Florence Court
Encyclopedia
Florence Court is a large 18th century house and estate located 8 miles south-west of Enniskillen
, County Fermanagh
, Northern Ireland
. It is set in the foothills of Cuilcagh
Mountain. The nearby village is distinguished by the one-word name Florencecourt. It is owned and managed by the National Trust
and is the sister property of nearby Castle Coole
. The other National Trust property in County Fermanagh is the Crom Estate
.
Florence Court was the seat of the Earls of Enniskillen
before the National Trust acquired it in 1953, shortly before a devastating fire destroyed the upper floors of the house. Extensive restoration efforts have since returned Florence Court to much of its former glory, although some rooms on the upper floors remain closed. The house is best known for its exquisite rococo
decoration and fine Irish furniture. Many original items of furniture, previously sold, have been re-acquired and returned.
The estate includes a walled garden
with displays of both temperate and semi-tropical plants, a working water-powered sawmill
, an ice house, a natural spring well and the Florencecourt Yew
. The Larganess River flows through the estate. Pasture
lands and forestry occupy much of the estate. It is a prime source of Irish yew
wood.
Lady Enniskillen, born Mary Cicely Nevill of the marquesses of Abergavenny, discovered the fire, which broke out during one of her husband’s rare absences from home. After rushing downstairs to the servant’s quarters to raise the alarm, she went to nearby Killymanamly House to telephone her elderly husband (1876-1963)at the Ulster Club in Belfast
to tell him that the house was on fire. He is said to have cried “What the hell do you think I can do about it?”.
Much of the damage to the interior of Florence Court was caused by the gallons of water pumped onto the flames. The Dining Room, with its exquisite plasterwork decoration, was saved only by the prompt action of local builders Bertie Pierce and Ned Vaughan who, on the instructions of Mrs. Viola Grosvenor, later the Duchess of Westminster
, drilled six holes in the flat part of the ceiling to allow the water which had accumulated on the floor above to quickly drain away and thereby preventing ceiling collapse. These holes are still evident in the Dining Room today.
The fire was only one of a series of events in the 1950’s and 60’s at Florence Court which marked the end of an era for the house and family. Following World War II falling agricultural prices, rising wage costs, death duties and a drastic reduction of the size of the demesne, the lifestyle of the 5th Earl of Enniskillen and his second wife Mary, was increasingly difficult to sustain. To secure the long term future of the house, Lord Enniskillen gave Florence Court to the National Trust in 1953. It was opened to the public the following year.
In 1956 Lord Enniskillen’s only son and heir died suddenly. In 1961, as the restoration of the house was nearing completion, Hurricane Debbie
devastated the estate. In 1963, Lord and Lady Enniskillen died within three months of each other.
Enniskillen
Enniskillen is a town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is located almost exactly in the centre of the county between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 13,599 in the 2001 Census...
, County Fermanagh
County Fermanagh
Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. It is set in the foothills of Cuilcagh
Cuilcagh
Cuilcagh, historically Slieve Cuilcagh , is the highest mountain in the Breifne area and the 165th highest on the island of Ireland . The summit lies on the border between County Fermanagh and County Cavan , and is the highest point in both counties...
Mountain. The nearby village is distinguished by the one-word name Florencecourt. It is owned and managed by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
and is the sister property of nearby Castle Coole
Castle Coole
Castle Coole is a townland and a late-18th-century neo-classical mansion situated in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.Set in a 1200 acre wooded estate, it is one of three properties owned and managed by the National Trust in County Fermanagh, the others being Florence Court and the...
. The other National Trust property in County Fermanagh is the Crom Estate
Crom Estate
The Crom Estate is a nature reserve located in the south of County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, along the shores of Upper Lough Erne. It is one of three estates owned and managed by the National Trust in County Fermanagh, the others being Florence Court and Castle Coole mansions. The estate...
.
