clohamon house

Sheltered by huge trees in 180 acres, it is edged with a neat garden which is the pride of Lady Levinge, since she has won much of it back from a wilderness, while her husband has been improving the home farm. She runs her won Connemara pony stud farm on the premises, and travels widely to international horse shows, both to act as a judge and to show her won ponies. There are herons and wild duck on the flight pond below the house, badgers in the woods nearby, and a glorious panoramic view of Mount Leinster directly in front of the house. Portraits of the Levinges through the centuries hang on the drawing room walls, and there are fine Flemish tapestries in the dining room, where at dinner and breakfast guests sit at a long polished table set with family silver. They will not be joined at their meals by their hosts, except perhaps for coffee, since Lady Levinge is the talented self-taught cook who produces the excellent meals. On my visit I enjoyed her crisp courgettes in a light batter, with a stilton, yoghurt, and fresh-peppercorn sauce.