Summerhill House

Quadrant gateway to Summerhill House, erected c.1820, comprising vehicular entrance flanked by pedestrian entrances in screen walls. Square-profile carved granite piers with moulded plinths, fluted friezes, and moulded cornices to cut stone caps topped with carved granite pineapples to inner piers and render pineapples to outer piers. Screen walls are lined-and-ruled rendered and have moulded granite plinths and copings. Decorative wrought-iron spearhead gates, double-leaf to vehicular entrance. Detached three-bay single-storey gate lodge, built c. 1820, inside north side of gateway, with recent single-storey lean-to extensions to rear and to north. Hipped slate roof with rendered chimneystack and cast-iron rainwater goods. Painted roughcast rendered walls. Square-headed fixed timber windows, tripartite to front elevation, one having moulded glazing bars, other being margined, and bipartite to side elevation, set into segmental-headed recesses, with concrete sills. Square-headed door opening with timber panelled door.

Like many entrances to country houses in South Tipperary, the status of the dwelling is announced at the entrance by the craftsmanship and care involved in the design and execution of the gates and lodge. The large unusual pineapples are carved from granite, showing minor variations typical of hand carving. The symmetrical arrangement of the gates and the architrave, frieze and cornice which make up the capitals of the piers are classically inspired, and are designed as an eye-catching display of elegance and good taste. The modestly-sized gate lodge retains notable timber windows.