An 18th century Manor House situated in the Waterside area of Derry has been a key part in Derry history – and huge efforts were made to save it from dereliction.
St Columb's Park House touched upon all aspects of Derry history, the site it sits on being connected to St Columba as early as the 6th century.
The ruins of St Brecan’s Church can be seen nearby, the site of a church and graveyard which was active throughout the Middle Ages. St Brecan's Church is thought to be the oldest building in the city.
In 1788, a naval officer named Lieutenant John Rea built the original house in the park among 60 acres in which he planted thousands of trees and named it Chatham Lodge.
John's daughter married George Hill, of the wealthy Hill family who lived in Brooke Hall. Their family crest is still visible above the main doorway of St Columb's Park House.
St Columb’s Park House also has its place in literary history as novelist William Makepeace Thackeray of Vanity Fair fame stayed for a night in September 1840.
In his journey around Ireland doing research for his Irish Sketch-Book, he stopped at the “the pretty lodge of Saint Columb’s” and left a letter which “was the cause of much delightful hospitality”.
Towards the end of the 19th century the house came into the possession of the Cooke family, who worked to make Derry the hub for emigrants leaving the North West for the United States and Canada.
During the Second World War, the Manor House was requisitioned by the British Army. The house being close to both Ebrington Barracks and Clooney Base rendered it a valuable asset to the war effort.
A large, temporary hospital was built between the house and Ebrington Barracks which catered for any Royal Navy personnel injured during the Battle of the Atlantic.
St Columb's Park House became a listed building in 1979 but fell into disrepair after the closure of the hospital built during the war effort.
Renovations on the house were completed in 1993. Since then, St Columb’s Park House has become a neutral venue where groups and individuals come together to work on cross-community programmes.
More investment and an extension was completed to the house in 2010-11. Together with the opening of the Peace Bridge makes this historic manor house a modern conference and reconciliation facility close to the centre of the city.
The outdoor Walled Garden behind the house has become an important space for local community groups, particularly post-covid.
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