Clandeboye Estate facts for kids

Clandeboye House

Clandeboye Avenue was a private lane leading from the Clandeboye Estate to near the shore at Helen's Bay. This section, close to the station at Helen's Bay, is now a public lane. The bridge (just about visible through the trees) carries the Belfast-Bangor railway line.

The Clandeboye Estate is a large country estate located near Bangor in Northern Ireland. It's about 12 miles (19 km) from Belfast. This huge estate covers 2,000 acres (8.1 km²) and includes beautiful woodlands, gardens, a lake, and even some farmland. It was once the home of Lindy, Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava, who passed away in 2020.

History of Clandeboye Estate

Clandeboye was first settled way back in 1674. However, the main house you see today, Clandeboye House, was built later in 1801. It was designed by Robert Woodgate for a politician named Sir James Blackwood. At that time, the estate was known as Ballyleidy.

Helen's Tower and World War I

A special stone tower called Helen's Tower stands on the estate. It was built by Lord Dufferin and Ava. He built it to remember his mother, Helen, Lady Dufferin. The famous poet Tennyson even wrote a poem about it.

Helen's Tower has a sad and important connection to history. An almost exact copy of it, called the Ulster Tower, was built in France. This was to honor the brave soldiers of the British 36th (Ulster) Division. These soldiers fought and died in the Battle of the Somme during the First World War. The Clandeboye Estate was used for army training during this war. The 36th (Ulster) Division even trained near Helen's Tower before going to France. You can reach the tower by walking along a part of the Ulster Way, which goes through the estate.

Estate Gardens and Buildings

The beautiful parklands and gardens that visitors see today were created by the 1st Marquess. He also added a large banqueting hall to the house in 1898. This hall was used for big dinners and events.

Nature and Wildlife at Clandeboye

Thanks to the work of the 1st Marquess, Clandeboye has the largest area of broad-leaved woodland in Northern Ireland. These woods are mostly filled with oak, birch, and beech trees.

Animals of the Estate

The estate is also home to many different kinds of animals. You might spot birds like the osprey, red kite, and barn owl. There are also red squirrels, fallow deer, and even tiny common newts. Butterflies like the marsh fritillary and wall brown also live here. The Conservation Volunteers Northern Ireland group works on the estate to help protect this amazing wildlife.

Clandeboye in Books and TV

The Clandeboye Estate has appeared in popular culture. In 2011, it was featured in a BBC television series called The Country House Revealed. The estate had its own chapter in the book that went with the TV show.

The estate also inspired a novel called Great Granny Webster. This book was written in 1977 by Caroline Blackwood. She lived at the estate as a child, and it became the setting for her story.

How Clandeboye Estate Works Today

Like many large estates, Clandeboye needs to find ways to earn money. This helps to cover the costs of keeping the estate running.

Activities and Businesses

Here are some of the ways Clandeboye Estate generates income:

• Renting out places to stay.
• Running golf courses, including Clandeboye, Helen's Bay, and Blackwood.
• Hosting conferences and business events.
• Organizing special corporate events.
• Raising dairy cattle for milk.
• Selling garden mulch.
• Making pottery.
• Operating a sawmill that provides firewood and Christmas trees.
• Hosting wedding receptions.
• Producing "Clandeboye Estate Yogurt," a growing yogurt company.