Anthony Knight, director and trustee of Beleura House and Garden, Australia, has sent me a watercolour of Ballymoyer House, Newtownhamilton, County Armagh.
"In the early 19th century a more imposing house in the classical style, with a stucco façade of three stories and a colonnaded porch, had been added onto the earlier, rougher building, and the two were linked with creaking corridors and staircases.
"The library, the smaller bedrooms, and the servants' hall were in the old section at the back, but the principal bedrooms, drawing room, and dining room were in the grander addition, looking across the lawns and parkland to stands of beech on the hillside."Comprising some 7,000 acres of low hills, moorland and small tenant farms, Ballymoyer was one of the largest demesnes in County Armagh.
The Synnots had made their money in the linen trade and mining and had always been resident landlords.
Ballymoyer House was later demolished and Brigadier-General Hart-Synnot gave the demesne to the National Trust ca 1938.
I have written about the Synnot family here.
First published in April, 2012.
2 comments :
Hello,
My husband's grandmother lives in Ballymoyer and has done all her life, and is about to turn 100. This would be a lovely gift for her, do you know if prints are available to buy? Thanks!
Nicki Kennedy
Hi Nicki - you might already know this: there are photos of Ballymoyer House in PRONI taken from both sides. Best to ask the staff there for any restricted use?
Has your husband's grandmother shared any stories of the Synnot family?
DM
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