"Conservation Without Frontiers" Summer School 2019

Originally written for Oxford School of Architecture Magazine, August 2019

Enniskillen bandstand

‘Conservation Without Frontiers’ is a joint venture between the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society and the Irish Georgian Society, focused on highlighting the positive impact that conservation has on both vernacular architecture and local communities.

Bringing together students and enthusiasts, ‘Conservation Without Frontiers’ has been running for six years, with each Summer School focusing around two border counties in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. In 2019, these were Cavan (Ireland) and Fermanagh (NI) – two relatively low-profile counties which both host a fascinating deep history spanning thousands of years.

Our days started with three or four thought-provoking talks about the area we were in – pleasantly punctuated by regular tea and biscuits – followed by a walking tour of the points of interest by a local expert, and more talks focused on these places. Dinner was provided, with a wide variety of foods on offer (and second helpings were encouraged!). The Summer School also hosted two different poetry readings from local artists.

One of the most thought-provoking talks on small towns was brought to us by Miriam Delaney, lecturer at Dublin School of Architecture. Delaney was co-curator of the Irish Pavilion for last year’s Architecture Biennale in Venice: "FreeMarket". FreeMarket, and its corresponding manifesto "FreeSpace" investigate the question of whether traditional Market Houses can become a new driver of a rural town’s economy, and explore market infrastructure for the 21st Century. Using 10 case study towns from across Ireland, the FreeMarket team documented the feel and character of each town, from road layouts down to mosaic tiles on storefronts. The FreeMarket exhibition in Venice proved a success, but the most important aspect of this exhibition was that it came home, back to the small towns that sparked its ideas.

FreeMarket is on tour through Ireland this summer, with marketplace takeovers, discussion panels and vox pops (on-street interviews with the general public).

Florence Court Exterior

Stucco diversity

The Staircase

The rotating library

The Venetian Window

An Ornate Fireplace

The Kitchen

The Stairwell

Florence Court, Co. Fermanagh, was one place that made itself a talking point simply by having the most extravagant façade – as our guide Professor Alistair Rowan pointed out, it was as though the mansion’s architects had taken a catalogue of all the most popular 18th century window designs and pointed to several at random when designing it.

This trend continues indoors, where the stucco detailing couldn’t decide whether it wanted to emulate Palladian, Baroque or Rococo style from room to room. Still, eclectic design choices aside, Florence Court was rather beautiful. The rooms inside are furnished to their original styles, with family portraits and heirlooms calling back to Florence Court’s former owners, the Earls of Enniskillen. Florence Court was devastated by a fire in the 20th Century, so most of the interior is a reconstruction.

Kilmore See House

The Staircase

The Stables

The Gatehouse

The Side of the See House

We were also fortunate enough to visit the See House in Kilmore – a former bishop’s palace, now slowly slipping into disrepair. The house and its outbuildings are extensive, with plenty of space, should it be restored to a new use. Various ideas were proposed for the building, including an artists’ village in the outbuildings, or a hotel.

I suppose these spontaneous discussions were what really stood out about this Summer School – it wasn’t simply a lecture-based conference event. The people I was surrounded with were infectiously enthusiastic about the heritage around them. From the youngest of students, to the most experienced professors, to the local people who joined us along the way - Everyone had a story to tell, and could see the beauty in these often-forgotten towns and buildings, and it was amazing to share this experience with so many like-minded people.

‘Conservation Without Frontiers’ 2019 was an inspiration and a resounding success. I hope to continue to be inspired by what I learned and discovered on this trip for a long time to come.