Richhill House

2008 World Monuments Watch

Located on a prominent hilltop site, Richhill House was designed in a Renaissance style—unusual in the region in the seventeenth century—with two large "Dutch" gabled and pedimented wings, with dormers in the same style, and paneled chimney stacks. Its plan, however, and basic layout recall English and European Medieval traditions. Some significant losses and alterations have occurred in the twentieth century, but many of these are reversible and have not greatly affected the integrity of the building. The political situation in the area over the past half-century made the conservation of country properties in Northern Ireland difficult. Richhill House has fallen into a state of disrepair, including damage to the roof that compromised the structure and allowed water to penetrate the interior. The ownership and stewardship of the site must be addressed in order to preserve it for the long term. The present owners cannot finance the necessary repairs, and while they are willing to relinquish the building to a trust for community use, that trust must purchase the property and finance the repairs.

Since the Watch

Plans to restore the castle were announced by the Richhill Building Preservation Trust in 2012. They envisioned turning the building into a major tourism and history centre, and the castle’s six acres of land into gardens, walkways, and cycle ways accessible to the public. March 2015