Vernon Mount

Georgian manor house in Cork, Ireland

Vernon Mount

Rear of Vernon Mount following 2016 fire

Location within Ireland

General information
Status| Derelict[1]
Type| Manor house
Architectural style| Georgian
Location| Cork, Ireland
Country| Ireland
Coordinates| 51°52′20″N 8°27′28″W﻿ / ﻿51.87222°N 8.45778°W﻿ / 51.87222; -8.45778
Construction started| 1780s
Technical details
Floor count| 3 (2 over basement)
Design and construction
Architect(s)| Abraham Hargrave (attrib)
Designations| Protected Structure (RPS 480)[2]

Vernon Mount (sometimes Vernon Mount House or Mount Vernon) is a ruined Georgian manor house in Cork, Ireland.[3] It was built between the 1780s and early 1790s[4] to designs attributed to Abraham Hargrave.[5][6] Originally built for the merchant Hayes family, the house was named for Mount Vernon, the home of US president George Washington.[7] Passing through several owners, the house remained largely disused and subject to deterioration from the late 20th century. It was included in the Record of Monuments and Places by the National Monuments Service,[8] and on the Record of Protected Structures for Cork County Council.[2] It remained largely intact until 2016, when a significant fire largely gutted the house, and the building was subsequently listed on the derelict sites register.[1] In 2021, the building was subject to a funding request for stabilisation works due to "risk of collapse".[9]

## Construction and design

[edit]

Some sources imply that Vernon Mount was built in 1784,[10] while others suggest it was completed after 1789 following the arrival of Abraham Hargrave in Cork.[5] Hargrave designed a number of buildings in the city at this time, including Cork's military barracks.[11] The house was built for and by Atwell Hayes (d.1799) a wealthy brewer and miller.[12][13] Following the death of his wife, Atwell Hayes did not take up occupancy, but instead leased the estate to his son, Henry Browne Hayes (1762–1832).[14] Browne Hayes reputedly spent significant sums on the interior of the house, including murals and other artworks by artist Nathaniel Grogan (1740–1807). Several of Grogan's works adorned doorways and other internal architectural elements, including a work depicting Minerva on a large curved ceiling.[14] The curved elevations, staircase, oval atrium, and interior decorations made Vernon Mount, according to the Irish Georgian Society "unique in the history of the Irish villa and [..] a building of national importance".[15]

## History and ownership

[edit]

Following the death of his own wife, Henry Browne Hayes abducted a local heiress named Mary Pike, and in 1797 reputedly forced her into a marriage ceremony at the estate.[16][15] Hayes was later convicted of kidnap, but had a death sentence commuted to penal transportation to Australia.[17]

Passing through several owners,[12] by the late 20th century the Vernon Mount estate was owned for a period by the Cork and Munster Motorcycle and Car Club.[18] The club used the demesne for motocross and similar events.[19] The house was sold to a private investor in the 1990s,[20][21] though a planning application for redevelopment as apartments and a hotel was not successful.[22] As of late 2021, the company that owned the building had reportedly been "dissolved".[1]

## Today

[edit]

The house was listed for protection on the Record of Protected Structures by the local authority, and also included in the Record of Monuments and Places.[8][2] The Irish Georgian Society, World Monuments Fund, An Taisce and other stakeholder groups listed the building as a risk,[23][24] and attempts were made to slow the effects of deterioration, roof damage, water issues and vandalism over a number of decades.[6][25] Although in private ownership, public funds were allocated by the Department of Arts and Heritage which allowed Cork County Council to undertake roof repairs in 2012.[26]

Despite recommendations for a compulsory purchase order, to bring the building into permanent state ownership and protection,[25] a severe fire in July 2016 reduced the structure to a largely empty shell.[27] Following the fire, there was some speculation as to the future of the house and site.[22] In September 2016, Cork County Council voted in favour of prosecuting the owners of Vernon Mount for "fail[ure] to secure the protected structure",[28] and to "convey to the owners and occupiers of all [other] protected structures the need to uphold their societal responsibility".[29]

In 2017, there were renewed calls to bring the site into public ownership, and to stabilise the structure with a view to preserving its shell.[30] As of 2019[update], Cork City Council (the responsible local authority following the 2019 Cork boundary change) reportedly stated that the "strategy in relation to Vernon Mount" was "under review", but that it had no plans to consider a compulsory purchase order.[31] In 2020 the building was reportedly placed on the derelict sites register,[32] and members of the council subsequently advocated funding stabilisation works as parts of the building were "at risk of collapsing".[1] Though further calls for compulsory purchase were made in early 2023,[32] as of March 2024 there were reportedly "no signs" of the site being taken into public ownership.[33]

