THE Impartial Reporter is today launching a campaign in association with the National Trust in Fermanagh to reinstate Florence Court’s Summer House which was destroyed by fire last month.

Joining forces with the conservation charity, we are asking you to help rebuild this important feature of the property by donating to a specially set up Just Giving page.

In the wake of the Summer House fire the Impartial Reporter was inundated with messages on our Facebook page from members of public, all expressing their sadness and disappointment that the thatched building, surrounded with its heather clad walls, had been destroyed.

Built in 1993 it was a replica of an earlier 18th century building on the same site which had been removed during the 1930s.

Overlooking the estate’s Pleasure Gardens as well as Benaughlin and distant mountains, it was a favourite backdrop for many photographs, and holds fond memories for families living locally and further afield.

For Jim Chestnutt, the manager of all three National Trust properties in Fermanagh, the Summer House was a particularly significant part of his past.

His family lived at Florence Court House for over a decade. “Our family photo albums and I’m sure a lot of other people’s photo albums are filled with pictures of days spent at the Summer House,” he said.

“My children grew up there. I have lots of happy memories of the Summer House.

“I remember many birthday teas there and in particular, a garden party with a string quartet playing there. And of course Prince Charles and Camilla were there earlier this year.

“It was a very photogenic place. When people visited Florence Court they always visited the Summer House.” As the Manager of the National Trust in Fermanagh he too was inundated with messages from the public after the fire.

“There was an enormous swell of public support,” he told the Impartial Reporter, “I got emails from Australia, France, across the British Isles and of course, a lot of local people too.

“What quickly came out of all of this was that people wanted to know how they could support the Trust with its reconstruction.

“I suppose that says something about the sense of ownership that people had towards building and what it meant to them.

“Of course, you like to think that it means something to people. As a charity we work to preserve these buildings for everyone to enjoy.

“But it’s at times like this that it becomes particularly poignant in terms of what a building does truely mean to people.

“The evening that it was destroyed I saw a woman standing there watching it crumbling to ashes. She was very upset. She told me she had often taken her father there for walks. He had passed away. That building meant a great deal to her.

“The response we got from so many people gave us the confidence to move forward with a campaign to reconstruct the building.” Basil Chambers has been a volunteer with the National Trust locally since 1976.

He remembers when the Summer House was built in 1993.

“It was a specialised job. Not just anyone could have done it. Two brothers from Derbyshire came over and rebuilt it just by looking at one black and white photograph from around 1870.

“It was built in sections and all shipped over. It took three weeks to build on site.

“The Summer House was very popular right from the start.” And he too has special memories of the thatched building, “I would have gone there three evenings a week on the bicycle, parked it up and just sat there for 10 to 15 minutes to reminicise and relax.

“Nearly every time you go there, there is something different. A few evenings before it was destroyed I was sitting there and two hares came up and started to feed in front of me.

“They were just nine to 10 feet away from me. But of course when I went to get my phone out to take a picture they heard me and off they went! It’s a lovely wee spot.

“And it was always nice to get away there and just leave everything else behind.” Commenting on the campaign partnership with the Impartial Reporter this week, Mr. Chestnutt said it provided the opportunity for the public to get involved in the Summer House rebuild.

“We were really delighted when The Impartial Reporter offered to create this local campaign which will provide a way for people to come forward with their very generous offers of support,” he said, “Any offer will be very welcome and put to good use to reinstate the Summer House.

“Of course, we are conscious too, that as well as the Summer House, if there are any additional funds raised through the campaign, we would like to use them to further enhance the garden at Florence Court. The gardens themselves give so much joy to the many people who thoroughly love this place.

“We are currently building our plans for the full reconstruction and over the next few weeks more of that story will begin to unfold as we put the details together.

“We would like to see it completed as soon as possible.

“I was personally encouraged by the response from the public to reinstate the Summer House and I think it is important that this campaign is being led in many ways by local people,” he added.

To get involved in the #RebuildOurSummerHouse campaign donate by going to the Just Giving page www.justgiving.com/Florence-Court/ For people wishing to donate by post - Postal Address: Let’s rebuild Florence Court Summer House, National Trust, Florence Court, Enniskillen, BT92 1DB. Cheques made payable to National Trust.

You can also share your pictures and memories of the old Summer House on our Facebook page and tweet @impartialrep using #RebuildOurSummerHouse.