Longueville is situated on an eminence overlooking the Blackwater Valley - the Irish Rhine. The House, a Georgian Mansion home, is in the centre of a 500 acre wooded estate. The beautifully sited House, or centre block of same, was built about 1720 by the Longfield family who always maintained they were of French extraction and not Cromwellians. The 1st Longfield appearing in the history of the area was a tax collector. How he acquired the property from Purdon, a soldier of Cromwell, is uncertain.
The House, architecturally descriptive of the late Georgian period, features a handsome hall-door, the two beautifully plastered and decorated ceilings done by an Italian artist of the dining room and the main lounge, the white marble Adams mantelpiece featuring a relief of Neptune in his chariot in the dining room, the numerous, now rare, inlaid mahogany doors with lovely brass locks and the main staircase, which rises to the full height of the House and is of a most unusual design, the central ramp and the two returns being repeated again in the storey above.
The three-story central block is flanked by two wings, while a Victorian-era, glass-and-iron conservatory punctuates the east end. The stately drawing rooms, decorated with large, gilt-framed mirrors, are the perfect place to laze by the fire or to enjoy and overlook the peace and serenity of the lawns, woods and farm, which rolls down to the Blackwater. Guest rooms are sumptuous without going overboard furnished in old world style, with family heirlooms and period pieces, and most have bucolic views of the gardens, grazing pastures or vineyards.
The Presidents' Restaurant is truly the heart of Longueville, where guests partake of the fresh produce from the Estate's farm, gardens & river lovingly prepared and presented by Chef William O'Callaghan. Longueville has an extensive wine list that has been carefully selected from the Old and New Worlds' vineyards. A private dining room is available for small groups.