The Old House

Detached five-bay two-storey country house, built c.1780, with canted return to rear (east). Pitched natural slate roof with cast-iron rainwater goods and a cut limestone chimneystack to each gable end (north and south) having terracotta chimney pots over. Roughcast rendered walls over smooth rendered plinth. Square-headed window openings with cut limestone sills and having six-over-six pane timber sliding sash windows to the ground floor openings and three-over-three pane timber sliding sash windows to the first floor openings. Central round-headed doorcase to main elevation (west) having early timber panelled door, a cut limestone block-and-start surround with keystone over and a simple fanlight. Located to the south of Mullingar with a complex of outbuildings to the rear (east). Rubble limestone boundary wall to the road frontage (west) having dressed limestone gate piers (on square-plan) supporting cast-iron gates.

A well-proportioned middle-sized country house, of late eighteenth date, which retains its early form, character and fabric. Its form and style is typical of its period of construction with a balanced front façade with central doorcase and having a pitched roof with end chimneystacks. The regular front façade of this structure is distinguished by the fine cut limestone doorcase, which is of artistic merit. This house is an interesting feature along the Mullingar to Tullamore, adding historic incident to its pleasant rural location. The boundary walls, gates, gate piers and outbuildings to the rear complete the setting of this robust composition. This house was the residence of a Mrs. Gerard in 1837.