List of country houses in County Carlow

This is a list of the historic "Big Houses" (Irish: teach mór) of County Carlow, Ireland. The term is a direct translation from Irish and refers to the country houses, mansions or estate houses of the historical landed class in Ireland.

Location of County Carlow

This page lists 87 of the most prominent historic big houses in Carlow, which have adequate records associated with them. While many of these houses are currently in private ownership, they are still afforded varying degrees of protection by the Irish government based on whether their architecture or history is considered nationally, regionally or locally important.

At the height of the estates period in the 1800s, Carlow had a greater number of country houses and demesnes per hectare than any other rural county in Ireland. These "big houses" and their occupants dominated the economic and political landscape until the turn of the 20th century. Historian Jimmy O'Toole likens the prevalence of estates within the county to Gloucestershire, England, stating that Carlow was "the most gentrified county in Ireland".

The majority of these houses are listed within the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) and most of the remainder are registered as historic buildings by Carlow County Council. A small number of these houses are not currently listed on any register. This is usually due to significant alteration or demolition prior to the foundation of the NIAH in 1990.

Gallery

• 
  Altamont House,
  Tullow
• 
  Duckett's Grove, Rainestown
• 
  Huntington Castle, Clonegal
• 
  Lisnavagh House, Rathvilly

Big Houses of County Carlow

Color key	Designation
	NIAH-listed, Nationally Important Building
	NIAH-listed, Regionally Important Building
	Protected by Carlow County Council
	Not currently on any local or national register

