Muckross House 
Material Source(s)
- County:
- Kerry
- Townland:
- Muckross
- Coordinates:
- 52.018, -9.5042
- Date:
- 1839-1843
- Architects:
- Burn, William (DIA)
- Other architects:
- Atkins, William (DIA)
- Builders:
- Stoneworkers:
- Patrons:
- Herbert, Henry Arthur
- Alterations/Renovations:
- 1857: Erection of porte cochère, entrance gates to main house and farmhouse and church on estate.; 1990s: Replacement of decayed Bath Stone quoins at rear of house.
Notes:
The hallway of Rev. Thomas Herbert’s house at Muckross, a precursor to the present Muckross House, showcased a pavement of red and white Muckross Marble, extracted from the quarry at Victoria Point on the demesne.
The choice of stone for the majority of the current house is unusual, being a yellow Cheshire Sandstone, which resulted in it being expensive due to procurement and high transport costs when compared with local limestone (Wilkinson 1845). The rear facades comprise rubble stone walling of Muckross Red Marble, together with red sandstone and purple siltstone, also of local origin. The red marble also features in paving around the gardens, while Bath Stone is used for wall coping. In the stable yard, the entrance piers are of Bath Stone and two carved drainage channels that feed at right angles into a central drain are of Waulsortian limestone, probably extracted on the demesne. A Kilkenny Black Marble chimneypiece features in the Queen's bedroom on the ground floor.