Teach Bhaile an tSaoir aka Bellinter House is a splendid Georgian mansion, designed by Richard Castle and is one of the finest examples of country architecture in Co. Meath. It can be found approximately six miles from the town of Navan, sitting on the south bank of the River Boyne, within sight of the hill of Tara.
It was built in 1750 for John Preston and remained in the Preston family for almost 2 centuries.
In 1893 the Briscoe family, who were related to the Prestons, took over the house. Three generations of Briscoes, like the Prestons before them, ran the house with great style over the years with the help of a large number of servants. The Tara Harriers, were kennelled at Bellinter for over a century, and Bellinter was the venue for its famous hunt balls.
In 1854, Mr George Briscoe, sold the 800-acre estate for £36,000, when the cost of maintaining the big house became prohibitive. The house and estate was bought by an English farmer, William Holdsworth.
It was later acquired by the Land Commission, which broke up the estate into farms (of 50 acres or less) and sold the house and 12 acres to the Sion nuns who took up residence there in 1966. The house was by then in need of extensive repairs and the Sisters restored it, sensitively adapting the building for use as a conference and retreat centre.
In 2004, Bellinter House was sold and transformed into a luxury spa hotel, overlooking the Royal Tara Golf Club.
[Research by Rua Mac Diarmada]
References
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Ballinter ORIENTATION | Ireland | VIEW SOURCE |
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Bellinter House HISTORY | Ireland | VIEW SOURCE |
