Springfield House is a mid eighteenth century seven bay two storied double pile house with pedimented centre of 3 bays on the South front, the wide front door being flanked by a pair of narrow windows in a typical 1760s composition. On the north elevation is a pair of arched openings, one of which lights the staircase, while the second has been cut back to merely a fanlight, but probably lit the service stair. The house was extensively modernised circa 1857 and all the joinery in the principal rooms date from this time, as do the chimneys and stone coping to gables. The western bays of the rear pile also appear to be an addition of this date. There is a cellar under the western part of the front pile which may originally have been a basement. The plan of the house comprises a central hall flanked by Drawing and Dining Rooms on the front, with above them the Upper Hall leading to the two principal bedrooms. To the rear is the Stair Hall, slightly off centre with a somewhat crude wreathed and ramped staircase with cut brackets and turned spindles. Flanking this there is a narrow bay which probably housed the service stair and in the corner, over the Kitchen, are two bedrooms (one very small) served by a short corridor, and in the 19th century addition, over what may have been a billiards room with a considerably higher ceiling, are again two bedrooms. There is a lean-to building outside the kitchen housing domestic offices. There are also extensive yards and outbuildings. The house has been largely untouched since the 1857 renovations. Last year Offaly County Council granted permission for urgent remedial works, namely complete restoration of the roof and restoration of the windows. www.springfieldhouse.ie |
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Springfield House, located near Daingean, County Offaly (formeraly Kings County at the time of construction) is a protected structure and an excellent example of the class of Georgian house described by Dr Maurice Craig in his book entitled,
'Classic Irish Houses of the Middle Size'.
Springfield House is a mid eighteenth century seven bay two storied double pile house with pedimented centre of 3 bays on the South front, the wide front door being flanked by a pair of narrow windows in a typical 1760s composition. On the north elevation is a pair of arched openings, one of which lights the staircase, while the second has been cut back to merely a fanlight, but probably lit the service stair.
The house was extensively modernised circa 1857 and all the joinery in the principal rooms date from this time, as do the chimneys and stone coping to gables. The western bays of the rear pile also appear to be an addition of this date. There is a cellar under the western part of the front pile which may originally have been a basement.
The plan of the house comprises a central hall flanked by Drawing and Dining Rooms on the front, with above them the Upper Hall leading to the two principal bedrooms. To the rear is the Stair Hall, slightly off centre with a somewhat crude wreathed and ramped staircase with cut brackets and turned spindles. Flanking this there is a narrow bay which probably housed the service stair and in the corner, over the Kitchen, are two bedrooms (one very small) served by a short corridor, and in the 19th century addition, over what may have been a billiards room with a considerably higher ceiling, are again two bedrooms.
There is a lean-to building outside the kitchen housing domestic offices. There are also extensive yards and outbuildings. The house has been largely untouched since the 1857 renovations.
Last year Offaly County Council granted permission for urgent remedial works, namely complete restoration of the roof and restoration of the windows.
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