Castletownsend
2025, Castletownsend, Ireland
Status
Awards
The design strategy for the refurbishment of Tallyho was initially developed following an examination of the chronological development of the house. The aim is to remove unsympathetic additions and to restore the original clarity of the house, particularly its circulation pattern and external appearance. Although not on the Record of Protected Structures or NIAH, the house has a significant history and connection to Edith Somerville and her family, and the house has a strong presence in Castletownshend. The first task was to reinstate the original entrance of the house which will be accessed from the east courtyard. This courtyard is more open to the street than the kitchen courtyard presently used as the main entrance, which is concealed from the street by high walls. The railings of the east courtyard will be replaced with those of a simple modern design set into a limestone kerb. The landscape will be renewed with new planting, a gravel finish and a limestone flagged footpath leading up to a new door.
The existing elevation to the courtyard reveals, without decorum, the presence of a bathroom on the first floor with its attendant soil waste pipes. This section of the house is likely to be a more recent addition as it has a flat roof in bad condition abutting the original slate pitched roof. It is proposed to replace this roof with a glazed rooflight lighting the double height entrance hall below. The removal of the bathroom enclosure allows us to carve out a voluminous entrance hall. The bathroom windows will be blocked up and the entire façade re-rendered in lime render. The solid wall will provide a backdrop to the new entrance doorcase, which is a contemporary interpretation of the Georgian doorcase of which there are fine examples in the village. The doorcase has a simple trabeated design, made in hardwood, with a glass fanlight above. The solid double doors may be left open in summer as there is a glazed inner door to the hallway.