A footbridge, linking the area to Tramore Valley Park, was named "Vernon Mount Bridge" in mid-2023.[34]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d "City council to request funding from OPW to carry out stabilisation works to Vernon Mount House". echolive.ie. The Echo. 10 November 2021. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
2. ^ a b c "List of Record of Protected Structures transferring to Cork City Council" (PDF). County Development Plan. Cork County Council. Retrieved 14 November 2021. "RPS ID [..] 00480 [..] Vernon Mount [..] Curraghconway"
3. ^ "Vernon Mount Park – History". Grange Frankfield Partnership. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
4. ^ "Buildings of Ireland – Vernon Mount, Cork, County Cork". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
5. ^ a b "Vernon Mount Park – Architecture Cork". Grange Frankfield Partnership. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
6. ^ a b "Cork Past & Present > Vernon Mount". Cork City Library. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
7. ^ Sylvia Thompson. "Why we should save Cork's Vernon Mount". Irish Times. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
8. ^ a b "Built Heritage Objectives Part 3: Record of Monuments and Places". Cork City Council. Retrieved 14 November 2021. "Monument No. [..] CO074-060 [..] Curraghconway [..] Country house"
9. ^ "Vernon Mount House at risk of collapse, warn councillors". irishexaminer.com. Irish Examiner. 9 November 2021. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
10. ^ Mark Bence-Jones (1990). A Guide to Irish Country Houses. Burkes, London. p. 281\. ISBN 9780094699908.
11. ^ "Abraham Hargrave – List of works". Dictionary of Irish Architects. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
12. ^ a b "Vernon Mount – Owners & Occupiers". Grange Frankfield Partnership. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
13. ^ "Famous Characters - Attiwell Hayes". Triskel Arts Centre. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
14. ^ a b "Vernon Mount and Atwell Hayes". Sirhenrybrownehayes.com. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
15. ^ a b "Conservation – Vernon Mount, Co. Cork". Irish Georgian Society. Archived from the original on 1 August 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
16. ^ "History – Abduction and Conviction". Vernon Mount Park. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
17. ^ "Famous Characters – Sir Henry Browne Hayes". Triskelartscentre.ie. Triskel Christchurch – History & Heritage. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
18. ^ "This historic Cork mansion was the scene of a kidnapping, and it's now at risk". Thejournal.ie. 4 October 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
19. ^ "Motocross Venues – Vernon Mount Cork". motocross.ie. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
20. ^ "Vernon Mount owner 'gutted' at loss but believes property can be saved". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
21. ^ Barry Roche. "Cork council defends decision not to buy Vernon Mount House". Irish Times. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
22. ^ a b Kelly O'Brien (25 July 2016). "Gutted co-owner against Vernon Mount demolition". Evening Echo. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
23. ^ "Vernon Mount, Co. Cork | Irish Georgian Society". Irish Georgian Society. 25 September 2013. Archived from the original on 1 August 2016. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
24. ^ "World Monuments Watch – 2008 List of Most Endangered Sites" (PDF). World Monuments Fund. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 July 2011.
25. ^ a b "An Taisce seeks action on Vernon Mount Fire – CPO action by Cork County Council required". An Taisce. 25 July 2016.
26. ^ "Fire extensively damages historic Co Cork house Vernon Mount". Irish Times. 24 July 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
27. ^ Barry Roche (25 July 2016). "Shock and dismay at destruction of historic Vernon Mount in Cork". Irish Times. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
28. ^ Sean O'Riordan (13 September 2016). "Councillors vote for action against owners of Mount Vernon". Irish Examiner.
29. ^ Olivia Kelleher (19 September 2016). "Council to take legal action against Vernon Mount owners". Irish Times.
30. ^ Eoin English (25 July 2017). "Campaigners want transfer of Georgian villa to public ownership". Irish Examiner.
31. ^ "City Hall outlines its position on fire-damaged Vernon Mount House". echolive.ie. 11 November 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
32. ^ a b O'Keefe, Donal (6 March 2023). "Cork City Council urged to issue CPO for derelict mansion Vernon Mount House". echolive.ie. The Echo. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
33. ^ English, Eoin (19 March 2024). "No sign of Vernon Mount House remains coming under public ownership". irishexaminer.com. Irish Examiner. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
34. ^ English, Eoin (10 July 2023). "Vernon Mount Bridge: Cork City Council agrees name of new flyover bridge after tight vote". irishexaminer.com. Irish Examiner. Retrieved 26 July 2023.

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