Castle Caldwell is an ivy-clad picturesque, ruined Irish castle on the shores of Lough Erne near Belleek in County Fermanagh. During the course of its history, it was lived in by three notable families; the Blennerhassett’s, the Caldwell’s and the Bloomfields and their story is a colourful one in Ireland and many other parts of the world.

The site of Castle Caldwell was chosen by the Blennerhassett family of Norfolk who came to Ireland in the early years of the 17th century at the time of the Plantation of Ulster. According to local belief, this was originally a monastic site. They had obtained a land grant of 1,500 acres (Irish Plantation measure). Francis Blennerhassett and his tenants set to work on their new fortification which they called Hassett’s Fort or occasionally Rossbeg Castle and in 1611 erected an English house with three rooms underneath, a chimney and an oven and a loft. Like other Plantation castles it was built by the lake in case a retreat was needed in rebellious times. Its inhabitants suffered in the 1641 Irish Rebellion and eventually made their way back home to England after selling their estate to the Scottish planter family of Caldwell who came from Ayrshire.

The Caldwell’s completed the purchase in 1670. Under the new owners the name Hassett’s Fort changed to Castle Caldwell and James Caldwell had a family of four sons and four daughters. On the 23rd of June 1683, Sir James Caldwell became a Baronet and moved to Castle Caldwell.

Sir John Caldwell succeeded his father in 1726. He married Ann Trench in July 1719 and they had a family of six sons and two daughters. The second Sir James Caldwell represents the golden age of the Caldwell family and the Castle Caldwell estate. Money was lavished on the Castle and the estate, and its proud owner entertained royally and was well known at home and abroad.

Sir John Caldwell was the last of the name. He served with the 8th Regiment of Foot in North America about the frontier outposts of Detroit and Niagara. Sir John’s wife died in 1795 and he reared a family of three girls. Harriet died aged 16 and after Sir John’s death, the estate was divided between his daughters Frances and Louisa. ln 1817, Frances Caldwell married Major John Bloomfield and when her father died in 1830, she and he inherited the property.

Their son, John Caldwell Bloomfield took over the running of the estate and tried numerous ways of improving it from starting a tilery, a cement factory and in the end most successfully Belleek Pottery. But most of his efforts impoverished the estate and eventually it had to be sold including the contents of the castle after a three-day sale.

Today Castle Caldwell is a much-frequented beauty spot all year round, a place to unwind and to take in the ageless beauty of Fermanagh and Lough Erne.

Castle Caldwell and its Families is a 262 page fully indexed book by John B. Cunningham with local and gentry names retelling over 300 years of our history and heritage. It costs £20 GBP plus P&P at some local outlets and can be ordered from the author at Email adam4eves@aol.com

Contributor John Cunningham