DRUMBANAGHER House, near Poyntzpass:
This was a large Italianate mansion, designed by W Playfair of Edinburgh.
Colonel Maxwell Close had purchased the Drumbanagher estate from the Moores (of Mellifont) in 1818. Ten years later he began building this early Victorian mansion, Taking around 20 years to complete, consisting of a two-storey centre block, with higher three-storey wings set at right-angles to it, projecting beyond the entrance and garden fronts. The space between the entrance front wings was filled by a massive, arched portcochère.
The walled 400-acre demesne lies in undulating land. At the core of the park was Drumbanagher house, in the early 18th century belonging to the Rev Samuel Close; then to his son, Maxwell Close (died 1793); grandson, the Rev Samuel Close (died 1817); and great-grandson, Charles Maxwell Close, who commission William Playfair to build this notable Italianate house in 1829, completed in 1837 and consisting of a two-storey central block with two three-storey wings at right angles – all built of Scottish sandstone at enormous cost. At the time of completion, Lewis in the Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, noted the ‘extensive and richly planted demesne’, which had accompanied the earlier house.
In 1820, Maxwell Close married the daughter of Charles Brownlow of Lurgan, which Playfair would also work on.
The house and demesne were occupied by troops (British and then American) during the war, which probably contributed to the house’s demise in 1951, when it was demolished, save for a massive cut-stone port-cochère.
Writing in the Belfast Telegraph in 1962, the then owner, Maxwell Close said; "No mortal could have afforded to keep the castle going. So regretfully, It had it demolished. Death duties, upkeep and financial difficulties meant I just had to get rid of it...It was perfectly sound and in good order when it was demolished.. Now it looks like a nuclear bomb hit it."
I am grateful to the Maxwell family for permission to place some caches around the demesne.
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Do not go into the estate, or down the lanes,
This is now a private Farm and SHOOTING CLUB in use 24hr.
You may turn/park just inside the gates, to find and sign the Log, making sure you do not block access to the rest of the demesne.
Alas, due to the terrain, it is not Wheelchair accessible.
Remember, if it is not signed; there is no find.