Description

MAGNIFICENT PROPERTY IN THE VILLAGE OF ARDAGH ON CIRCA 226.7 ACRES (91.75 HECTARES)

Ardagh Demesne  is a magnificent property steeped in history with a range of splendid features together with two gate lodges in a wonderful private setting, surrounded by mature parkland and sheltered by an extensive variety of timber set in the tranquil location of the village of Ardagh
LOCATION:

Ardagh is a picturesque village, located in the southern part of County Longford, 10 km south east of Longford town and 4 km south west of Edgeworthstown. It is a traditional rural Irish village with many unique qualities, particularly in relation to its design.

Ardagh House is located in the centre of the village and acts as the focal point for the overall area. The surrounding area outside the village itself is largely agricultural with residential development being restricted to single one – off houses.

Ardagh is County Longford’s most picturesque village and overall winner of the Tidy Towns Competition..

Land is laid out in one extensive block surrounding the main residence.

Original dairy farm with 75,749 gallon milk quota.

Magnificent residence and yard with limestone buildings and many traditional features including carved and painted ceilings along with original fireplaces.

Residential development potential on some of the lands to the east of the main house and opposite the coach yard entrance.

Approached via a private recessed limestone and wrought iron entrance.  Substantial road frontage through the entire village.

Close to a range of surrounding towns including Longford 10km and Edgeworthstown 4km.

A wonderful private setting surrounded by mature timber in the centre of the village of Ardagh.

 HISTORY OF ARDAGH VILLAGE

The history of Ardagh village begins with Ardagh Mountain, which was an important part of pre-Christian Ireland, and where St. Patrick founded a monastery. The village developed around the monastery and grew from there. Ardagh remained the centre of the Diocese until the Reformation in the mid-sixteenth century.  The village is believed to be the setting for Goldsmith’s “She stoops to conquer”.

Most of the buildings in the village were built in the 1860s and designed in the Arts and Crafts style by John Rawson Carroll as part of the Fetherston Estate Plans. The townscape value of the village is quite unique, with its careful design. Notable features in the village include brick chimneys, slate roofs, ornate timber fascias etc.

The historic importance of Ardagh, dating back to pre-Christian times, is a vital part of the charm and the appeal of the village. Archaeological and medieval sites, as well

as Ardagh House, the stables and the Arts and Crafts village design, which date from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, all contribute to the unique quality of the village.

 

Ardagh Village today is a unique example of the nineteenth century estate village and the only one in Ireland built in the Arts and Crafts style.

THE PROPERTY WILL BE OFFERED IN TWO LOTS
Lot 1:          The main residence, yards and c. 214 acres – AMV €4.5m
Lot 2:          12.5 acre field across the road from the main holding in
                   the Village – AMV €1m

The Fetherston family lived in Ardagh House from approximately 1703 – 1923. The house is a magnificent structure, and a typical eighteenth century style landowner’s house which is approached via a tarmacadam tree lined avenue with paddocks on both sides of the entrance.
                                                                       
The original part of the house was ten-bay and three storeys high over the basement The top floor was destroyed by fire in 1948, and was subsequently removed. Since the house became a convent in the 1920s, more extensions were added.

Ardagh House was acquired by the Sisters of Mercy of Longford in 1927 and they opened a Rural Home Economics College in 1927 under the department of Agriculture. 
The main house was used primarily for institutional purposes and was divided for this use.  Overall it is two floors over basement extending to approximately 12,500 sq.ft. The property is approached via two separate tree lined entrances.

ORIGINAL BUILDING
                                                                               ACCOMODATION

DIMENSIONS
DESCRIPTION
Porch
2.16m x 2.53m
Tiled floor with folding doors to conservatory

Hall
5.14m x 7.53m
Maple floor, open fireplace with tiled inset and hearth, coving.

Conservatory
3.10m x 7.4m
Tiled floor

Dining room
9.35m x 7.10m
Timber floor, ph points, timber windows with shuttering

Drawing room
5.16m x 7.09m
Ornate coving, fireplace with marble surround, raised brass inset, timber floors with folding doors to:

Study
5.16m x 4.24m
Ornate coving, fitted bookshelves

Sarcristy
2.74m x 4.44m
Coving

Chaple/ Ball room
9.91m x 6.59m
Tiled floor, ornate coving, wooden windows, stained glass windows

Toilet and whb

1^st floor
10 bedrooms, showers & toilets, whb & BIW in each

2^nd floor
6 additional bedrooms and office

Basement
Comprising utility, laundry, office, storage, linen room, tv room, pantry etc

New Section built and extended which comprises general accommodation:

• Breakfast room
  
• Toilets
  
• Office
  
• Kitchen, power floated floor, stainless steel fittings, range of cookers and ovens
  
• Dining area with access to kitchen, power floated floor, strip lighting, extractor unit, sink units
  
• Toilets
  
• Stores
  

Home Economics Room:
15.6m x 7.7m with 14 workstations each comprising oven, hob, sink unit

Various Offices:

• Gymnasium 18.3m x 9.5m, timber floors, suspended ceiling.
  
