Following the success of the 2018 trip to Northern Ireland, the FHS is organising a second two-night, three-day Study Weekend including visits to Seaforde, Clandeboye House and Ballywalter Park, and other houses to be confirmed.  We are also hoping to return to Mount Stewart, the Irish seat of the Stewart family, Marquesses of Londonderry, which was remodelled and enlarged in the 1840s, and where much has happened since the FHS visited in 2018.

Clandeboye was built in the early nineteenth century by James, second Lord Dufferin (1755-1836). It was altered and enlarged by his great great-nephew Frederick Temple Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, first Marquess of Dufferin and Ava (1826-1902) and contains his eclectic collection from his years spent abroad as Governor General of Canada and Viceroy of India, and ambassador to Russia, France, Italy and The Porte. In the twentieth century the fifth and last Marquess, Sheridan Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood (1938-1988), and his wife, artist Lindy Guinness (1941-2020), contributed a significant collection of Irish furniture. Today Clandeboye Estate is looked after by the Dufferin Foundation which they founded.

Ballywalter Park is the seat of Lord and Lady Dunleath. The original house was extensively remodelled and extended in the Italianate Villa style after 1846 and contains interesting eighteenth and nineteenth century furniture and a superb conservatory.

The trip is being organised by Willie Lorimer with the support of Sara Heaton, and with Cristina Alfonsin, FHS Overseas Events Manager, in charge of the logistics. To express interest, please contact Cristina at overseasevents@furniturehistorysociety.org.

Clandeboye House, courtesy of The Dufferin Foundation