A rare opportunity to acquire a remarkable piece of Co Armagh’s architectural heritage has arisen with the sale of the historic Castledillon Demesne’s stable block.
Situated between Armagh city and Loughgall, the Castledillon estate is surrounded by the rolling orchard county landscape steeped in more than 250 years’ of history.
At its heart is the impressive stable block, designed by renowned architect Thomas Cooley and dating from around 1782, together with a collection of historic stone courtyard ranges arranged around a central lawn.
Commissioned by Sir Capel Molyneux, the stable block is one of very few surviving Cooley-designed buildings outside Dublin.
The Molyneux family held Castledillon from 1664 for more than 250 years, leaving a lasting mark on the demesne and its surrounding landscape. In the same year that the stables were completed, 1782, Sir Capel Molyneux also erected the sixty-foot obelisk which remains a distinctive landmark within the park.
The wider demesne is a registered historic park, while the principal stable block enjoys Grade B+ listed status.
According to the listing agent, Manor & Mill, the restoration of the stable block represents the larger challenge, but also the opportunity to secure the future of one of Armagh’s most distinctive historic buildings with offers starting at £450,000.
One potential approach being explored by the current owner is enabling development, a recognised conservation mechanism under Northern Ireland’s Planning Policy Statement 23 (PPS 23).
The policy provides a potential route for development that might not ordinarily be permitted where it can be demonstrated that it is necessary to generate the funding required to secure the conservation of a heritage asset.
In practical terms, the process involves establishing the cost of fully restoring a historic building and comparing this with the value of the completed project. Where a conservation deficit can be demonstrated, enabling development may be considered to bridge the funding shortfall.
The scale of any such development must be limited to what is necessary to secure the conservation works and is subject to independent assessment and approval by the relevant authorities.
Importantly, Castledillon Stables benefits from both listed-building status and its position within a registered historic park, making it a site where the principles of enabling development may be relevant.
Castle Dillon House, the mansion beside the stable block, is also for sale by separate negotiation with its owner. There is therefore an opportunity to consider the house and stables together as part of a single plan for the wider site.
Viewings are strictly by appointment and accompanied as parts of the buildings are currently unsafe.
Interested parties should contact Manor & Mill directly.
