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About a mile to the west of Armagh city lies the quiet village of Milford. On the outskirts of the village in its own spacious grounds lies the Manor House.
Built in the closing years of the nineteenth century, the Manor House or the Cottage as it was modestly christined by its owner has had a somewhat Chequered history.
Wealthy mill owner Robert McCrum lived in the house beside his linen factory until his death in 1915. He not only owned the residence and factory but the entire village of Milford which he'd built to house "his" factory workers. His son lived there until financial difficulties in the 30's led to the seizure of the residence by the Northern Bank.
Milford's Manor House in Danger ~ Part 1
McCrum was not just an entrepreneur but an innovator who embraced the latest technology available. His house and avenue was one of the first in Ireland lit by electricity and house itself was built from pre-cast concrete.
In 1936 a private girls school was opened in the premises and the former mill owner's home became Manor House Girls School. Eventually in 1966 the school closed. During its 30 years as an exclusive educational establishment several changes were made to the fabric of the building including the erection of an unsympathetic modern block and the removal of the conservatory.
In its next incarnation it became Manor House Special care hospital and it was during this time that changes were made indicating that health and safety issues were more important than architectural or historic ones. The beautiful ornamental lake was drained and a brutalist concrete fire escape attached to the south facade. The changes also included the unnecessary removal of all but one of the chimneys.
