Belmore House, Thomastown, Kilkenny

An Enchanting Country Residence on 115 acres (46.54ha) with Extensive River Frontage

History
Belmore House is a most charming Georgian residence set on 115 acres (46.54ha) with frontage onto the River Nore and adjoining Mount Juliet Estate. Built in c. 1790 as a hunting lodge by the Earl of Belmore to the designs of the highly regarded architect Sir Richard Morrison on lands leased from the Hunt family. It was reported by the Earl’s agent to have cost the sum of £5,000 to build and is thought to occupy the site of an earlier manorial house. The family maintained close connections with the area, with the marriage of the second Earl to the daughter of the Earl of Carrick from the neighbouring Mount Juliet estate. When the house and lands returned to the Hunt Family who in the mid nineteenth century started investigations into the ruins of Newtown the scale and significance of Newtown Jerpoint a twelfth century settlement founded by either Earl Marshall or Griffin Marshall was uncovered. The Anglo-Norman site comprised of some 27-dwelling houses, a Courthouse, Woollen Mill, Brewery and Church. Today the most dominant remains of the settlement are of the Medieval Church of St. Nicholas and well-preserved outlines of the burgage plots. The churchyard contains a fine early fourteenth century medieval slab effigy of an ecclesiastic, presumably a local priest. It is popularly associated with St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra (Southern Turkey) where he was buried before his bones were removed to their present location at Bari (Apulia) in 1087.

The House
Belmore House is set well back from the road approached via a sweeping Lime tree avenue which leads to both the yard and main house. The interior of the house is gracious, and light filled, extending to c. 405sq m (4,363sq ft) with the main hall at the heart of the home, the principal reception rooms include a drawing room with a magnificent bay window which overlooks the surrounding countryside, a dining room, the study has its original barrel vaulted ceilings, a warm living room has its original flagged floor and barrel vaulted ceiling, a beautiful country style kitchen with four oven Aga and seating area to the side, pantry and boot room. On the first floor there are five bedrooms with three en-suites and main bathroom.

Stable Yard
To the rear of the house there is an enclosed courtyard connecting with an attractive stable yard with a range of lofted buildings including a number of loose boxes, coach house, tack room and feed house. There is also living accommodation above the central block these have excellent development potential subject to the necessary permission.

Gardens & Land
The gardens and mature trees which surround Belmore House and Jerpoint Park give a great sense of privacy and shelter. There is a wonderful 1 acre (0.40ha) walled garden which underwent restoration in recent years. The lands which extend to 115 acres (c. 46.54ha) currently comprise of approximately 30 acres of tillage and the remainder in permanent pasture and parklands adjoining the ruins of the Church of St. Nicholas. The property also benefits from c. 520 metres (568 yards) of single bank fishing rights on the River Nore with the Litte Arrigle River running along its Eastern boundary.

Setting and Location
Belmore House is well-positioned less than 3.2km from Thomastown and train station (frequent Dublin service). Outdoor pursuits from championship golf at the neighbouring Mount Juliet Estate, excellent salmon and trout fishing on the River Nore. The house is also within easy driving distance of the medieval city of Kilkenny and M9 motorway, where journey time to Dublin airport is less than an hour and half.

Special Note
Belmore House and farmyard is a Protected Structure of Regional Importance under the Planning & Development Act.