Marblehill House & Surrounding Area – By Keith Isles

A large plain three story house built in 1775 for John Burke. The house is constructed from brick and stone, the roof would have had blue banger slates giving a purple appearance. A large wing was added in 1813 to the rear of the house. The house is now a ruin and disappearing fast.

Marblehill House Entrance

Out Houses & Barns

To the rear of the house there are a number of buildings, these buildings create a courtyard. The main use of these buildings would have been to store carriages and to house some of the many servants that would have worked in the big house to keep it running smoothly. To run a house of this size today would be very expensive and unrealistic.

Marblehill House courtyard double archway

Marblehill House back of courtyard building

There is another courtyard adjacent to the main courtyard in a southerly position to the house which has buildings on three sides. One of these was for the storage of hay for the horses, another has stables and the last has vanished and its use is difficult to determine.

Marble Hill House Court yard leading to the old walled back field that contained the glass houses

Marblehill House Courtyard leading to one of the walled fields that had several glass houses and a horticultural garden.

Marblehill House Lower Courtyard area

Workers Terraced House

There is a third courtyard of a smaller size that appears to have accommodation for workers in the form of a very small terrace of buildings. There were three pigsties in one end of this courtyard.

Marblehill Workers House courtyard

Marblehill Workers House Archway

There Are Two Walled Gardens

One behind the first courtyard to the rear of the house, this would have produced fruit as the remains of a heated greenhouse, also a lean- to conservatory. Access would have been gained through the 2nd courtyard, this was for growing vegetables. Both gardens are of the same size approx 2 acres, surrounded by stone walls average height being 10ft by 18-24 inches in depth.

Marblehill House walled garden and back of courtyard buildings

Marblehill House Entrance to one of the walled gardens

Large Stable Block

Comprising of four separate large buildings, this would have housed the horses and fodder. This is situated away from the big house as the noise and smell might have been too much for those living close by.

Marblehill House Stable Block

The land within the Boundary Wall

Most of the land surrounding the house is of very good quality and has some very large and mature trees. As it is today the land is divided up between various local farmers and looks much like it would have when the house was in full swing.

Marblehill House surrounding land