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Ardagh Demesne on c. 214 Acres

€3,250,000
Other

Property Ref. No.		City/County
	378027		Longford, Longford town
Size
	1161 (sqm)

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Description
ARDAGH DEMESNE
CO.LONGFORD

**REDUCED** MAGNIFICENT PROPERTY IN THE VILLAGE OF ARDAGH ON CIRCA 214 ACRES (86.60 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

Ideal Opportunity to acquire a property suitable as a Country Home, Hotel, Institution or Farm.


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 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