The Minister spoke with the Friends of Lissan House group about their ideas to restore the house which was runner-up in the very first series of the BBC's "Restoration" programme. Following a guided tour of the house Arlene Foster said: "I was very interested to hear of plans to restore this historic property and I commend the Friends of Lissan House for their vision, determination and dedication to the project. It is sad that Ms Dolling is not with us today, but I am sure she would be delighted with the Trust's proposals for the property which mirror her own plans for it.
"My Department has already provided funding on a number of occasions for small scale repairs to Lissan House and I would encourage the Trust's members to continue to liaise with my officials in order that the future of this important listed building may be secured."
Notes to Editors:
- Lissan House and Estate was passed in trust from the last living descendant of the Staples Family (Ms Hazel Radclyffe-Dolling) for the benefit of the whole community. Ms Dolling passed away recently and the Trustees have been considering how best to take this work forward.
- Ms Dolling was the last owner and inhabitant. She was the daughter of the 13th Baronet (Robert George Alexander Staples, who died in 1970), and the last in the line of the Staples family.
- Kieran Haughey is the recently appointed Chairman of the ‘Friends of Lissan House and the Minister is visiting at his request.
- Lissan House, which was built in the 17th century, was listed on 1 October 1975 and graded B1. It has been the home of the Staples family for nearly 400 years - the longest occupation by any single family of a country house in Northern Ireland.
- The site was established in 1620, when the Staples family set up an iron works and built houses for their workers. Despite a severe lack of money at various times, the Staples never sold their house.
- News media information call DOE Press Office tel. 028 9054 0003 or out-of-hours call the Duty Press Officer 07699 715440.
