| Name of Structure: |
Edenderry House |
| Location: |
Banbridge Town |
| Date Built: |
1865 |
| Who Built it: |
Designed by William Soence and built by Thomas Ferguson |
| History: |
One of three ‘sister’ houses in the area designed by the Scottish architect, William Spence, who originated from Glasgow. The other two houses are Gilford Castle and Elmfield.
Edenderry House was build c 1865, the last of the three houses to be built. It is a fine mansion built of Portland stone and Scrabo sandstone. It is of a somewhat restrained Italianate style, the house is set in fine grounds covering some forty acres.
Edenderry House was the main seat of the Ferguson family, having been built by Thomas Ferguson who founded the company "Thomas Ferguson & Co Ltd", the factory being situated just below the house on the banks of the River Bann.
Born in 1820, Thomas was orphaned at a young age and raised by his guardian, the Rev Johnston, Presbyterian minister of Tullylish. After serving his apprenticeship with Brice Smyth of Brookfield, Thomas went into partnership with Henry Matier. He left this partnership to set up with his brothers-in-law, Benjamin and James Dickson of Gilford Mill fame, brothers of Thomas’s wife Sally. "Dickson, Ferguson & Co" eventually went bust, Thomas setting up on his own after.
Edenderry House was sold by the Ferguson family in 1947 for £11 000 to the education authority, thus becoming Banbridge Academy.
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