Castle Saunderson
Castle Saunderson is a castle near Belturbet, County Cavan, Ireland. It was the former family seat of the Saunderson family, and is now in ruins. The Finn River flows along the north-eastern edge of the Castle Saunderson Demesne, where the river enters a narrow channel of Upper Lough Erne.
The Castle Saunderson International Scouting Centre is a Scouting Ireland facility, opened in 2012 within the grounds of the castle. The centre provides indoor accommodation and campsites covering 34 acres (14 ha). It is open to Scouts year round, as well as to non-Scouts for most of the year. It currently acts as a World Scouting Centre for the Scouts, alongside Cairo International Scout Centre in Egypt and others.
Architecture of Castle Saunderson
Castle Saunderson is similar in its general design to Crom Castle in County Fermanagh. The entrance is symmetrical, with a battlemented parapet, square and turrets. There is a tall central gatehouse tower with its entrance door to the side. The house features several Gothic themes, including the conservatory.
The core of Castle Saunderson was built by Francis Saunderson around 1779. In the mid-1830s the building was remodeled to incorporate the Elizabethan gothic style.
The national tourist board, Fáilte Ireland, provided the castle with €60,175 in funding to “enhance the visitor experience and present the story of Castle Saunderson through the ages”. The plan was set to develop a new “easy to explore” heritage trail named The Castle Trail. The trail will employ various means, such as interpretative displays, visual art and written interpretation, to relate the Castle’s dramatic history.
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