Head Gardener’s House in the Orchard c. 1930
Two identical houses were built at the Fota Estate, one was for the Farm Manager and the one, above, for the Head Gardener. These two houses form a significant and integral part of the Fota Estate and are closely connected to the rich horticultural heritage of Fota. At one time, country estates like Fota were self-sustaining units. These estates had walled working gardens with orchards and glasshouses, all designed to ensure there was a continual supply of fruit, vegetables and flowers for the house.
Fota House started life as a modest two storey hunting lodge used as a base for fishing, shooting, and exploring Cork Harbour. The estate was owned by the descendants of Philip de Barry, who had been granted ownership of Fota Island after his participation in the Norman invasion of Ireland in the twelfth century. When Fota House became home to the Smith-Barry family in the 1820’s, it was remodelled to fit their ambitions and to show their power and wealth.
In the early nineteenth century, John Smith-Barry (1793-1837) decided to make Fota House is permanent Irish home. In c.1825, John commissioned Richard Morrison (1767–1849) and his son, William Vitruvius Morrison (1794–1838), to extend the existing lodge into the Regency mansion in existence today. The internal partitions of the lodge were removed so opening up the ground floor as a central hall. Additional blocks at either end were created to house the dining room to the north and drawing room to the south.
Early engraving of Fota House and Parkland by John Preston Neale, 1828
The centrepiece of Fota House is the remodelled hall, one of the finest neo-classical interiors in Ireland. Entered through a Roman Doric portico carved from blue limestone, paired Ionic columns in a rich yellow scagliola, a simulated marble produced from marble chips, give a strong architectural character to the hall. The large dining room to the left of the hall, also features an elegant screen of columns, this time fashioned from a grey scagliola with impressive Corinthian capitals.
John Smith-Barry acquired a reputation for generous hospitality and was nicknamed ‘John the Magnificent’. The impressive hall and suite of reception rooms all stemmed from John’s desire to entertain, if not impress, visiting guests. Later nineteenth-century improvements included the billiard room built in 1872 and a conservatory which was adapted in 1897 as the present long gallery.
The last member of the Smith-Barry family to live in Fota House was Dorothy Bell (1894–1975), daughter of Arthur Smith-Barry, 1st Baron Barrymore (1843–1925). She continued to develop and record the plant collections which her family had started in the 1840’s. On Dorothy’s death in 1975, the estate was sold and later fell into disrepair. In December 2007, the Irish Heritage Trust took over responsibility for Fota House. Following a major project, the gardens and glasshouses have been restored and the walled garden is once again productive. Now a collaboration between Irish Heritage Trust and Irish Landmark Trust gives the Head Gardener’s House a new life as heritage holiday accommodation so a new generation has the opportunity to enjoy and experience staying in the walled garden.
Lord and Lady Barrymore, Dorothy and Molly the dog on the slipway with Fota Castle in the background, 1902.
Fota House and its grounds occupy a sheltered wooded island in Cork Harbour and benefit from an extremely temperate microclimate which is ideal for a great diversity of rare and tender perennial plants. The estate had long been renowned for the expertise of the Smith-Barrys and their gardeners. The layout and structure of the arboretum and gardens date largely from the tenure of the Smith-Barry family, who recognised the significance of Fota’s sheltered location and warm soil. “Fota” is derived from the Irish “Fód te” meaning warm soil.
A number of gardeners were required to create and maintain these gardens and most importantly, a Head Gardener to oversee everything. The Head Gardener’s position was an important one and came with accommodation. There is no record of the house on the First Edition Ordnance Survey of 1842 although the orchard is clearly visible.
However, an estate map dating from the 1840’s and held in the archives of Fota House, shows the house clearly marked in the north-east corner of the Orchard. So a date of circa the mid nineteenth-century would fit with the Smith-Barry family beginning their plant collections for the gardens and arboretum.
Stylistically the house is fairly plain with overhanging eaves and simple cornices and fireplaces. A photograph from 1905 shows a very well established garden around the house and a now long vanished, cast iron veranda which added a smart stylistic element to the house. Remnants of the iron fixings can still be seen in the tiled path around the outside of the house.
Eliza Beswick, wife of the Head Gardener William Beswick (c.1901 – 1915) in front of the Head Gardener’s House c.1905
The Head Gardener at Fota was considered one of the most senior members of staff and held an important position with a lot of authority. He had the use of a fine house in the Orchard at Fota. The Head Gardener on a big estate like Fota did not carry out manual work, rather he would have overseen others doing so. His role was extensive and he shouldered a great deal of responsibility. The single story room beside the kitchen with its own separate entrance was the Head Gardener’s office. Here he would have given daily instructions to the gardeners, ordered seeds, planned to grow exotic fruit and vegetables under glass for special events etc. He was the manager of a complex and intricate business.
As well as having extensive botanical and horticultural knowledge, the Head Gardener supervised the park, pleasure gardens, the kitchen garden, the orchard and arboretum, and he was entrusted with nurturing rare and exotic trees and shrubs imported from abroad. He also oversaw the maintenance of the glasshouse heating system and designed seasonal planting schemes in consultation with the Smith-Barry family. Each year William Beswick produced over 100,000 bedding plants for the formal gardens and parterre.
William Beswick, his wife Eliza and their son Arthur, who enlisted in the Navy in WW1, near the lily pond at Fota c.1915. They had three sons, Arthur, William and John Charles. John Charles went to Kew to train as a gardener. He enlisted in 1915 and died on the Western Front in 1917.
Surprisingly, the Head Gardener was also required to be an accomplished florist as he had the responsibility of decorating the dining table with floral arrangements and he also supplied cut flowers and pot plants for the house. The working walled garden had to provide a constant supply of fruit and vegetables to feed not just the Smith-Barry family but also the army of servants. The Head Gardener also had to establish a good working relationship with the house staff. He liaised with the Cook regarding the supply of produce and was kept up to date with the family’s social calendar by the Butler or Housekeeper so that he could grow exotic specialities under glass for special occasions at the house.
Despite these extensive responsibilities and long working hours, the Head Gardener typically worked a 60 hour week with unpaid duties on Sunday, the average wage was around £50 per year with the use of a house and supply of coal and vegetables.
Many gardeners trained for between 10 – 14 years working their way up from pot boy to apprentice to journeyman and then foreman before finally reaching the position of Head Gardener. Good Head Gardeners were very sought after and they often moved around from house to house. William Osborne worked for the Tremayne family at Heligan in Cornwall before he came to Fota in the 1860’s.
Thomas Leggett, Head Gardener at Fota from 1943 - 1963 with two of his daughters.
Thomas Leggett with two of his grandchildren at the Bell Gate in the Orchard.
The bell was used to call the gardeners to work.