Register No.	Big House	Historic Family	Barony	Date Built	Status
CW169	Aghade Lodge	Roche	Rathvilly 52.760003°N 6.730035°W / 52.760003; -6.730035 (Aghade Lodge)	c. 1850 Extended 1875	Privately owned
10301326	Altamont House	St. George	Rathvilly 52.735742°N 6.720918°W / 52.735742; -6.720918 (Altamont House)	1780	Publicly owned Reverted to State ownership in 1999.
CW96	Ardristan House	Unknown	Rathvilly 52.782557°N 6.750210°W / 52.782557; -6.750210 (Ardristan House)	c. 1800	Privately owned
10400614	Bagenalstown House	Bagenal	Idrone East 52.704955°N 6.954884°W / 52.704955; -6.954884 (Bagenalstown House)	c. 1785	Privately owned
10301201	Ballinabrannagh House	Hughes	Idrone West 52.788378°N 6.981310°W / 52.788378; -6.981310 (Ballinabrannagh House)	c. 1850 Remodelled 1910	Privately owned
CW107	Ballintemple House	Butler	Forth 52.733734°N 6.993550°W / 52.733734; -6.993550 (Ballintemple House)	early 1700s Remodelled 1825	Burnt in 1917, demolished in 1975 Greek-style granite portico still stands
10301704	Ballinvalley House	Kealy	Forth 52.731023°N 6.782150°W / 52.731023; -6.782150 (Ballinvalley House)	c. 1800	Abandoned, ruin
	Ballybar House	Butler	Carlow 52.783812°N 6.913737°W / 52.783812; -6.913737 (Ballybar House)	c. 1850	Privately owned
CW118	Ballycormick House	Rothwell	Forth 52.672795°N 6.933480°W / 52.672795; -6.933480 (Ballycormick House)	c. 1830	Privately owned
10301702	Ballydarton House	Watson	Idrone East 52.712719°N 6.839967°W / 52.712719; -6.839967 (Ballydarton House)	c. 1830	Privately owned
	Ballyellin House	Blackney	Idrone East 52.626615°N 6.974270°W / 52.626615; -6.974270 (Ballyellin House)	c. 1782	Privately owned
10301306	Ballykealy House	Lecky	Forth 52.747117°N 6.780271°W / 52.747117; -6.780271 (Ballykealey House)	c. 1830	In use as a hotel
10301323	Ballynoe House	Ricky	Forth 52.754622°N 6.723004°W / 52.754622; -6.723004 (Ballynoe House)	c. 1775 extended 1825	Privately owned
CW454	Beauchampville House	Beauchamp	Idrone East 52.722272°N 6.941574°W / 52.722272; -6.941574 (Beauchampville House)	c. 1820	Privately owned
10300309	Beechy Park	D'Israeli	Rathvilly 52.889020°N 6.728213°W / 52.889020; -6.728213 (Beechy Park)	c. 1780	Privately owned
10300202	Bella Vista	Unknown	Carlow 52.87076045°N 6.93284956°W / 52.87076045; -6.93284956 (Bella Vista)	c. 1750 Extended 1790	Privately owned
10300729	Bennekerry House	Newton	Carlow 52.81832005°N 6.87854695°W / 52.81832005; -6.87854695 (Bennekerry House)	c. 1700	Privately owned
10400802	Borris House	MacMurrough-Kavanagh	Idrone East 52.598397°N 6.926456°W / 52.598397; -6.926456 (Borris House)	pre-1700 Extended 1731	Privately owned
10301403	Broomville House	Butler	Forth 52.75006778°N 6.68752165°W / 52.75006778; -6.68752165 (Broomville House)	c. 1815	Privately owned
10300724	Browne's Hill House	Browne	Carlow 52.83147351°N 6.88305996°W / 52.83147351; -6.88305996 (Browne's Hill House)	1763 Extended 1842	Privately owned
10301602	Burgage House	Vigors	Idrone West 52.72442758°N 6.86699044°W / 52.72442758; -6.86699044 (Burgage House)	c. 1765	Privately owned
10300301	Burton Hall House	Burton	Carlow 52.86037142°N 6.84531861°W / 52.86037142; -6.84531861 (Burton Hall)	c. 1730	Privately owned Existing house is the west wing of the original house, which fell into decay and was demolished around 1900.
10300721	Busherstown House	Unknown	Carlow 52.82495957°N 6.85116832°W / 52.82495957; -6.85116832 (Busherstown House)	c. 1725 Extended 1830	Privately owned
10300843	Castlemore House	Eustace	Rathvilly 52.80028617°N 6.7707606°W / 52.80028617; -6.7707606 (Castlemore House)	c. 1675 Remodelled c. 1874	Abandoned, ruin Destroyed by fire in 1975
10300742	Castletown House	Kavanagh	Carlow 52.79164745°N 6.88030048°W / 52.79164745; -6.88030048 (Castletown Castle)	c. 1750 Remodelled c. 1835	Privately owned
10300705	Clogrennan House	Rochford	Idrone West 52.80818421°N 6.97248079°W / 52.80818421; -6.97248079 (Clogrennan House)	c. 1815	Ruin Abandoned in 1923
10301913	Corries House	Rudkin	Idrone East 52.65814492°N 6.89742997°W / 52.65814492; -6.89742997 (Corries House)	c. 1730 Extended c. 1835	Privately owned
10300305	Duckett's Grove	Duckett	Carlow 52.85745466°N 6.81380317°W / 52.85745466; -6.81380317 (Duckett's Grove)	c. 1745 Extended c. 1845	Publicly owned, ruin Destroyed by fire in 1933
