In a wonderful location looking east across Lough Arrow, Ballindoon, County Sligo was originally called Kingsborough, thereby indicating it was built for a branch of the King family who some lived some 25 miles away at Rockingham, County Roscommon. The latter house was designed by John Nash and Ballindoon has sometimes also been attributed to him, but since it is believed to date from c.1820 perhaps it can only regarded as being in his style: by that date the architect was far too busy with royal commissions in London to have time for an Irish client. Essentially a lake-side villa, Ballindoon is a building of exceptional character, beginning with the immense pedimented Doric portico on the north-facing entrance front, its scale overwhelming the single bays on either side. Similarly the garden front is dominated by an enormous dome-topped bow, with a further series of engaged Doric columns around the ground floor. Unfortunately, like Hollybrook a few miles to the west (see previous entry), Ballindoon has stood empty for some years and is now suffering as a consequence, with what appears to be dry rot appearing on the upper floor: the insertion of uPVC windows throughout the house probably doesn’t help. Ballindoon was offered for sale with 80 acres three years ago, but remains unsold, and accordingly remains at risk.
Ballindoon has an interesting link with the Baden-Powell family: Dorothy Baden-Powell was a director of the limited company that operated the farm at Ballindoon up until her late 90s, retiring from the post in 2014. What a life she lived, too (see here: https://www.bookdepository.com/They-Also-Serve-Dorothy-Baden-Powell/9780709077152)
In short, a hugely courageous wartime spy.
From what I’ve unearthed it also seems that Kingsborough was home at one point to one branch of the Gethin family (the other living at Holywell near Sligo Town).
I would be interested in this property. I just come across it!
I live across the lake and am about to look into it. Let me know if you want info.
Thank you, yes I would be most interested to hear of its present state…
Are you looking for someone willing to accept the house for free? If so, I volunteer.
Might need a caretaker, such a beautiful place,.there are are actually grants available now for doing up derelict buildings etc. I hope someone takes good care of it
I saw the media coverage online when it was for sale, I wonder what it’s status is now? Maybe the opw could take care of it or some heritage or even a guesthouse or. hotel group.it is a stunningly beautiful place
I’d love to see it someday
A real piece of paradise ,I hope it isn’t left to rot & ruin ,would be such a shame
Thanks for posting , it would be my dream to have a place like that with a library & gardens & possibly open to artists & cultural activities. I just hope it hasn’t deteriorated too badly at this stage
But someone needs to look after it
Would love to know what’s going on there now
Any updates from anyone on this place? So difficult to find information or to find a contact to see if someone still wants to sell it. Amazing it’s still sitting empty!
Hi there. Did anyone get back to you on this? Hoping there is a chance to save this property.
Alas, I haven’t heard anything further. I may be in the area again in the next month or two and can see if there’s any update…
A very complicated story. Someone has bought it but the bank can’t process the transaction because all the land, farm and woodland, was given to two locals on a perpetual lease when the previous owner knew they were about to lose the property. So the other people have rights to all the land, which means they could prevent you reaching your house, and are currently just chopping down the woods. It’s a disaster and the house is crumbling. Absolute travesty and intentional sabotage by previous owners.
Catherine do you live in the area? This is heart breaking to hear, those woods seem to be all indigenous & so established, amazing parkland & heart breaking to hear they are cutting it all down, what is wrong with people, I wish the financial institution that held the loans on the property wouldn’t take all to court considering what was put in place greatly diminished the value of asset that was being used to secure borrowings, maybe it would teach people not to be so incredibly ruthless
So I actually know the back story on this as I was interested in participating in the auction when they attempted to sell the property, it was being auctioned off by a bank in a ” foreclosure ” of sorts, the owners had put in place a ridiculous lease on all the surrounding lands and the avenue to a local farmer with a clause that automatically renews the lease at the end of its term, this meant that the house could be sold but the new owner would never have any rights or use of the surrounding lands, except a right of way to use the entrance & avenue , also the back entrance was annexed off for another crazy reason, it was obviously all put in place to make the property unsaleable, the way its set up now why would anyone spend the money to purchase & renovate the property when the lands could never be used or enjoyed, all leading to a very contentious situation, its such a shame as the property is stunning, the house is not that grand really, the rooms are small but have lovely detail, but could be spectacular with the right vision and investment.
I also feel that this house was meant to have two wings on either side, I feel its originally design would have been larger & grandeur , but maybe they ran out of money and this is what they built or maybe this was the original intention from the beginning, maybe someone on here could speak to that.
Alan…very informative and interesting (and disappointing). Thank you for taking the time to share this. I agree that the house would have benefited from larger wings, but it’s still captured my attention for a few years now. Finding homes that are ready to have new life breathed into them and whose owners are open to letting someone take over and start that new chapter seems like it’s going to be a big challenge of people like us who are ready and willing.
I actually have a direct line of communication with someone close to all this, I will reach out today and see what the status of it all is, I know that the perspective new buyers did a complete survey for the property with a team of consultants that specialize in period properties like this, but last I heard the complication over the lease etc was preventing the sale from moving forward and not sure if at this stage the buyers have moved on , I will continue to keep you in the loop, I also curious if any blue prints exist form when the house was designed or built in some archive somewhere 🙂
Thank you all for the information. So heartbreaking to hear that the fate of this beautiful house is basically to be left to ruin. I didn’t know you could even make a never ending lease! You would think something would be done to make it sellable as it’s a protected structure. Boggles the mind!
Would love to stay up to date on the going’s on with it.
Who were the previous owners?