OPENING TIMES 2013

Welcome To Lissan House and Demesne

Lissan House is an enchanting country residence set within a 250 acre demesne of ancient woodland and forestry. The estate was created in the 17th century and remained the home of the Staples family for nearly 400 years, reputedly the longest habitation by any single family of a country house in West Ulster. Lissan came to prominence in 2003 when its popularity helped it reach the national final of the BBC Restoration programme.

Following extensive redevelopment the house opened its doors in spring 2012 to reveal modern interactive exhibits and original family furnishings which take you on a unique journey through the history of the estate and the family characters that have shaped it. The demesne also features a challenging adventure playground for children, a wooded picnic area, walled garden and secluded walks to explore.

The Lissan House Trust

Following the death of Mrs Hazel Radcliffe Dolling, chatelaine of Lissan House and last of the Staples at Lissan, the Lissan House Trust has continued with the work of raising finance to restore Lissan House and the estate. Hazel established The Trust to carry on the work of revitalizing the estate as a place to visit, work and live. The Lissan House website, designed by Hazel, has been developed and extended by The Trust in a bid to raise awareness and funds. The website provides information on Lissan from its beginnings up to the present and details the work of the Friends of Lissan Trust.

Lissan Heritage

Lissan embraces two cultures and traditions, those of the Planter and the Gael. The name Lissan is derived from two old Irish words - lios, meaning a rath or a fort, and Aine, the name of a Celtic Goddess – hence Aine's Fort; suggesting that the place had ceremonial or ritual importance. What we can be sure of is that Lissan lay at the heart of the ancient area of Glenkonkyne, a densely wooded territory that ran from the Sperrin foothills to the shores of Lough Neagh, which was once ruled by the O' Neills, Kings of Ulster.