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Springfield House Mount Lucas Daingean Offaly

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. www.springfieldhouse.ie

Mount Lucas estate Bridge

The Steep, Mount Lucas, Daingean, Offaly, Ireland.

In 1668 Benjamin Lucas was granted 311 acres at Lisdweene, barony of Moyarta, county Clare. Later that year Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Lucas, a Cromwellian officer, was granted lands in the baronies of Moyarta, Corcomroe and Inchiquin amounting to about 365 acres. He settled at Mount Lucas, King's County [county Offaly] and the representatives of John Lucas of Mount Lucas, Philipstown, King's County, still owned 685 acres in county Clare in the 1870s. In 1677 Benjamin Lucas was granted a further 398 acres in the barony of Moyarta and 330 acres in barony of Inchiquin. Thomas Lucas also held land at Lismuse, parish of Killard, barony of Ibrickan, at the end of the 17th century. By the 1760s a family of Lucas were living at Loughburke, parish of Kilmaley, barony of Islands. Mary Lucas of Loughburke married William Fennell of Limerick in 1765. Kilmaley Church of Ireland registers show that Joseph Lucas of Loughburke died in 1787 and Mrs Elizabeth Lucas of Loughburke in 1810. Benjamain Lucas of Loughburke was given a game license in 1811. The Lucas family were still resident at Loughburke in 1837. Griffith's Valuation records Benjamin H. Lucas holding land in the parish of Whitechurch, barony of Iffa and Offa West, county Tipperary in the mid 19th century. The chemist and politican Charles Lucas of Ballingaddy was born in county Clare circa 1713. At the time of Griffith's Valuation John Lucas held an estate in the parishes of Abington and Clonkeen, barony of Clanwilliam, county Limerick. In the 1870s Benjamin Lucas of Maddyboy owned 694 acres in the that county.