gardens

Rumors of a ghost at Ascot House in Queensland, Australia, have been circulating as far back as the 1890s. It wasn’t until some one hundred years later, that the ghost could finally be put to rest. Ascot House was built for wealthy businessman and politician, Frederick Holberton, in 1876, and was originally named ‘Tor’. Situated in Newtown, a suburb of Toowoomba, it once stood on 13ha (32 acres) of land. It eventually changed hands, and the new owner renamed it Ascot House and undertook numerous renovations. Ascot House contained a gothic tower, sweeping staircase, and large high-ceilinged rooms. Many years later, the house would fall into a state of disrepair. During the 1940s, flats had been added, which housed people looking for cheap accommodation. It was not until the 1980s that the house was sold to a successful renovator, who proceeded to bring the house back to its former glory. No sooner had the new owner moved into Ascot House, that she would hear footsteps walking down the hallway at night but see no-one. Once, during the early hours of the morning, she felt fingertips brush her shoulders. One warm evening, she leaned against a wall where the surface was icy cold. The cold patch lasted for months and defied explanation. There have been numerous eye-witness accounts, including one man who saw the apparition of a young woman that looked as if her neck was broken. It had been rumored that a young servant girl had hung herself within the house. After many years of searching, the owner identified the young woman as Maggie Hume, who had worked at Ascot House as a housemaid under the employ of the original owner, Frederick Holberton. At 23 years of age, she committed suicide, not by hanging, but by taking strychnine. According to the police reports, it was believed she suicided after learning she was pregnant. At the inquest, a couple of male staff members confessed to having ‘connections’ with her. As a single woman committing suicide, Maggie was buried in an unmarked grave. Now, a headstone has been placed at the site, giving her the sympathy she never received in life. Source: debbie-johansson.com/2021/09/29/the-ghost-of-ascot-house/

Now a retreat centre called An Cuan.

www.ywamancuan.org/

A glimpse of Glenmore glamping ...
Perhaps they invented it ?!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glamping

Mike Grimes Mike, did they take over from the hotel or was there another life in-between?

On 3rd September 1907 and the four following days, the "complete, elegant and costly appointments of the Glenmore Hotel, Rostrevor" were put up for auction (Newry Reporter - Tuesday 27 August 1907). The owner selling was Mrs O'Leary, and the new owner was a Mr Collen or Collins (the Newry Reporter couldn't make up its mind)

I wonder if the photo was commissioned as part of the sales literature provided to potential buyers?
[On reflection, probably not, as the auctioneers R. M. Gray were a Belfast company. Would they commission a Dublin photographer?]

Edit: But ... the catalogue for the sale had "a capital view of the picturesque mansion on the cover". There were 1200 lots.

John Spooner I'd say this was just a normal workaday shot for Robert French, roaming photographer. Though people often bought Lawrence prints for their own use/enjoyment...

“Lady Anne returned to Castlecomer to live, and began a major reconstruction of the town, church, and manor house. The new Castlecomer House, completed in 1802, was much larger and grander than the original. The house had 365 windows, one for each day of the year”

familynibbles.com/2022/08/17/234-castlecomer-and-the-wand...

'Monkey' swung by in November 1956 - catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000737720

Calendar houses were popular. So we’re there 52 rooms, and maybe 12 chimney stacks, or 12 staircases?

www.countrylife.co.uk/property/country-houses-for-sale-an....

suckindeesel Quite Adept I think this is our first (knowing) encounter with a calendar house?

Evidently Adare Manor is also a calendar house ...
"... The building is a calendar house, featuring 365 windows and 52 chimneys, among some other design characteristics. Along the top of the building an extract of psalm 127:1 is made from carved stone: "Except the Lord build the house, then labour is but lost that built it"."
via - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adare_Manor