Landscape House
(Note: Please respect the privacy of the owners of these houses as they are private dwellings.)
Landscape House was built in a beautiful setting overlooking the River Barrow. Samuel Lewis wrote in 1837 “Landscape, now the residence of John Ussher Esq., derives its name from the beautiful view it embraces of the river and the ornamental grounds of Castle Annaghs on the opposite bank; it is surrounded with a fine plantation of fir,sycamore,beech and oak trees. “He could write the same today (2007).
This branch of the Ussher family hailed from Cappagh, Co.Waterford. The family had as a member James Ussher, the protestant archbishop of Armagh who was a famous scholar. The original male of the family is thought to have acted as an ‘usher’ to King John-hence the name Ussher. John Ussher of Landscape married Lucy the daughter of Rev.William Glascott of Alderton. He died in 1844.
The house was given to June Drake by her father Dean Drake of Stokestown as a wedding gift when she married Major James Stewart. She was his only daughter. The house was purchased by John Becker in the 60′s and is now the residence of Heidi Becker.
An usual landscape feature found at the front of the house was known as a ha-ha. This was an eighteenth century ditch or moat dug at the front to keep farm animals away from the house. Yet, it didn’t block the view of the surrounding land like a wall or fence would.