1812 – Grangemore House, Co. Westmeath

Built in 1811/12 to replace an older house and was once the finest houses in the county. Dismantled after an auction of the contents and materials in 1958, and together with its farm buildings, lies in ruins.

An unusual feature of the farmyard area is a “ha-ha” – a ditch deeply dug and lined on one side by a stone walk not raised above ground level. This served as a fence for livestock while not interrupting the view. The estate was said by some to have been haunted since one of its fields is occupied by a graveyard called Cillahin or Church of the Infants, where unbaptised infants were buried. The headstones from the graveyard were said to have been used in the building of the Grangemore House, although there is no evidence to support the story.