Stokestown House

Detached three-bay two-storey country house, built 1810, on a T-shaped plan centred on single-bay single-storey flat-roofed projecting porch to ground floor. Occupied, 1911. Hipped slate roof with pressed or rolled lead ridges, paired granite ashlar central chimney stacks having cornice capping supporting terracotta or yellow terracotta pots, and cast-iron rainwater goods on stepped eaves retaining cast-iron downpipes. Part creeper- or ivy-covered rendered, ruled and lined coursed rubble stone walls on cut-granite chamfered plinth with rusticated quoins to corners. Square-headed central window opening in tripartite arrangement (porch) with cut-granite sill, cut-granite panelled pilaster mullions, and cut-granite lintel framing margined four-over-four timber sash window having margined two-over-two sidelights. Square-headed opposing door openings to "cheeks" with cut-granite thresholds, cut-granite surrounds with panelled pilasters supporting shallow cornices on blind friezes framing timber panelled doors. Elliptical- or segmental-headed central door opening into country house with cut-granite threshold, timber doorcase with panelled pilasters supporting shallow cornice on frieze, and concealed dressings framing timber panelled double doors having fanlight. Square-headed window openings in tripartite arrangement with cut-granite sills, timber mullions, and concealed red brick block-and-start surrounds framing margined six-over-six timber sash windows having margined two-over-two sidelights. Set in landscaped grounds.

A country house representing an integral component of the early nineteenth-century domestic built heritage of south County Wexford with the architectural value of the composition, one allegedly erected by Joseph Berkeley Deane (1778-1850) on the occasion of his marriage (1810) to Sarah Drake (d. 1854), confirmed by such attributes as the deliberate alignment maximising on panoramic vistas overlooking the meandering River Barrow; the compact plan form centred on an urn-topped Classically-detailed porch demonstrating good quality workmanship in a silver-grey granite; and the very slightly diminishing in scale of the openings on each floor producing a feint graduated visual impression with those openings showing margined Wyatt-style tripartite glazing patters. Having been well maintained, the elementary form and massing survive intact together with substantial quantities of the original fabric, both to the exterior and to the interior where contemporary joinery; restrained chimneypieces; and plasterwork refinements, all highlight the artistic potential of the composition. Furthermore, adjacent outbuildings (extant 1840); a wooded walled garden (extant 1840); a ruined gate lodge (see 15703404), and nearby workers' houses (see 157034--), all continue to contribute positively to the group and setting values of an estate having historic connections with the Deane-Drake family including John Deane-Drake (né Deane) (1813-55); Joseph Edward Deane-Drake JP DL (b. 1845), one-time High Sheriff of County Wexford (fl. 1905); and Captain Cecil John Venables Deane-Drake (b. 1887), 'Lieutenant 104th Foot Active List' (NA 1911).