Surprisingly little has been published about the sublime Irish country house that is Townley Hall in Co Louth, or on the Townley Balfour family who lived there for many generations, or its reknowned architect, Francis Johnston. This monograph on the house and its architect is therefore long overdue. In his three-part illustrated essay, Robert O’Byrne recounts the family’s history in the area from the early 17th century onwards, and how the house was passed down through generations of the Balfour family until sold in the 1950s. Michael Telford continues the story to the present day.
Francis Johnston was from Co Armagh and is recognised – along with James Gandon and Edward Lovett Pearce – as one of the leading architects of his time. The book features an illustrated biography of Johnston and a complete catalogue of his works by Michael Kavanagh. The book is sumptuously and comprehensively illustrated with 760 photographs and drawings.