Tudenham Park House Explained

Tudenham Park House
Native Name:Teach Tudenham
Native Name Lang:ga
Former Names:Rochfort House
Location:Rochfort Demesne
Location Country:Ireland
Coordinates:53.4723°N -7.3714°W
Architect:Richard Cassels
Architectural Style:Palladian
Unit Count:-->
Location City:Mullingar, County Westmeath, Ireland
Material:limestone

Tudenham Park House,[1] originally called Rochfort House, is an 18th-century Palladian limestone country house located in Tudenham Park on the Rochfort Demesne near Belvedere House and Gardens beside Lough Ennell, County Westmeath, Ireland.

The house is known for being involved in an ordeal with Robert Rochfort's brother, George, which resulted in Robert constructing The Jealous Wall so he would not have to look at his brother's grander house.

History

The construction on the house began in 1717, and it was completed in 1742 for George Rochfort.[2]

Later a glass house designed by Richard Turner was affixed to the property.[3]

It was purchased by Sir Francis Hopkins in 1836, and the name was subsequently changed from Rochfort to Tudenham Park.[4] Hopkins' tenure lasted 34 years until the property was sold to the affluent Tottenham family in 1870.

On 7 March 1906, Charles Gore Loftus Tottenham inherited Tudenham House and land from his grandmother.[5]

The house was used as a hospital and convalescent home for army officers during World War I and World War II and was still in military possession in 1945.[6]

The Tottenham family had not lived in the property since 1952; and in 1958 the house was gutted by a fire that destroyed the roof but spared the walls, chimneystacks and main façade, which still stand to this day. The family decided to sell the house ruin and land in 1963.[7]

As of 2023, the house is largely covered with overgrown vegetation, and multiple efforts have been made to conserve the property since 2005.[8]

Sale of the property

In December 2013, the land, including the house, was sold at an auction for €681,000 to a businessman from Westmeath.[9]

In October 2023, the property again went on the market with a guide price of €1.2m.[10]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Teach Tudenham / Tudenham . Placenames Database of Ireland . logainm.ie . 3 January 2024 .
  2. Web site: Tudenham Park, ROCHFORT DEMESNE, WESTMEATH . www.buildingsofireland.ie . 19 October 2023.
  3. Web site: CO. WESTMEATH, TUDENHAM Dictionary of Irish Architects - . www.dia.ie . 19 October 2023.
  4. Web site: The Tottenham Family - Home. Tottenham. Ed. tottenham.name. 2017-06-21.
  5. Web site: Family of Charles Gore Loftus TOTTENHAM and Georgina Alice Lizzy SOMERVILLE. 2021-08-17. rtpovey.homeip.net.
  6. Web site: Archiseek - Irish Architecture - 1742 - Tudenham Park, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath . 19 October 2023 . 2 November 2020.
  7. Web site: Tudenham Park, Rochfort Demesne - The National Trust for Ireland - An Taisce. www.antaisce.org. en. 2017-06-21.
  8. Web site: Tudenham Park, Co Westmeath Punch consulting. www.punchconsulting.com. 2017-06-21.
  9. News: Tudenham Park shatters guide price to rake in €681k - FarmIreland.ie. FarmIreland.ie. 2017-06-21. en.
  10. Web site: Historic house is up for sale . Westmeath Independent . 19 October 2023 . 4 October 2023.