Princess Diana’s cousin’s £5.9m Fermanagh castle back on the market

ONE of Fermanagh's most historic stately homes is back on the market, with a guide price of almost £6m.

Belle Isle Estate has been again put on the market by Lord James Hamilton, cousin of Princess Diana, after an agreed sale recently fell through.

The country estate, situated on the banks of Lough Erne, boasts  18 homes on 448 acres with 6.5 miles of waterfront and four private islands.

And one of those 18 homes is a historic stately castle that can fit in the equivalent floor space of 15 average Irish family homes!

Located outside Enniskillen, the stately home and grounds have been owned by Lord James Hamilton, the Duke of Abercorn, since 1991.

The estate has had a succession of owners, going back to the 1600s from earls and Celtic chiefs, to a “famously cantankerous eccentric”, who had his wife’s lover horse-whipped. The castle is also reputed to have its own resident ghost!

In recent years, Belle Isle Estate has become a popular country house hotel and tourist destination.

Speaking on the property, James Butler, property agent at Savills, said: "Belle Isle Estate offers substantial income potential through its diversified revenue streams.

"It provides its new custodian with the unique prospect to uphold and further enrich its historical legacy, as well as offering natural assets with opportunities for conservation."

The estate extends to about 448 acres (181 hectares) in total with about 239 acres of pasture land.

There are about 178 acres of woodland, including ancient woods of mixed species.

A key feature of the estate is the extent of water frontage (about 6.5 miles in total) which includes four private islands, a sizeable jetty for a boat and planning permission to construct an additional private jetty.