GOSFORD FOREST PARK
- MARKETHILL, MARKETHILL
BT60 1UG ARMAGH, NIR
Phone: 028 37551277
www.gosford.co.uk
Short profile:
Gosford Forest Park, formerly Gosford Demesne, was acquired by the Department of Agriculture in 1958 and comprises some 240 hectares of diverse woodland and open parkland set in gentle rolling drumlin countryside. It was designated the first conservation forest in Northern Ireland in 1986. It is open every day of the year from 10.00 a.m. until sunset.
Visitors can also see a selection of Heritage Poultry, Rare Animal Breeds, and Red Deer, but one of the most fascinating aspects of the park is its HISTORY and its association with Jonathan Swift.
Detailed description:
Construction of Gosford castle began in 1819 and finished in the 1850s. It was commissioned by Archibald Acheson, second Earl of Gosford, when his previous dwelling had burned down. Funding for the construction is said to have been provided by his wife, the daughter and heiress of Robert Sparrow of Worlingham Hall, Suffolk. She may have influenced the choice of style (Norman Revival), having been a friend of Lady Byron and therefore exposed to Byron's "exotic and somewhat sinister brand of romanticism".
The architect was Thomas Hopper, one of the leading London architects of the first half of the 19th century. Hopper is often quoted as believing that "it is an architect's business to understand all styles, and to be prejudiced in favour of none". Apart from Gosford, he was also responsible for Penrhyn Castle near Caernarvon, in a similar style.
The following description appeared in 1837:
"Gosford Castle, the seat of the Earl of Gosford, is a sumptuous and stately structure in the Norman style, built of granite from the Mullaglass quarries; the castle has been 17 years in progress of erection and is not yet completed; it is situated in an ample and highly improved demesne, about a quarter-mile to the east of the former mansion, which was built on the site of the castle originally erected by Sir A. Acheson in 1617."
Keywords:
Camping, Caravanning Site, Picnic, Barbecue, Tea House, Shop, Way-marked Trails, Horse-riding routes, Orienteering, routes, Disabled facilities, Bookable Guided Tours, Special events, Function Hall