The construction of the house caused significant financial strain for Stratford, who wrote numerous letters asking for loans, including to his father-in-law, Sir John Henniker.

To support its use for education, the house was extended to include large classrooms and other facilities, and the theatre was maintained for performance use.

In 1945, half of the original rear grounds of the house were taken for the development of a new block of council flats known as Killarney Court.

A number of prospective buyers were identified, with the site passing through the hands of the Irish Music Rights Organisation before being sold to a development company in 2005.

[16] There were renewed calls for the Irish state to purchase the site following the lapsed planning permission to convert the building into offices in August 2023.

[15] The initial design of the building was by Richard Johnston, and he is recorded as making some visits to inspect the site early in the construction.

All three architects were closely overseen and instructed by Stratford, whose direct approval was required on many aspects of the design, particularly the interior.

Single storey bowed quadrants flanked each side of the main house, providing corridors to a theatre to the east and a chapel to the west.

[1] A number of commentators have suggested that Aldborough House inspired the fictional settings used by Dracula author Bram Stoker.

[19] As of early 2017, the future of the building remained in question,[20] and An Taisce listed the structure as being in "very poor" condition and at "critical" risk level.

[21][22] Some aspects of the development plans were subject to opposition and submissions from local groups, representatives of An Taisce, the Department of Arts and Heritage, and the Irish Georgian Society.