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Bantry House is a historic house with gardens in
Bantry Bantry () is a town in the civil parish of Kilmocomoge in the barony of Bantry on the southwest coast of County Cork, Ireland. It lies in West Cork at the head of Bantry Bay, a deep-water gulf extending for to the west. The Beara Peninsula ...
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County Cork County Cork ( ga, Contae Chorcaí) is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, named after the city of Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. Its largest market towns a ...
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Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...
. Originally built in the early 18th century, it has been owned and occupied by the White family (formerly Earls of Bantry) since the mid-18th century. Opened to the public since the 1940s, the house, estate and gardens are a tourist destination in West Cork.


History

Bantry House (originally called 'Blackrock') was constructed in about 1710 on the South side of
Bantry Bay Bantry Bay ( ga, Cuan Baoi / Inbhear na mBárc / Bádh Bheanntraighe) is a bay located in County Cork, Ireland. The bay runs approximately from northeast to southwest into the Atlantic Ocean. It is approximately 3-to-4 km (1.8-to-2.5 mil ...
. In 1750, Councillor Richard White bought Blackrock from Samuel Hutchinson and changed the name to 'Seafield'. The Whites had settled on
Whiddy Island Whiddy Island ( ga, Oileán Faoide) is an island near the head of Bantry Bay in Ireland. It is approximately long and wide. The topography comprises gently-rolling glacial till, with relatively fertile soil. As late as 1880 the island had a res ...
across the Bay in the late 17th century, after having originally been merchants in
Limerick Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2 ...
. The family prospered and considerable purchases of land were made in the area surrounding the house. By the 1780s, Bantry House comprised approximately , though much of this would not be arable. The house has been open to tourism since 1946.


Gardens

The gardens to Bantry House were developed by Richard White, 2nd Earl of Bantry and his wife Mary. The gardens contain seven terraces; the house is located on the third. One hundred steps are located behind the house and fountain, and are surrounded by azaleas and rhododendron. By 1997 the grounds of Bantry House were suffering from neglect in certain places. A European grant was obtained to start the restoration process. Funding ceased in 2000. The restoration work is still ongoing.


Armada centre

An exhibition on the role Bantry House played in the United Irishmen Rebellion was opened in the courtyard of the house ahead of the rebellion's bi-centenary. The exhibition was designed to cover the French expedition to Ireland in 1796, and the role of Richard White, then owner of the house and later 1st Earl of Bantry, in opposing the attempted landings. Ultimately the French armada never landed, as severe weather resulted in the loss of several ships – including the frigate ''Surveillante''. The Armada Centre contained a scale model of the ''Surveillante'' and several artifacts recovered from its wreck.


See also

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Earl of Bantry Earl of Bantry, of Bantry in the County of Cork, was a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1816 for Richard White, 1st Viscount Bantry, who had helped repelling the French invasion at Bantry Bay in 1797. He had already been crea ...
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Historic Cork Gardens Historic Cork Gardens of County Cork, Ireland. Annes Grove Gardens Started by Richard Grove Annesley, in the grounds of a house near Fermoy dating from the early eighteenth century. Home to many Himalayan rhododendrons, some from seeds collected ...
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West Cork Chamber Music Festival The West Cork Chamber Music Festival is a music festival, established in 1995, in the town of Bantry in West Cork, Ireland. It usually occurs in July. Performers The festival's performers have included the RTÉ Vanbrugh Quartet, Barry Douglas, ...


References


External links


Bantry House Website
{{Authority control Bantry Buildings and structures in County Cork Houses in the Republic of Ireland Bed and breakfasts Museums in County Cork Historic house museums in the Republic of Ireland Gardens in County Cork