Concerns raised about historic Carstown House

The deteriorating condition of Carstown House in Termonfeckin was raised by Councillor Kevin Callan at the September meeting of Drogheda Municipal District (DMD).

He said the house was ‘under a state of attack’ through vandalism and said he feared the property could be lost forever.

‘I think we are on the verge of losing it and I would ask for an update from officials at the next meeting,’ he said.

‘Security measures there have been breached. It has been entered and now I fear we may be about to lose it.’

He said he had concerns the house could go up in flames.

‘ This house dates back to 1641 and has links to Oliver Plunkett,’ he added.

The impressive but crumbling period home was built as a five-bay, single story overbasement property with an attic storey.

Dormer windows were added at a later date.

The house is unusual in that the main entrance is off centre and this is reached by limestone steps.

The County Louth Archaeological and Historical Society is actively engaged in trying to save the building and the society received funding from the Heritage Council to carry out an architectural survey by conservation architect Fergal McGirl.

In 2016, the society received further funding from the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Built Heritage Investment Scheme and the County Louth Buildings At Risk fund for the conservation and repair of Carstown House.

According to McGirl’s report, Carstown House’s special significance and National Importance relates to the fact that a disproportionately small number of domestic dwellings exist from the 16th and 17th centuries. As much of the building dates from before 1700, it is listed as a National Monument.

The house was occupied until the mid-1980s.

One of the biggest problems faced is the difficulty in tracking down the owner of the property as it is unregistered.

To authorise works on the building, the council would have to serve a section 59 notice on the owner requesting them to make the building safe but the difficulty is who to serve this notice on.