10301632	Dunleckney Manor	Bagenal	Idrone East 52.71355524°N 6.93879728°W / 52.71355524; -6.93879728 (Dunleckney Manor)	1700s Remodelled c. 1850	Privately owned
10400601	Eastwood House	Henley	Idrone East 52.701176°N 6.972937°W / 52.701176; -6.972937 (Eastwood House)	1755 Extended c. 1840	Privately owned
CW97	Ellen Grove House	Unknown	Rathvilly 52.789853°N 6.748307°W / 52.789853; -6.748307 (Ellen Grove House)	Early 1700s Remodelled c. 1830	Privately owned
10300702	Erindale	Wellington	Carlow 52.818584°N 6.946488°W / 52.818584; -6.946488 (Erindale)	c. 1800	Privately owned
10300203	Evington House	Deane-Tanner	Carlow 52.868303°N 6.926523°W / 52.868303; -6.926523 (Evington House)	c. 1835	Privately owned
10301648	Fennagh House	Pack-Beresford	Idrone East 52.698222°N 6.857050°W / 52.698222; -6.857050 (Fennagh House)	c. 1840	Privately owned
10400509	Garrison House	Tyndall	Idrone East 52.735882°N 6.977312°W / 52.735882; -6.977312 (Garrison House)	c. 1760 Restored in 1999	Privately owned
10301231	Garryhundon House	Butler	Carlow 52.765820°N 6.920563°W / 52.765820; -6.920563 (Garryhundon House)	c. 1880	Privately owned
	Greenbank House	Haughton	Carlow 52.841089°N 6.929031°W / 52.841089; -6.929031 (Greenbank House)	c. 1820 Remodelled 1950	In use as a hotel (Seven Oaks Hotel)
10300842	Hardymount House	Eustace	Rathvilly 52.799452°N 6.762522°W / 52.799452; -6.762522 (Hardymount House)	c. 1820	Privately owned
10301620	Holloden House	Vigors	Idrone West 52.703217°N 6.978733°W / 52.703217; -6.978733 (Holloden House)	c. 1755	Owned by the Royal Oak Distillery
10302001	Hollybrook House	Feltus-Burke	Forth 52.671966°N 6.792423°W / 52.671966; -6.792423 (Hollybrook House)	c. 1765	Privately owned
10400710	Huntington Castle	Esmonde	St. Mullin's Upper 52.690444°N 6.648942°W / 52.690444; -6.648942 (Huntington Castle)	c. 1625 Extended c. 1725 & 1880	Privately owned
10301237	Janeville House	Garrett	Idrone East 52.734298°N 6.862969°W / 52.734298; -6.862969 (Janeville House)	c. 1750	Privately owned
10300718	Johnstown House	Bunbury	Carlow 52.834891°N 6.850684°W / 52.834891; -6.850684 (Johnstown House)	c. 1725 Renovated c. 1840	Privately owned
	Kilbride House	K'Eogh	Forth 52.724387°N 6.718662°W / 52.724387; -6.718662 (Kilbride House)	mid-1800s	Ruin Destroyed by fire in 1927
10302236	Kilcoltrim House	Bruen	Idrone East 52.596964°N 6.903482°W / 52.596964; -6.903482 (Kilcoltrim House)	c. 1750	Abandoned, ruin
10301701	Kilconner House	Watson	Idrone East 52.723904°N 6.838763°W / 52.723904; -6.838763 (Kilconner House)	c. 1650 Remodelled c. 1870 & 1985	Privately owned
CW330	Kilcumney House	Murphy	Idrone East 52.635704°N 6.939933°W / 52.635704; -6.939933 (Kilcumney House)	c. 1840	Privately owned
	Kilknock House	Lecky	Forth 52.754766°N 6.817430°W / 52.754766; -6.817430 (Kilknock House)	c. 1840	Demolished in 1940, Gatehouse remains
CW359	Killedmond	Kavanagh	Idrone East 52.613139°N 6.855158°W / 52.613139; -6.855158 (Killedmond)	c. 1850	Owned by Blackstairs Eco-Trails
	Kilgraney House	Unknown	Idrone East 52.653744°N 6.957905°W / 52.653744; -6.957905 (Kilgraney House)	c. 1820	In use as a hotel
10301604	Killinane House	Mercer	Idrone West 52.717109°N 6.982103°W / 52.717109; -6.982103 (Killinane House)	c. 1765	Privately owned
10300736	Kilmeany House	Loftus-Townshend	Carlow 52.811858°N 6.887756°W / 52.811858; -6.887756 (Kilmeany House)	c. 1825	Privately owned
10302410	Knockduff House	King	St. Mullin's Lower 52.520097°N 6.901091°W / 52.520097; -6.901091 (Knockduff House)	c. 1750	Privately owned
10301234	Kyleballyhue House	Whelan	Carlow 52.781058°N 6.866482°W / 52.781058; -6.866482 (Kyleballyhue House)	c. 1808	Privately owned
CW246	Lenham Lodge	Butler	Carlow 52.780180°N 6.959515°W / 52.780180; -6.959515 (Lenham Lodge)	c. 1815 Extended 1840	Privately owned
10300410	Lisnavagh House	McClintock-Bunbury	Rathvilly 52.858390°N 6.681639°W / 52.858390; -6.681639 (Lisnavagh House)	c. 1847	Privately owned
10300801	Littlemoyle House	Bunbury	Carlow 52.806030°N 6.845136°W / 52.806030; -6.845136 (Littlemoyle House)	c. 1865	Privately owned
10301640	Lumcloone House	Watson	Idrone East 52.723142°N 6.852420°W / 52.723142; -6.852420 (Lumcloone House)	c. 1830	Privately owned
