Iconic Lissan House now restored to former glory

Lissan House in Cookstown, one of Northern Ireland’s best known historic buildings, has completed substantial refurbishment.
~ Monday, 23 January 2012

This was made possible following a grant of almost £170,000 awarded under the NIEA’s Historic Buildings Grant-Aid Scheme, to repair work to the exterior of this important listed structure.

The house, built in 1620 and home to the Staples family until the last remaining occupant, Mrs Hazel Dolling passed away in 2006, is reported to be haunted. Allegedly, ghostly children have played in the hall and lavender scent appears from nowhere!

Pointing out the importance of the grant scheme to maintaining our architectural heritage, Environment Minister, Alex Attwood said: “Lissan House is a real gem in the historic homes of Northern Ireland. There is much public interest in these old gentry country houses. An important part of Cookstown’s and indeed Northern Ireland’s architectural heritage has been successfully restored. We owe it to future generations to ensure that listed buildings, of which there are approximately 8,500 in Northern Ireland, are protected and enhanced.

“In this particular case Mrs Dolling desired the building to become a centre for music and arts for central Ulster. The ‘Friends of Lissan House Trust’ have now realised the wishes of Mrs Dolling through the recently completed repair and conservation works at Lissan House, which now promotes tourism and community uses. This project has helped to safeguard the future of Lissan House and preserve this important historic asset, for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations. I welcome the fact that my Department has been able to make that happen.”

Concluding Minister Attwood added: “The historic buildings grant-aid scheme goes a long way towards ensuring a sustainable future for much of our built heritage and I have sought to secure more money to this fund. This week I was pleased to announce that the cap on support for new applications which was set at £50,000 last year has now been raised threefold to £150,000.”

As part of the Programme For Government, DOE is committed to 'protecting and enhancing our environment and natural resources'.

Notes to editors:

1. Lissan House has received a grant of £ 167,440.00 from the DOE Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) to complete a comprehensive scheme of repair work to the external envelope of this important listed structure. The grant award was given under the Historic Buildings Grant-Aid Scheme for repairs to listed buildings.

2. Building Background - Lissan House was established c1620 when the Staples family, originating from outside Bristol, set up an iron works and built houses for their workers. Thomas Staples was created Baronet of Ireland in 1628 and served as High Sheriff of Co Tyrone in 1640. Successive members of the family held the office of High Sheriff and sat in Parliament. One of them, Sir Thomas Staples, who died in 1865 at the age of ninety, was the last surviving member of the old Irish Parliament. Another member of the family of note who occupied the house was Robert Ponson, who was an eminent artist in the late Victorian to Edwardian era. The house remained the home of the Staples family for over 300 years, reputedly the longest occupation by any single family of a country house in the western part of Ulster. The last owner and occupant, and last descendant of the Staples family, was Mrs. Hazel Dolling, who passed away in April 2006.

3. Lissan House is B+ Listed building of 17th century origin which has been enlarged and extended over the course of the 18th and 19th centuries.

4. The development of the house is of great historic and architectural significance, enhancing the buildings special interest. The general form and external appearance is of the 18th century, characterised by its generally regular window openings, its broadly treated hipped roofs, and its substantial ballroom extension at the east end. There are also notable Victorian elements including the porte-cochere, of unusual arrangement, on the entrance front, and the clock tower at the west end.

5. An Edwardian innovation was the introduction of electricity, generated by water turbine from 1902 to the present day, making Lissan House one of the first houses in Ireland to have electric power.

6. The extensive estate, which is over 250 acres, also includes a number of other buildings, such as old farm buildings, an ice house, old stone bridges over the Lissan Water river, a walled garden of four and a half acres, a gardener's cottage, a gate lodge and pillars, an 18th century bridge and cascade designed by the architect Davis Ducart, and a generator house dating from 1902.

7. Anyone who owns a listed building and is interested in applying to the Historic Buildings Grant Aid Scheme should contact the grant section of NIEA: Historic Buildings Unit by emailing bh@doeni.gov.uk or by telephoning (028) 9054 3038.

8. All media enquiries should be directed to the DOE Communications on 028 9025 6058. Out of office hours, please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715440 and your call will be returned.