• ESB power stations.
  
• Boiler room.
  
• Dormitory comprising 16 bedrooms on 1^st floor (all with vanity units), toilets, showers
  

Outside:
There is also a range of classrooms outside including three offices, toilets etc.

Stables & Yard:
The stables at Ardagh House were built of limestone in the nineteenth century and designed by John Rawson Carroll, who designed the village.
The stables are of a courtyard design, with buildings around the four sides and an extensive courtyard in the middle.
This splendid limestone yard was completely restored in 1994 and comprises:

The stables at Ardagh House were built of limestone in the nineteenth century and designed by John Rawson Carroll, who designed the village. The stables are of a courtyard design, with buildings around the four sides and an extensive courtyard in the middle.This splendid limestone yard was completely restored in 1994 and comprises:

• Two traditional coach houses
  
• Tack room with loft overhead
  
• Two stables with lofts
  
• Cobble loc yard
  

The entrance has a clock tower over two green cast iron gates.  The buildings surrounding the courtyard are built with limestone, with green timber doors and windows, and a slate roof with red ridge tiles. Some of the buildings around this courtyard are now used as classrooms.

Gate Lodges:

The two gate lodges at the entrance to Ardagh House date from the nineteenth century, in line with most of the village. They are of ashlar limestone construction.

Gate Lodge 1 comprises:  Hall, sittingroom, dining room, kitchen, 3 bedrooms, utility, familyroom and garage.

Gate Lodge 2 comprises: hall, sitting room, kitchen, back hall, utility, 3 bedrooms and bathroom.

This charming gate lodge was completely renovated in the last six years and is in very good condition throughout.

Outbuildings:
The outbuildings are built in a similar fashion with limestone walls, brick surrounds around doors and windows and traditional slate roofs. They are still used in their original capacity, as storage/farm buildings.  Overall there is approximately one acre under concrete surrounding the yard and outside the main building.

The walled garden was once a magnificent and fashionable feature of the house, a symbol of status and could easily be restored to its former glory.

Farm Yard:
There are a number of hay sheds with lean-to’s and in general the farmyard comprises the following:

• Silage pits
  
• 200,000 gallon circular slurry storage tank
  
• 120 cubicles
  
• Circular collecting yard
  
• Old milking parlours
  
• Cattle handling facilities
  
• Hay sheds
  
• Other additional sheds and buildings for the general running of the  agricultural operation.
  

Land
There are natural boundaries and hedgerows throughout the 226.7 acres and the land is currently used for grazing purposes.  There is an internal road network throughout the entire extending to circa 1.5 miles and there is also one natural water course on the land.  There is superb shelter on the entire with mature trees and piped water to the various divisions.  The property was an original dairy farm and comes complete with a 75,749 gallon milk quota.

The land in general is of good quality particularly for grazing purposes and although there are some small sections of heavy land the entire has been well managed throughout

PLANNING
The entire property is zoned a Protected Visibility Area under the Ardagh Local Area Plan 2006 – 2012 with a portion inside the entrance zoned for ‘Recreational use’. 

There are two also two portions of land zoned for ‘Medium Density’ residential development.  One of these in the entire portion of Lot 2 with a small section to the east of the main house in Lot one also zoned under this classification.

Medium density residential development is defined as follows:

‘To primarily provide for residential development; to preserve and improve residential amenity, dwellings and compatible uses including social and community facilities, open spaces and local shopping facilities.’

Ardagh House is a ‘Protected Structure’ as defined by the Planning & Development Act 2000 and contained in the Ardagh Local Area Plan.  The entire property is also within an area classified as ‘Architectural Conservation Area Boundary’ as defined by both the County Development Plan and Local Area Plan.

SERVICES:
We have been informed that the entire property is supplied with a private sewage and water supply.  There is also ESB, telephone and central heating in the main buildings.

TITLE:
Freehold

Freehold

SOLICITORS:
Gearty & Co, Church Street, Longford, Co. Longford

 

 

 

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Location of Property

DIRECTIONS Take the M4 to Edgeworthstown (Dublin to Sligo Road). Leave at the exit for Carrickboy. Ardagh will be signposted on your right hand side.

Jordan Auctioneers

Agent Contact Details

• Edward Street
• Newbridge
• Co. Kildare

• Tel: + 353 (45) 433550
• Fax: + 353 (45) 434122
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