The Georgian manor house had a basement, accessible from the courtyard at the rear.
The courtyard still exists and is in excellent condition.
One side of the courtyard served as a hostel (the side facing the lough and the huge elevated water tanks) until ca 2004.
The courtyard still exists and is in excellent condition.
One side of the courtyard served as a hostel (the side facing the lough and the huge elevated water tanks) until ca 2004.
I stayed in the Castle Archdale hostel on several occasions until 2004, when it closed its doors for the last time. The person who managed it was, I think, called Stephen. The male dormitory was on the ground floor; and the female section was upstairs. I'm told that one or two occupants upstairs had complained about bats in the rafters! When the hostel closed down, business was transferred to a new hostel at the Clinton Centre in Enniskillen (which has since closed down itself).
The colour image was taken prior to demolition in the 1970s: Clicking on it will greatly enhance the detail.
The manor house was derelict by 1959, and was swept away ca 1975; as was the north gate lodge.
First published in August, 2010.
8 comments :
I wonder why the extreme left side window on the upper floor was enlarge (an offence to symmetry!)?
W.
Must have been a damp old pile, as all the sash windows are open in the first photograph!
Great pics.
I think you're right, 'Sandy' ...it's very close to the water's edge (looks to be practically built on the marshes).
W.
LB,
Regarding the upstairs window alteration, you are correct. This was pointed out to us in the RAF Castle Archdale museum at our visit there last summer.
LB.
What a tragic loss. Very pleasing looking house, despite later window abberation. On the larger side of manageable these days. Must have been a great burden in the post-war era, with few mod cons. Might have survived if it had been in Co Down.
I was at RAF Castle Archdale 1955-7.
Lived on the top floor with others in the Armory. SAC Accounts with office on second floor. Pity it was demolished, since the ops room was still there with the last chalk board ops on the wall. The old library was still there too!!
Roy Beal
If anyone has interior photographs of the Archdale manor house I would be very interested in seeing them.
Conaire McNeary (Warden Castle Archdale)
conaire.mcneary@doeni.gov.uk
Does anyone know what happened to the fine cut-stone door frame? They were usually saved when a house was demolished...
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