Sheepstown Castle

Detached five-bay two-storey house, c.1800, possibly incorporating fabric of medieval castle, pre-1700, on site with three-bay two-storey rear (north-east) elevation, and two-bay single-storey recessed end bay with dormer attic to left. Hipped slate roof (pitched to end bay) with clay ridge tiles, rendered chimney stacks, and cast-iron rainwater goods on overhanging rendered eaves having iron ties. Painted roughcast walls over random rubble stone construction. Square-headed window openings with cut-limestone sills, and six-over-six timber sash windows. Door opening not visible. Interior with remains of timber panelled reveals/shutters to window openings. Set back from road in own grounds. (ii) Detached four-bay single-storey outbuilding, c.1800, possibly with half-attic. Pitched slate roof with clay ridge tiles, and no rainwater goods. Remains of unpainted roughcast lime rendered walls over random rubble stone construction with iron tie bars. Square-headed window openings with no sills, concealed dressings, and remains of timber fittings. Square-headed door openings with concealed dressings, and painted corrugated-iron doors in timber frames. (iii) Detached four-bay single-storey outbuilding, c.1800. Now disused. Pitched slate roof with terracotta ridge tiles, and no rainwater goods on rendered dressed limestone eaves. Unpainted lime rendered walls over random rubble stone construction. Square-headed window openings with no sills, concealed dressings, and remains of timber fittings. Square-headed door openings with concealed dressings, and painted corrugated-iron doors in timber frames.

A well-composed Classically-proportioned middle-size house possibly incorporating the fabric of the medieval Sheepstown Castle (pre-1700) on site, thereby representing the continuation of a long-standing presence on site. Despite having fallen into a slightly dishevelled state the original composition attributes survive intact together with much of the historic fabric both to the exterior and to the interior, thereby maintaining much of the integrity of the house. A collection of modest-scale outbuilding ranges contributes to the group and setting values of a complex having historic connections with the Rothe family.