioned hall retaining carved timber surrounds to window openings framing timber panelled shutters on panelled risers; pair of staircase halls (north) retaining staircases on dog leg plans with turned timber "spindle" balusters supporting carved timber banisters terminating in tapered newels; reception room (north) retaining carved timber surrounds to window openings framing timber panelled shutters on panelled risers, and plasterwork cornice to ceiling; reception room (west) retaining carved timber surround to door opening framing timber panelled reveals with carved timber surrounds to window openings framing timber panelled shutters on panelled risers; reception room (east) retaining carved timber surround to door opening framing timber panelled reveals with carved timber surrounds to window openings framing timber panelled shutters on panelled risers, cut-veined black marble Classical-style chimneypiece, and plasterwork cornice to ceiling; (first floor): corridor retaining plasterwork cornice to ceiling; and partitioned bedrooms retaining carved timber surrounds to window openings framing timber panelled shutters on panelled risers. Set in unkempt grounds.