Grandeur And Glow At Emsworth

Built in 1790 and designed by architect James Gandon, the same name behind Dublin’s Custom House, the Four Courts and the King’s Inns, Neill’s home, Emsworth, is the stuff of architectural dreams, with an interior that is sympathetic to its roots and an extension that pays homage to old and new.

Emsworth, at any time of the year, is spectacular, but at Christmas there is a potent magic about the place. Homeowner Neill calls in Luxury Garland to literally light up its period-rich rooms and the more modern extension at the rear of the home. James Gandon was commissioned to design this house to link it to the neighbouring estate of Abbeville. The result is believed to be the only surviving Gandon-built villa, making it something of a rarity in Irish architecture. At around 10,000 sq ft (between the main house and the guesthouse), Neill extended this property in later years, adding a more modern element.

Read more in the December issue…