Florence Court

Florence Court Demense, Florence Court, Co. Fermanagh BT92 1DB

Tel: 028 6634 8249

About five miles southwest of Bellanaleck, Florence Court is regarded as one of the most important houses in Ulster. Beautifully situated beneath the steep mountain of Benaughlin, the house was built for John Cole, father of the 1st Earl of Enniskillen, and completed in 1775. It was named after his wife Florence. One of the chief glories of Florence Court is the exceptional embellished rococo plasterwork, seen at its best above the stairs and in the dining room. The three-storey mansion contains fine Irish furniture, including an 18th century rococo armchair in the library, an Irish writing cabinet which dates from 1730 and an unusual 18th century bed.

The house is surrounded by a large area of parkland, garden and woodland, including a recently restored walled garden where the pink and white roses are especially attractive in early summer. Florence Court's most notable tree, the Irish yew, grows in a much wilder part of the estate. From its seedlings have grown every other Irish yew anywhere in the world. This 260-year-old original was one of two found in the Fermanagh hills in the 1740s. Also within the grounds are a recently restored water-powered sawmill, an ice house, a replica of a Victorian summer house, a shop and tea room.