Burning questions over lost fireplaces from Milford House

MILFORD Buildings Preservation Trust is on the hunt for the lost fireplaces of Milford House, Co. Armagh.

Following recent success of finding and restoring the lost drawing room chandeliers of Milford House, the hunt is on for the 30 lost fireplaces or chimney pieces (as they are also known) that have disappeared from Milford House.

Milford House, Co. Armagh, is the former seat of the McCrum family, proprietors of the celebrated linen manufacturing firm of McCrum, Watson & Mercer.

The house was the creation of Robert Garmany McCrum self-made industrialist, benefactor and a genius with hydraulics.

He revolutionised the linen industry and Milford House was the wonder of its age with 12 bedrooms, six bathrooms, a hydraulic lift and even a proper waterfall in the Dining room!.

Today Milford House is world famous as home of his son William McCrum who invented the penalty kick rule in football.

Milford House has been derelict since 1994 and is one of the top 12 listed buildings at most serious risk in Northern Ireland.

It is known that while Manor House Special Care owned Milford House, one chimney piece from one of the bedrooms was given as a retirement present to a doctor.

He kept it in his garage and later sold (its location is unknown). However, all other chimneypieces remained in situ in the house.

Milford House has been derelict since the closure of Manor House Special Care Hospital in 1994.

It was purchased by Armagh City and District Council in 1996. It is believed the pair of matching fireplaces in the Drawing Room were stolen and the Council decided to remove the other fireplaces to Armagh Gaol for safekeeping.

In March 2002 following Armagh Council’s highly controversial sale of Milford House, Milford Buildings Preservation Trust insisted that the fireplaces be returned to the house. The crates were opened and found to be empty!

The pieces had apparently been stolen.

As they were not listed in Gaol’s insurance there was no insurance money to replace them. All that remains are some photographs of them before they were removed from Milford House.

David McCammick, the Director of Corporate Services dismissed the matter by reporting to a Council Committee that they were just fireplaces “of no historic importance”.

However, this was not true as the fireplaces are irreplaceable and architecturally and historically important.

Stephen McManus the curator at Milford Buildings Preservation Trust explained, “These lost fireplaces were an integral part of story of Milford House, they reflect the interior design, taste and architecture of the house.

“Fireplaces are the central focal point of any room. Milford House was created Robert G. McCrum using Italian craftsmen. All we can show visitors is the photographs of the fireplaces and it is a poor reflection on their importance.

“The Trust has spent over 20 years dedicated to saving Milford House finding lost features, fittings and original contents.

“We have searched all over the world for fixtures and fittings furnishings and lost artworks that have disappeared. We implore the public to help us find the fireplaces so we can put them on display. This is part of a major project to find lost features and furnishings of Milford House.”

Milford Buildings Preservation Trust is a registered charity which was established by Stephen McManus at age of 15, to save Milford House, its gardens and parkland and historic buildings in the area.

It owns the collections and artworks from Milford House which are held in perpetuity for public benefit. They have secured many of the lost pieces of R.G McCrum’s magnificent art collection and thanks to the generosity of the public, historic institutions and McCrum Miller family descendants who donated precious family, costumes, possessions and artworks.

If anyone has any information on the lost fireplaces of Milford House or indeed any of the lost features, please contact Milford Buildings Preservation Trust email: milfordhouse57@gmail.com. Telephone: 07854 784 256. Website: www.milfordhouse.org.uk