Cuba Court — Cuba

Large U-plan early 18th-century two storey house over a basement with three adjoining pedimented breakfront elevations, two of five bays the other of seven. The longer of two fronts had a pedimented breakfront over a venetian window with pedimented doorcase. The shorter W elevation has a pedimented breakfront three bays wide with oculus in pediment and pedimented doorcase while the S elevation has a single bay pedimented breakfront with venetian window at first floor level. Large high pitched gabled roof with two tall central chimney stacks. (Bence-Jones 1978, 96) Cuba Court, possibly designed by Sir Edward Lovett Pearce is believed to have been built by the Fraser family in the early eighteenth century. It was a residence of the Daly family by the late eighteenth century and became a school in the early nineteenth century. Unroofed in the 1940's, less than two complete walls of this once splendid house remained standing when last recorded in 1976 and it has since been completely bulldozed. Cuba was a large U-plan two storey over basement house with a pedimented breakfront elevation, the most impressive of was the S elevation with its doorcase of Michaelangelesque derivation and quasi-Venetian tripartite window above at first floor level. The shorter W elevation contained an oculus and pedimented doorcase. One of the dominant features of the building was the massive cornice which crowned three sides and most of the fourth side. The house was hip roofed; the slopes of the roof draining directly to the cornice and it had two tall central chimney stacks. There was a sttep gable at the back of the building and although provision was made for a circular staircase opening E off the S hall, it appears never to have been constructed (Bence-Jones 1978, 96). An archaeological assessment under licence no. 03E1915 of the proposed development of four dwellings and ancillary works at Cuba Avenue, Banagher, Co. Offaly, was carried out. The development was within the zone of archaeological potential for an enclosure site and near SMR 21:8, the site of Cuba Court, an early 18th-century country house. Extensive testing of the proposed site was carried out. No finds or features of archaeological significance were uncovered. The testing of the proposed route of the service trenches uncovered the line of the raised gravel drive into Cuba Court. No other features of architectural significance were uncovered (Excavations Bulletin 2003). Daniel Noonan, The Archaeology Company, Birr Technology Centre, Mill Island, Birr, Co. Offaly. Archaeological testing of the area around the house in April 2005 (Excavation Licence No. 05E0403) revealed several sub-surface features associated with Cuba Court. Three trenches (Nos 4-6) to the S of Cuba House identified the driveways of both the main house, and the present standing structure to the E. A single trench (No. 7) to the W of the house revealed the gravel courtyard as well as formal garden features also to the W and N of the house. Three other trenches (nos. 8-11) to the N of Cuba Court revealed features relating to a formal garden layout N of the house. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Offaly' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 27 April 2009