Springhill House facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Springhill House
General information
Type	House
Location	Moneymore, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland
Coordinates	54°41′10″N 6°39′22″W / 54.686°N 6.656°W / 54.686; -6.656
Construction started	c.1680–1689 with notable extensions c.1765 and c.1820
Governing body	National Trust

Springhill is a fascinating old house from the 1600s. It's located near Moneymore in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Since 1957, the National Trust has owned and cared for Springhill. Visitors can explore the house, its beautiful gardens, and a special collection of old clothes.

Springhill is open to the public at different times of the year. You can visit on weekends from March to June, and again in September. During July and August, it's open every day, so there's plenty of time to discover its secrets!

Exploring Springhill House

This historic house was built between 1680 and 1695. It wasn't a fortified castle, but it once had a defensive wall around it called a bawn. Around 1765, two new sections were added to the house. The front of the house was also changed to have seven windows across.

The Story of Springhill's Families

The Conyngham Family Arrives

The Conyngham family came to Ireland from Scotland around 1609. They were granted land in County Armagh and County Londonderry by King James I. This was part of a plan called the Plantation of Ulster. Early family records suggest they owned the land where Springhill now stands as early as 1609. It's thought that an earlier farm building was on the estate in the 1600s. However, this building was destroyed during a conflict in 1641.

William Conyngham I: A Man of His Time

William Conyngham I, also known as "the elder," was an important figure in the 1600s. He was a colonel during the Irish rebellion of 1641. He also helped manage County Armagh for Oliver Cromwell. William owned land and property in Armagh. He received new land deeds in 1652 because the old ones were lost in the wars. He passed away in 1666 while serving as the High Sheriff of County Londonderry.

William Conyngham II: Building a Home

William Conyngham II, known as "Good Will," planned to build a new home for his wife-to-be, Ann Upton. Their marriage agreement from 1680 stated he needed to build "a convenient house of lime and stone, two stories high." Many believe this is when the current Springhill House began. Studies of the roof timbers show they were cut after 1690. During this time, many of the other buildings and the unique Dutch-style gardens were also created.

George Butle Conyngham: Rebuilding a Village

In 1721, the estate went to George Butle. George was the son of William Conyngham II's sister, Anne. He then took the name Butle-Conyngham. He helped rebuild the village of Coagh around 1755. He named its main square Hanover Square to honor King George II.

Colonel William Conyngham: Adding to the House

George Butle Conyngham's oldest son, Colonel William Conyngham, inherited Springhill in 1765. Colonel William was part of the 7th Dragoon Guards, a famous cavalry regiment. He added two new sections to the house. One was a nursery for children, and the other was a grand ballroom for parties.

George Lenox-Conyngham: A Tragic Story and a Ghost

Colonel William Conyngham passed away without children in 1784. The estate then went to his brother David, who also died childless. So, the estate passed to their sister Ann's son, George Lenox. George then took the name Lenox-Conyngham. He served in the Irish Volunteers. Sadly, George's life ended tragically in 1816. His second wife, Olivia, is said to haunt the house to this day. Many believe she is the most famous ghost in Ireland!

William Lenox-Conyngham: Improving the Estate

George's oldest son, William Lenox-Conyngham, inherited Springhill in 1816. He had been a talented lawyer but left his career to manage the estate. In 1818, he married Charlotte Staples from Lissan House. During William's time, the estate was improved, and a large dining room was added to the back of the house. This room featured a beautiful 17th-century fireplace from another grand house that was being taken down.

Sir William Fitzwilliam Lenox-Conyngham: A Knight and Changing Times

When William Lenox-Conyngham passed away in 1858, his oldest son, Lieutenant Colonel Sir William Lenox-Conyngham, took over. Sir William was very involved in military matters. He was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1881, becoming a Knight Commander of the KCB. During his time, many parts of the estate were sold off due to new laws about land ownership. The estate became much smaller, which caused financial worries for the family.

The Estate's Later Years

By the time Sir William passed away in 1906, not much of the estate was left. His son, Lieutenant Colonel William Arbuthnot Lenox-Conyngham, faced many financial challenges. In 1899, he married Mina Lowry. Mina was the last family member to live at Springhill, staying there even after the National Trust took over in 1957, until her own passing in 1961. William Arbuthnot fought in the Boer War and World War I. His younger brother, Lieutenant Colonel John Staples Molesworth Lenox-Conyngham, bravely led his soldiers in the Battle of the Somme during World War I and was killed in action in 1916. He is buried in France.

Springhill Joins the National Trust

William Arbuthnot Lenox-Conyngham passed away in 1938. His oldest son, Captain William Lowry Lenox-Conyngham, then inherited the estate. William Lowry led the local Home Guard during the Second World War. He realized that the family's money problems were too big to fix. Since he and his brother had no children, he decided to give the house to the National Trust. He signed his will, giving Springhill to the Trust, just three days before he passed away in 1957.

After the National Trust took over, they started a big project to restore Springhill. They wanted to make the house look as it did when it was first built. This meant removing some later additions and rearranging rooms.

Springhill Today: A Glimpse into the Past

Today, Springhill holds an amazing collection of items from one family's 300 years of living there. It's like a time capsule!

Unique Collections

• The Gun Room: Here you can see some of the oldest wallpaper in the UK, from the 1720s, with beautiful Chinese designs. There's also a "long gun" from around 1680 and some other old firearms.
• The Library: This room has one of the most important collections of 17th and 18th-century books in Ireland. There are about 3000 books, with the oldest being a small Latin prayer book from 1541.
• The Costume Collection: In the old laundry building, you'll find the largest collection of historical clothes in Northern Ireland. A selection of these costumes is shown each year in the costume museum.
• The Bedroom: Look for an interesting medicine chest that once belonged to a Viscount Molesworth.

Springhill House was also used as a filming location for a TV show called Death and Nightingales in 2018. It was the home of a character named Billy Winters.

Other Places to Visit Nearby

The National Trust also owns Wellbrook Beetling Mill, which is another interesting historical site close to Springhill.

Further Reading

• Mina Lenox-Conyngham, An Old Ulster House; Springhill and the people who lived in it 1946 and 2005 ISBN: 1-903688-38-8