History & Architecture of House

Fota House was originally a modest two-storey hunting lodge belonging to the Smith Barry family. The family lived in Britain, coming to Ireland for fishing, shooting, hunting and yachting. In the 1820's, John Smith-Barry (1793 - 1837) decided to make Fota his home. He commissioned the great Irish architects Sir Richard Morrison and his son William Vitruvius Morrison to convert the hunting lodge into an elegant residence.

Initially it was proposed that the design should reflect the current fashion for Tudor revival but a more elegant Regency style was ultimately executed. Two new wings were added and a handsome Doric portico made an elegant entrance. The interior was opened up with fine Scagliola columns, leading to a handsome stone staircase. The ceilings of the library and drawing room were decorated with great delicacy in the French style.

In 1872 the engineer Sir John Benson designed the beautiful billiards room and an extensive conservatory. In 1897 the conservatory was altered to become the present long gallery. The house has remained virtually unchanged since this time and the visitor today has a privileged glimpse of the great craftsmanship that was to be found in Ireland in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The house has over 70 rooms, ranging in size from the more modest servant rooms to the large and beautifully proportioned principal rooms. The curious 'dummy' windows, which occur on the exterior of the building, were added to enhance the aesthetic balance of the house. The style is classical throughout and the decor reflects continental trends in the gilt, marble work, painted ceilings and magnificent plaster detail throughout.

Since the re-opening of the house in 2009 after restoration, people can now visit the upper floor of the house for the first time in many years. The glorious neo-classical architecture and innovative designs for which Morrison was renowned can now be fully appreciated, as well as the Collection - a fine collection of paintings and furniture - which have been returned to the house.

There is still, however, much to do. We have many projects under development that will add to the visitor experience from simple car parking improvements to the restoration of previously inaccessible glasshouses. The Trust is committed to ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to benefit from, or get involved with this special place, however we cannot achieve this continuous process of repair and improvement without the generous support of visitors and volunteers. In addition to cultural and economic benefits, the Trust wants to sustain this place of artistic and architectural splendour through cultural tourism, education, celebration and family activities for all.

To learn more about the architecture of Fota House:
- Listen to The Architect's Eye, RTE Radio 1, 29th April 2008 - Interview with Kevin Baird, CEO, Irish Heritage Trust.
- Visit the website of the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage by clicking here.