Belle Isle estate put on market for £7.5m

The Belle Isle estate in Co Fermanagh has gone on the market, with an asking price of £7.5 million.

The estate, which stretches to 448 acres near Lisbellaw, includes the 17th century Belle Isle Castle, a walled garden and 17 cottages and apartments.

Belle Isle itself is an island, but the listing also includes four smaller islands on Upper Lough Erne: Killygowan Island, Carrickmacrourk Island, Creaghmacwallen Island and Bilberry Island.

The estate last changed hands in 1991, when it was bought by James Hamilton, the fifth Duke of Abercorn, whose family seat is the Baronscourt Estate, located near Newtownstewart in Co Tyrone.

It was reportedly bought by the Duke of Abercorn for his youngest son, Lord Nicholas Hamilton.

Since it was acquired by the Abercorns, the estate has been significantly developed into a tourist resort, featuring a hotel and guest accommodation that can accommodate up to 65 guests, making Belle Isle a popular wedding venue.

A cookery school was also opened on the estate in 2004.

The property listing states: “The estate infrastructure has been maintained to a high standard, while the estate itself has been well managed under the direction of the present owners.

“There is however scope for the next custodian of Belle Isle to develop or diversify the estate further and to make use of natural assets for those wishing to offset their carbon footprint or mitigate the effects of climate change.”