Woodford

Detached five-bay two-storey over partially raised basement house, built c.1800 and altered c.1850, having a single-storey rubble stone outbuilding attached to the north gable end. Pitched natural slate roof with projecting eaves course, cast-iron rainwater goods and a rendered chimneystack to either gable end (north and south). Roughcast rendered walls over smooth rendered plinth with raised cement rendered quoins to the corners. Square-headed window openings having cement rendered surrounds and replacement windows. Central round-headed doorcase with architraved cut stone surround, timber panelled door having a plain fanlight over. Flight of steps flanked by rendered walls gives access to doorway. Set back from road in mature grounds to the east of Mullingar and to the west of Killucan.

An unusual house with rather squat proportions, which retains much of its early character and form despite recent alterations. The slightly clumsy appearance and detailing of this house suggests that it may have been altered on a number of occasions and its narrow plan and the small irregularly-placed openings to the rear elevation hints at an early building date. The doorcase is probably of early nineteenth-century date but the top section of the architraved surround is wider than the jambs, sitting slightly uneasily, suggesting that it is a later replacement. Indeed, the 1837 map of this area indicates a porch to the front (west) of this house, suggesting, that the doorcase may have been rebuilt when this porch was later removed. Despite the extensive alterations, this house is an interesting addition to the built heritage of the area with the doorcase a feature of artistic merit. The rubble stone outbuilding to the north completes the setting of this curious house.