Jane Austen linked property for sale in Donegal

Ballyarr House, near Ramelton, was once the home to the famed novelist’s nieces, including Cassandra Knight. The Georgian country house, built around 1780, is now available for purchase on the property market.

In a story reminiscent of Austen’s novels, Cassandra’s sisters, Louisa and Marianne also lived in Ballyarr House.

Lord George Hill, the fifth son of the second Marquis of Downshire acquired the property in 1842, after he had married Cassandra in 1834. Following Cassandra’s death, Hill married her sister, Louisa. After Hill died in 1879, a third sister, Marianne, joined the household. Both Louisa and Marianne are buried in the nearby Tully graveyard.

The legacy of Hill as a landlord is debatable, as although he was responsible for the development of the area, including Bunbeg Harbour and the Gweedore Hotel, now An Chuirt, his reforms led to clashes with local tenants. 

Ireland’s National Inventory of Architectural Heritage states that Ballyarr House is “distinguished by the triple gable-fronted facade,” making it unique among Georgian buildings.

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The house is set around 11.8 acres of parkland with a 300-yard treeline drive leading up to the property. In its garden is a “Fairy Fort”, which is a water meadow that surrounds a circle of ancient trees and was featured in the book Native Woodlands of County Donegal by Glenveagh National Park’s head gardener, Seán Ó Gaoithin. 

A four-bedroom property, the house features several outbuildings and a cellar that is in excellent condition, which is divided into five separate rooms. Currently used for wine storage, it features original flooring and refurbished ceilings. It offers a range of potential uses, whether for additional storage, or as a wine cellar, gym, cinema, or hobby space. 

The house is for sale by private treaty with a price available on application with Franklins Estate Agents.