Lady Compton Domvile was involved in developing a model village in Santry around 1840 in a Swiss style for estate labourers.

Ninian Niven is recorded as laying out the formal gardens at the house in 1857 for Compton Domvile and works likely carried on after his death.

[7][8] The couple had no children and were the last of Domvile and Barry families to live on the Santry estate with Lady Margaret dying in 1929.

These plans were later abandoned during World War II and the house was used as an army depot owing to its proximity to Dublin airport.

Many of the follies and formal gardens on the estate still exist including the stone temple which was transported from the Domvile's other residence at Templeogue in 1858 and is now in situ at Luggala in County Wicklow.

The house was originally constructed in red brick with stone facings and was 9-bays wide with a pedimented breakfront containing 3 bays.

The gardens also contained a campanile which carried an inscription which read "This house was restored to its original condition by Sir Charles C. W. Domvile Bart.

This was purchased by a Mr John Wardell of Thomas Street, Dublin and was later donated by his son to the National Gallery of Ireland in 1878.

[18] Writing in 1883, Benjamin Adams in 'A History of the Parish of Santry' notes it as "resembling on a minor scale Versailles Palace.

The square of the front of the house is enclosed with iron gates, and in its midst is a pillar recording the pedigree and death of an Arab steed belonging to the present owner".

[19] The entrance hall at that time also had its ceiling covered with the coats of arms of 78 of families related or connected with the Domville owners.

[20] Other contents and garden items were purchased by various businesspeople and enthusiasts, the garden gates with gas lamps were at one stage proposed to be put at the bottom of North Great George's Street by David Norris after they had been donated to the Irish Georgian Society by the owner of the estate Robert (Pino) Harris.

[22] In 1972, part of the demesne was sold to Trinity College Dublin, and was developed with sports grounds, as well as a book storage facility for its library system.