Gosford Castle
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Gosford Castle is situated in Markethill, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. Construction of the castle began in 1819 and finished in the 1850s. It was commissioned by Archibald Acheson, 2nd Earl of Gosford and the architect was Thomas Hopper, one of the leading London architects of the first half of the 19th century. The Ministry of Agriculture bought the estate in 1958, establishing Gosford Forest Park and, as of January 2006, is in the process of selling off this, the largest Grade A listed building in Northern Ireland, which is in urgent need of conservation.
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[edit] Architecture
The style of Gosford is that of Norman revival, it being one of the only examples of this in the world. It was regarded by Robin Fredden, Secretary of the National Trust in 1952 as "one of the most original buildings of the first half of the nineteenth century", he further noted that it was "reputed to be the largest pile in Ireland", having some 150 rooms.[1] Hopper, the architect, also designed Penrhyn Castle, which is in a similar style.
[edit] History
The 4th Earl was forced to sell the Castle's contents in 1921 and, during the Second World War, it was commandeered and used as prisoner-of-war camp. Following the War the Gosford's sold the estate and, eventually, it was acquired by the Forestry Commission. It was, for periods, occupied as a hotel, barracks, restaurant and now lies dormant once more. There is a view, however, for it to be "renovated" into flats.