10400405	Milford House	Alexander	Idrone West 52.779655°N 6.967148°W / 52.779655; -6.967148 (Milford House)	c. 1820	Privately owned
CW142	Mill House	Lambert	St. Mullin's Lower 52.561943°N 6.910987°W / 52.561943; -6.910987 (Mill House)	c. 1870	In use as a restaurant
10301317	Millpark House	Echlin	Forth 52.755473°N 6.731095°W / 52.755473; -6.731095 (Millpark House)	c. 1710	Privately owned
10300904	Minvaud House	Unknown	Rathvilly 52.836150°N 6.561975°W / 52.836150; -6.561975 (Minvaud House)	c. 1860	Privately owned
10302005	Mount Leinster Lodge	Kavanagh	Idrone East 52.625320°N 6.819713°W / 52.625320; -6.819713 (Mount Leinster Lodge)	c. 1840	Privately owned
10301650	Mount Pleasant House	Harvey	Idrone East 52.702104°N 6.850673°W / 52.702104; -6.850673 (Mount Pleasant House)	c. 1740	Derelict
10301313	Mount Wolseley House	Wolseley	Rathvilly 52.791974°N 6.721541°W / 52.791974; -6.721541 (Mount Wolseley House)	c. 1890	In use as a golf clubhouse
	Myshall Lodge	Cornwall-Brady	Forth 52.683681°N 6.782650°W / 52.683681; -6.782650 (Myshall Lodge)	c. 1870	Demolished Abandoned 1915, burnt down 1922
10301402	Newstown House	Cobden	Forth 52.766383°N 6.683702°W / 52.766383; -6.683702 (Newstown House)	c. 1824	Privately owned
10300206	Oak Park House	Bruen	Carlow 52.865642°N 6.913066°W / 52.865642; -6.913066 (Oak Park House)	c. 1760	Publicly owned Headquarters of Teagasc
	Paulville House	Paul	Rathvilly 52.83556°N 6.69861°W / 52.83556; -6.69861 (Paulville House)	c. 1870	Demolished
10300308	Philipstown Manor	Duckett	Rathvilly 52.881650°N 6.749333°W / 52.881650; -6.749333 (Philipstown Manor)	c. 1745	Privately owned
10300715	Pollerton House	Burton	Carlow 52.846233°N 6.890798°W / 52.846233; -6.890798 (Pollerton House)	c. 1750	Demolished 1970 Gatehouse, historic fencing remains
10300738	Rathcrogue House	Unknown	Carlow 52.804261°N 6.877957°W / 52.804261; -6.877957 (Rathcrogue House)	c. 1780 Remodelled c. 1840	Privately owned
CW453	Rathduff House	Bergin	Idrone East 52.721293°N 6.941919°W / 52.721293; -6.941919 (Rathduff House)	c. 1830	Privately owned
10300311	Rathmore House	Paul-Bunbury	Rathvilly 52.855091°N 6.728435°W / 52.855091; -6.728435 (Rathmore House)	c. 1785	Privately owned
10400502	Rathvinden House	McClintock	Idrone West 52.740635°N 6.978858°W / 52.740635; -6.978858 (Rathvinden House)	c. 1810 Extended c. 1840	In use as a hotel
10301227	Rathwade Lodge	Beauchamp-Bartholomew	Idrone East 52.743435°N 6.931142°W / 52.743435; -6.931142 (Rathwade Lodge)	c. 1835	Privately owned
CW291	Ravenswood House	Unknown	Forth 52.666634°N 6.686426°W / 52.666634; -6.686426 (Ravenswood House)	c. 1825	Privately owned
	Russelltown Park House	Unknown	Carlow 52.854739°N 6.832472°W / 52.854739; -6.832472 (Russelltown Park House)	1824	Demolished in 1950 Gatehouse remains
10301310	Sandbrook House	Echlin	Forth 52.758517°N 6.760473°W / 52.758517; -6.760473 (Sandbrook House)	c. 1750	Privately owned
10301707	Sherwood Park	Baillie	Forth 52.727328°N 6.722131°W / 52.727328; -6.722131 (Sherwood Park)	c. 1750	Privately owned
10300746	Springfield House	Unknown	Carlow 52.825363°N 6.875786°W / 52.825363; -6.875786 (Springfield House)	c. 1815	Privately owned
10400328	St. Austin's Abbey	Doyne	Rathvilly 52.799237°N 6.739136°W / 52.799237; -6.739136 (St. Austin's Abbey)	1856	Ruin Burnt in 1921
10300733	Staplestown House	Fishbourne	Carlow 52.817490°N 6.883925°W / 52.817490; -6.883925 (Staplestown House)	c. 1800	Privately owned
CW78	Straw Hall House	Heron	Carlow 52.848043°N 6.924696°W / 52.848043; -6.924696 (Straw Hall House)	c. 1810	In use as an office
CW357	Thornville House	Fennell	Carlow 52.861992°N 6.865005°W / 52.861992; -6.865005 (Thornville House)	c. 1840	Privately owned
10301647	Upton House	LaTouche	Idrone East 52.705010°N 6.862336°W / 52.705010; -6.862336 (Upton House)	c. 1840	Privately owned
10301631	Wykenham House	Bayliss	Idrone East 52.714220°N 6.956321°W / 52.714220; -6.956321 (Wykenham House)	c. 1840	Privately owned

See also

• Destruction of Irish country houses (1919–1923)
• Irish National Land League
• List of historic houses in the Republic of Ireland
• Plantations of Ireland
• Protestant Ascendancy

Bibliography

• O'Toole, Jimmy: The landed gentry in decline – A County Carlow perspective.