Townley Hall

Townley Hall is a limestone residence featuring neoclassical design elements throughout its structure, including a Doric portico at the main entrance. The interior centers around a rotunda with a cantilever spiral staircase, apses, and arched recesses that define its architectural character.

Francis Johnston designed the house between 1794 and 1798 for the Townley Balfour family who owned it for over a century and a half. The property passed to Trinity College Dublin in 1957 and has since been used as a residential center.

The central rotunda with its cantilevered spiral staircase creates a focal point that reveals how late 18th-century Irish craftsmen approached interior design with careful attention to spatial flow. Visitors can observe how light enters through the upper levels, shaping the way people move through the rooms.

The property operates as a residential center and visits require advance arrangement through scheduled appointments. Plan ahead if you wish to see the interior, as access is not available on a walk-in basis.

The house sits within extensive parkland that overlooks the Boyne Valley, situated near one of Ireland's most significant historical battlefields. This location connects the building's refined architecture with a landscape shaped by important past events.

Location: Tullyallen

GPS coordinates: 53.72940,-6.44720

Latest update: December 11, 2025 18:01