Headfort House is among the 100 Most Endangered Sites - along with the Great Wall of China. Eileen Battersby finds out why
Sometime in the coming week, a tree, standing in the corner of a romantic semi-walled garden, once part of a vast estate, will briefly flower. This floral display only lasts about three days and then the tree, Davidia involucrate, more commonly known as the Dove or Ghost tree, will revert for the rest of the summer to its more unassuming leafed self. In ways, it's a cautionary metaphor, a reminder of time's swift passage.
The tree, of which three were planted in this garden, is part of a subtle, diverse collection of North American and Asian trees - including Ireland's only known Tetracentronaceae or Spur Leaf tree, a single species discovered in China in 1901 - which makes the gardens and parkland of Headfort House, Kells, Co Meath, among the finest in the country.
The 100-room mansion, home since 1949 to Headfort School, is an austere, neoclassical building initially conceived as the great house of the neighbouring ancient monastic settlement of Kells or Ceanannus Mór. Headfort's massive granite frontage is plain and as intimidating as it is imposing. The severity of its exterior designed by George Semple is brilliantly countered by the lavish interior created by the Scottish master architect Robert Adam (1728-1792) who met the challenge of designing for a house that had already been built.
Inspired by his travels in Italy which alerted him to the wonders of the classical Roman style he would make his own, Adam was appointed architect to the king. He set about creating an architectural legacy throughout Britain, but his influence in Ireland is limited. Aside from his work at Upton Castle in Co Antrim, little of which apart from the stable yard and family mausoleum has survived, the only example of his interior design in this country is to be seen at Headfort.
Adam's genius is well served by the entrance hall, Chinese drawing room, staircase, saloon and most impressively, the ballroom with its Zucchi panel dominating the centre of a classically themed ceiling. Such is the significance of these Adam's interiors, Headfort House currently features on the World Monuments Fund list of 100 Most Endangered Sites, a selection which also includes sections of the Great Wall of China (see panel).
The inclusion of Headfort House on its latest list (the only other Irish site is Ireland's largest medieval priory, Athassel Abbey in Athassel, near Golden in Co Tipperary) came about through the efforts of Headfort Trust, which owns the house and 60 acres currently leased by the school.
One of the trust members, Anne McFarland, recalls "trawling the internet" in search of a suitable fund to which the Headfort House case could be put. The application was assessed and the building was selected for the list.
To date, the house has received assistance from the Heritage Council, Meath County Council, the Department of the Environment, the Georgian Society and through private fundraising and donations. Money has already been spent on emergency repairs to parts of the roof and rewiring. Some garden restoration has already been undertaken by the Irish Tree Society and the Meath Leader programme.
In order to receive the $300,000 World Monuments Fund grant, the Headfort House project must match that amount through either public and/or private funding before the end of this year.
The story of the Headfort demesne begins in the late 17th century, when Thomas Taylor (1631-82) arrived in Ireland to serve as deputy surveyor to his former school friend, William Petty, on the Down Survey of Ireland.
Taylor, as MDC Bolton writes in Headfort House, a historical account of the house and estate, "had not been an adventurer and as a result was not entitled to receive lands from the government". But he was free to purchase land, and buy he did. By 1660, he had amassed some 21,000 acres, including 7,443 acres at Kells with more in Co Cavan. His grandson, also named Thomas in accordance with what was to be a long family tradition, would set about building Headfort, which would finally be built more than 100 years later.
It was a complicated process, leaving a paper trail of disgruntled architects in its wake.At least five are known to have produced plans, the earliest of which were by Richard Castle, who had in 1750 proposed a Palladian mansion. That style was then becoming outdated. Castle died in 1751. The next design was submitted by John Ensor, who had trained with Castle and whose plans were quite similar. They too were rejected. George Semple was the deciding architect, although even mid project, his plans were questioned, as William Chambers is known to have been consulted.
In turn, Chambers had his suggestions rebuffed, and the project was returned to Semple. Not until 1771 could attention be finally directed on the interior. It was then, that Sir Thomas Taylor - the family would not change its name to Taylour until 1778 - approached Robert Adam to design the interior decoration.
Interestingly, as Bolton notes, Francis Johnston produced a survey of Headfort House in 1802, which records the original use of the rooms.
The commission was a challenge for Adam, a designer known for incorporating dramatic elements such as skylights. In Headfort House he was presented with a completed exterior, which restricted his design vision. Added to this was the fact that Sir Thomas was not quite as rich as he could have been. The entrance hall is a modified version of Adam's original plan, yet the ceiling, with its large oval patera and accompanying swags of garlands, is majestic.
The mahogany, 10-panelled doors may have been ordered before Adam arrived, and suggest that Sir Thomas, also known as Lord Bective, was an opinionated client, well capable of balancing his design aspirations with practicality. This must have been interesting, as Adam expected to decide where mirrors and paintings would be placed.
The main staircase is also a modified version of Adam's original design and his elaborate decorative wall panels were abandoned. The ceiling, however, with its shallow centre rosette bordered by garlanded swags, is a classic Adam feature. The plasterwork was executed by the Irish stuccador, John McCullagh, who completed the ceiling in 1774.
Throughout the rooms is a wealth of portraits. Aside from the story of a family, it is also Irish social history in a living context. The saloon or green drawing room showcases Adam's belief in a cohesive approach to design based on recurring motifs. The ceiling is decorated by Zucchi medallions.
Headfort House is atmospheric and relaxed. It has benefited hugely from its life as an open-minded, multi-denominational prep school, with the recent addition of a Montessori, for children aged three to 13. Instead of conveying a sense of being a ghostly survivor of another age, this is a Georgian building possessed of imaginative energy with sufficient echoes of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to satisfy the most exacting of student.
The ballroom, originally known as the eating parlour, was formed by combining four smaller rooms. Classical motifs form part of an elaborate visual narrative featuring Juno and Venus. This wonderful room is the setting for assembly each morning and is also used for theatrical events. It has long views over the formal stepped gardens to the rear which open onto the landscape.
That landscape, combining open parkland with rich woodland, certainly provides a beautiful setting for the house. When Arthur Young arrived at Headfort House in 1776 he was, as Bolton reports, impressed: " . . . his lordship has walled in 26 acres for a garden and nursery, and built six or seven very large pineries - 90 feet long each".
The legacy of such extensive planting and, through later generations, collecting, is still there. Many of the gardeners trained at Headfort would in time move on to other large estates such as the major Co Wicklow gardens at Powerscourt, Mount Usher and Kilmacurragh.
Even today, according to Aubrey Fennell of the Irish Tree Society, Headfort remains one of the top five collections on the island. Rare magnolias, as well as a Honda spruce, a Chinese Tulip tree, a champion Taiwan Fir and the largest Korean Thuja make Headfort fascinating for the tree enthusiast and exciting for the pupils who see them daily. This natural heritage is important for the school. The woodland provides a cross-country course for school and local pony club fun rides. The house is also central to Kells Heritage Week in early July.
While the interior of Headfort House is not in museum condition and shows all signs of daily wear and tear, as well as damp patches and water stains, it has also benefited from being lived and worked in.
Instead of the muted whispers associated with touring a stately home, there is uninhibited noise. Someone is playing the piano, and a crescendo of voices announces an exodus to the playing fields.
