1680s – Ballykilcavan House, Stradbally, Co. Laois
Ballykilcavan has full-height wings like flanking towers at the corners of the entrance front while similar towers on the rear of the house are now hidden by later extensions.
Co. Laois
1773 – Abbeyleix House, Abbeyleix, Co. Laois
Architect: James Wyatt
A seven-bay, three-storey over basement with dormer attic Classical-style country house, begun 1773, with a pedimented breakfront having a cut stone Doric door-case to the ground floor.
1790 – Emo Court, Portarlington, Co. Laois
Architect: James Gandon / William Caldbeck
Designed by the architect James Gandon in 1790 for John Dawson, the first Earl of Portarlington,
1800c – Market House, Portarlington, Co. Laois
Still intact, sited in the centre of the market square, but now much defaced by its usage as a service station.
1802 – Design for house, Co. Laois
Architect: Richard Morrison
A design published in “A collection of designs for rural retreats” by James Malton, with two elevational treatments.
1817 – Gracefield Lodge, Ballylynan, Co. Laois
Architect: John Nash / Daniel Robertson
An early 19th century cottage orné, originally designed by Nash but built by Robertson to a cut down version of the design.
1830 – Prison, Portlaoise, Co. Laois
Architect: William Deane Butler
Now obscured by more modern security measures, Portlaoise (formerly Maryborough) Prison had a magnificent entrance gateway worthy of a Norman castle.
1830s – Church, Rathdowney, Co. Laois
Replaced by an unremarkable exercise in 1950s Romaneque sited on the then edge of town. This church was pulled down and the site is still a surface carpark.
1840 – Pembroke Row, Abbeyleix, Co. Laois
When the 3rd Viscount de Vesci married Lady Emma Hubert, daughter of the Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery. The Earl built this stone terrace of houses for the town as part of his daughter’s dowry.
1840 – St. Patrick’s Church, Ballyroan, Co. Laois
St. Patrick’s is a simple rectangular church with a flat-ceiling interior.
