Constructed c.1795 the building is regarded as one of the most original and architecturally intriguing structures in Ireland. It has also been reported it was once the former home of Bram Stoker, the writer of Dracula.
The building also has the somewhat chilling reputation of being one of the most haunted structures in Ireland alongside Loftus Hall in Wexford.
Over the course of the last 60 years the stunning building has fallen into a severe state of neglect and disrepair. The original Blue Bangor slate roof suffered particularly badly during the storms of 2013 and required immediate attention. The North, East, and West facing sections of the roof have lately been re-slated using 60×30, 50×30 and 40×30 Celtic Blue Bangor slates. It was important to all those involved that the character of the roof was retained during the restoration process.
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Vernon Mount is on the top 10 list of endangered buildings in Ireland, and was selected for 'The World Monuments Fund' in 2008.
Sir Henry Browne Hayes was one of several wealthy Cork merchants of the period – having made his fortune from brewing and glass making in the city. His house was designed by the architect Abraham Hargrave and the name 'Vernon Mount' was inspired by his admiration for the American War of Independence. Both men had strong connections to the masonic movement and the house is a monument to this.
The house itself is immaculate in both design and execution. The building has a two storey curved entrance with symmetrical convex bows on either side. Inside its sweeping cantilevered staircase leads up to an an oval atrium (or landing) flanked by 8 Corinthian style pillars. Every aspect of the design and structure appears to deliberately echo the symbolism of free masonry – even the stairs are in groups of 3,5,7 or 15 (all significant numbers). The house is known to have contained a number of exquisite paintings and sculptures by a Cork artist Nathaniel Grogan. The imagery used in his painting was again a reflection of the strong masonic connection. Sadly, given the neglected state of the house and a lack of access to the building it is not known if these works of art are still intact today.
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