Help Identifying Three Belcamp Houses

Duke O Smiley

Hi folks,

I'm looking for help identifying the three "Belcamp Houses" in north county Dublin. There is Belcamp Hutchinson, on Carr's Lane, Belcamp House (later extended to form Belcamp College) on the Malahide Road-end of the R139, and lastly another house on the other end of the R139, just off the M50. The rear of this house can just about be seen from the R139 roundabout by the Clayton Hotel.

I'm familiar with the first two houses but know almost nothing about the third, and I'm hoping someone here might know something about it. I believe the entrance to this house was on the Clonshaugh Road. There was, until a couple of years ago, a cottage on the site of the entrance but it was levelled. Google Maps shows a rough outline of the path from the site of the cottage to the main house.

From the (very brief) glimpse I get of this house every time I pass, it looks like a very nice house. There is also a wonderful orangery still standing next to it, that can also be seen.

I would love to know more about this house.

Thanks in advance for any leads or information.

Wishbone Ash

That's Woodlands House (previously known as Clinsough House I think.)

I'll check Maurice Craig's book when I get home from work - I think it's mentioned in it.

Wishbone Ash

I did a bit of digging:

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/monuments-to-uncertainty-part-2-1.248239

Woodlands House, Clonshaugh, Dublin 17

Case history:

One of the few Queen Anne houses left in the country, Woodlands was built in 1730. It was built by the Dean of Santry, a friend of Swift's, who was a visitor to the house. It is described by Maurice Craig as one of the most impressive small houses left in the country. "It is one of the few elegant early houses to survive," says Peter Pearson. "It is a square house, completely symmetrical, with a belvedere (viewing tower) on the roof."


Current status:

Woodlands House is in private ownership and is apparently in good condition. The house and the conservatory are listed buildings, and the house is surrounded by 2.1 hectares of woodland. However, the house has been isolated by roads, and a year ago, the immediate area was given an industrial zoning for an 18-hectare business park, marooning this fine little house - once part of a tranquil rural scene - in an urban wasteland: "If the setting is spoilt, it defeats the purpose of saving the house," says Peter Pearson.

Duke O Smiley

Thanks very much for that. So it isn't a Belcamp House, for some reason I always thought it was.

A bit of googling has brought up this



Source: http://source.southdublinlibraries.ie/handle/10599/1965

I'm not sure I agree with Pearson's view that the house shouldn't be saved. There is a decent amount of secluded space still at the front of the house adjacent to the Clonshaugh road

kvy

Hi seeing this thread now. I lived in Belcamp House, belcamp Lane ( now N32) from 1986 to 1995.. our family sold house and few days later burned down.