Inisherk Lodge, Crom Castle Estate, Inisherk, Newtownbutler, Co. Fermanagh, BT92 8AR

Inisherk Lodge

A pleasant estate cottage beautifully situated on an island in Crom Estate. Although it has been modernised internally, it still retains some features of interest and constitutes an important part of the Estate group.

The lodge is a single storey, four-bay house aligned east-west on a low hill overlooking the lough. It is constructed with wet-dashed walls and has a pitched natural slate roof with three wet-dashed chimneys, one positioned at the party wall between each bay. The gables feature fretted bargeboards. Half-round metal rainwater goods are fitted throughout.

The principal elevation faces south and is six openings wide. A windbreak porch is positioned at the left-hand side of the second bay from the left. The porch has a pitched natural slate roof with bargeboards matching the main house and a tall pointed finial. It contains a tongue-and-groove sheeted door with a four-paned transom over. The windows on the principal elevation consist of a pair of casements with geometric glazing and sandstone cills to the first, second (positioned to the right of the door), and third bays. The fourth bay has two 2/2 sliding sash windows.

The west gable features a canted bay window with hipped natural slate roof and a casement window to each cheek; those to the front are paired.

The north elevation is abutted by a single-storey return at the centre of the third bay from the left. The left and right bays are blank. The second bay has a 2/2 sliding sash window. The third bay has a 2/2 sliding sash window set to the left of the return and a pair of geometrically glazed casements set to its right. The fourth bay is blank. The return is detailed as the main block. Its west cheek has a tongue-and-groove sheeted door leading to the kitchen. The north face is blank. The east cheek has a pair of geometrically glazed casements. All rear cills are cast concrete.

The east gable is abutted by a small single-storey outbuilding aligned north-south. The exposed section is blank. The outbuilding has stepped V-jointed quoins at the south-east corner. Its roof and walls match the main house. The south and east faces are blank. The north face has a small door to the shed.

The lodge overlooks Lough Erne at the west side of Inisherk Island on Crom Castle Estate.

History

Inisherk Lodge is cited on the 1834 Ordnance Survey 6-inch map and subsequent editions. It was erected by John Crichton, first Earl of Erne, in the late 1700s as a summer residence, following the burning down of the castle in 1764. It is described in the first Valuation of 1836 as "house and office", valued at £18 4s 0d. In the early 1840s it was demolished to make way for the present house, built for the estate's head gardener. In the 1862 Valuation the building is noted as a gardener's, steward's and caretaker's house (this designation also includes Bridge Cottage). It remained in use for its original purpose until the 1950s.