Earl of Enniskillen
Earl of Enniskillen is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1789 for William Cole, 1st Viscount Enniskillen. He had already been created Viscount Enniskillen in the Peerage of Ireland in 1776 and had inherited the title Baron Mount Florence, of Florence Court in the County of...
before the National Trust acquired it in 1953, shortly before a devastating fire destroyed the upper floors of the house. Extensive restoration efforts have since returned Florence Court to much of its former glory, although some rooms on the upper floors remain closed. The house is best known for its exquisite rococo
Rococo
Rococo , also referred to as "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly ornate, florid, and playful...
decoration and fine Irish furniture. Many original items of furniture, previously sold, have been re-acquired and returned.
The estate includes a walled garden
Walled garden
A walled garden is specifically a garden enclosed by high walls for horticultural rather than security purposes, though traditionally all gardens have been hedged about or walled for protection from animal or human intruders...
with displays of both temperate and semi-tropical plants, a working water-powered sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
, an ice house, a natural spring well and the Florencecourt Yew
Florencecourt Yew
The Florencecourt Yew is a specimen of yew growing in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. This single tree is the source of most ornamental yews referred to as "Irish yew"....
. The Larganess River flows through the estate. Pasture
Pasture
Pasture is land used for grazing. Pasture lands in the narrow sense are enclosed tracts of farmland, grazed by domesticated livestock, such as horses, cattle, sheep or swine. The vegetation of tended pasture, forage, consists mainly of grasses, with an interspersion of legumes and other forbs...
lands and forestry occupy much of the estate. It is a prime source of Irish yew
Taxus baccata
Taxus baccata is a conifer native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, northern Iran and southwest Asia. It is the tree originally known as yew, though with other related trees becoming known, it may be now known as the English yew, or European yew.-Description:It is a small-...
wood.
The fire
Early on the morning of March 22 1955, a fire broke out on the first floor landing at Florence Court, adjacent to Lady Enniskillen’s bedroom. Whilst fire brigades almost had control of the fire by 9am, dry weather conditions helped re-ignite the blaze. Flames reached the roof of the building which crashed down into the hall, so that by the evening around two-thirds of the Florence Court interior lay in ruins.Lady Enniskillen, born Mary Cicely Nevill of the marquesses of Abergavenny, discovered the fire, which broke out during one of her husband’s rare absences from home. After rushing downstairs to the servant’s quarters to raise the alarm, she went to nearby Killymanamly House to telephone her elderly husband (1876-1963)at the Ulster Club in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
to tell him that the house was on fire. He is said to have cried “What the hell do you think I can do about it?”.
Much of the damage to the interior of Florence Court was caused by the gallons of water pumped onto the flames. The Dining Room, with its exquisite plasterwork decoration, was saved only by the prompt action of local builders Bertie Pierce and Ned Vaughan who, on the instructions of Mrs. Viola Grosvenor, later the Duchess of Westminster
Viola Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster
Viola, Duchess of Westminster, was the widow of Robert Grosvenor, 5th Duke of Westminster.Born Viola Maud Lyttelton, she was the daughter of Sir John Cavendish Lyttelton, 9th Viscount Cobham and Violet Yolande Leonard and a direct descendant of William I.She married Robert Grosvenor, 5th Duke of...
, drilled six holes in the flat part of the ceiling to allow the water which had accumulated on the floor above to quickly drain away and thereby preventing ceiling collapse. These holes are still evident in the Dining Room today.
In 1956 Lord Enniskillen’s only son and heir died suddenly. In 1961, as the restoration of the house was nearing completion, Hurricane Debbie
1961 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1961 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 15, 1961, and lasted until November 15, 1961. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. The season had seven major hurricanes, the second highest number on...
devastated the estate. In 1963, Lord and Lady Enniskillen died within three months of each other.
External links
- Florence Court at the National Trust
- Virtual Tour of Florence Court Northern Ireland - Virtual Visit Northern Ireland
- Fire exhibition at Florence Court