Linen family's estate on market for £1.65m
THE Herdman family, famous for their linen spinning business in Sion Mills since the 1800s, have put their luxury family estate on the market with an asking price of more than £1.65 million.
The imposing house and adjoining five acres of mature gardens were built around 1780 and have been in the family for four generations since 1842.
James Herdman, great-grandson of the mill’s founder, said it was time to move on as the home was simply “too big” for his wife and himself.
“The property is too large for myself and my wife Penny as all of our children have grown up and are living elsewhere,” he said.
“We’re downsizing – there are more than 30 rooms and nine bedrooms in the house.
“The time feels right to move on, we need to do it now before we get too old to move on.”
Carricklee House, located in Urney between Strabane and Sion Mills, was originally built as a Presbyterian manse.
It has seen a number of changes over the years, most notably with the addition of a large Victorian extension in the 1860s.
Current owners, James, 58, and Penny, 60, have operated a bed and breakfast business for the past three years, welcoming visitors from all over the world to their “unique” home.
Tony O’Connor, from Belfast auctioneers O’Connor Kennedy Turtle, is handling the sale along with an international auctioneer firm, Knight Frank.
Mr O’Connor said they were confident that the property, which could be converted into a country house hotel, will sell despite a recent downturn in the market.
He said: “Quality always outs – there is still money in this country for a unique property like this.
“It has only gone on the market this week but we are confident that there are people in the north and south of Ireland that will snap it up because there is no other property like it in Northern Ireland.
“Although the property impresses by its grandeur it very much feels like a home.”
Seventeen acres of landscaped gardens, woodland and two paddocks make up the family estate with a separate Tudor-styled stable yard, which was recently renovated into a stable cottage with kitchen and bedroom facilities.
Some 30 years ago the home had its own golf course and was also formerly used as a fox hunting base with kennels for the hounds kept in the courtyard.
Mr Herdman said that he hoped to move to a smaller property nearby in Sion Mills.
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