Castletown House

The Red Drawing Room

Date: 24 Jul 2008

‘withdrawing room covered in a four coloured damask predominantly in red.’

Lady Shelbourne 1769.

The Red or Crimson Drawing Room was one of the main reception rooms at the back of the house. Originally laid out as a common parlour with an entrance on to the west corridor, Lady Louisa redecorated it between 1764 and 1768. The neoclassical ceiling, which replaced the vaulted original, is based on published designs by the Italian Renaissance architect, Sebastiano Serlio. The early eighteenth century oak panelling was covered with a four coloured silk damask. The present red silk dates from the mid nineteenth century, when the room was extensively refurbished. The Aubusson carpet also dates from this time, and was probably made for the room. The white Carrara chimney pieces in the two drawing rooms, came to the house in 1768, while the woodwork in both rooms is by Richard Cranfield.

Paintings

Charles James Fox (1749-1806), Circle of Joshua Reynolds. Fox was a nephew of Louisa Conolly.

Henry Fox, 1^st Lord Holland (1705-74) portrait by Allan Ramsay. He was Louisa Conolly’s brother-in-law and father of Charles James Fox.

Henry Fox, 1^st Lord Holland half length portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds.

Portrait of a Lady in a Blue Dress, possibly Katherine Conolly by Charles Jervas (1675-1739).* Speaker John Ponsonby, by Jacob Ennis (1728-70). He was one of Conolly’s successors as speaker of the Irish House of Commons.

View of Rathfarnham Castle Co. Dublin. By Thomas Walmsley (1763-1806). Rathfarnham was also owned by the Conolly family.

The Liffey and ruins at Castletown, by Edmund Garvey (d.1806).

Furniture

Pair of Irish George III gilt pier glasses.

Early Georgian Japanned cabinet, said to have been painted by Katherine Conolly as a wedding present for her niece, Molly Burton.

Lady Louisa’s mahogany writing bureau. Dating from the mid eighteenth century this is one of the most important pieces of Irish furniture in the house.

Suite of Irish George III mahogany seat furniture, in the Chinese Chippendale style. Louisa Conolly paid 1½ Guineas for each armchair in the 1760s.

Pair of Irish mid Georgian brass bound mahogany peat buckets.

Carpet

Early 19^th century Louis Philippe Aubusson carpet with central cartouche featuring floral garlands and a Greek Key pattern border.