The sad condition of one of Omagh’s most historic buildings

HIDDEN amongst forestry on the Mountjoy Road stands one of Omagh’s oldest houses. Dating back almost three centuries, Lisnamallard House has played a central role in the town’s story, from industrious families to wartime service.

A date stone found within the building suggests continuous habitation since 1724.

The name Lisnamallard derives from ‘Lis na Mallacht’, meaning ‘the cursed fort’, though the origin of the name remains uncertain.

Early Ordnance Survey maps show the development of the property into a manor during the 19th century.

The 1833 edition records the house under the name ‘Millbank’.

By the 1850s, the footprint was reduced to a plain rectangular block, with formal gardens beginning to take shape. Valuations of the time list the Orr family as owners and tenants, with an annual value of just £25 (around £2,490 today).

In the 1880s the house was purchased by Charles Scott, whose family also owned Mullaghmore House and ran Scott’s Mills.

Under the Scotts, Lisnamallard underwent major extension and remodelling around 1890, blending late Georgian and Victorian styles.

Margaret Scott, Charles’s wife, took pride in the gardens. She built three greenhouses along the south-facing wall in the 1890s, which survived nearly a century.

Their demolition revealed seven niches in a retaining wall – a ‘bee wall’ once used to provide honey before sugar was widely available.

During the 1940s the US Army acquired the house as headquarters for the 8th Infantry in preparation for the liberation of Europe.

Two large murals, one of which was painted by a junior officer depicting a naked lady, were uncovered during later renovations in 2001.

Speaking at the time, the council’s sporting development officer Conor McCrory opted not to paint over the artwork for its ‘historical importance’.

“When we moved into the house we decided to redecorate a few of the rooms,” Mr McCrory explained.

“As the workman removed the wallpaper he suddenly came upon the mural.

“He immediately phoned me, and by the time I arrived he was sitting in shock, smoking a cigarette and gazing at the beauty on the wall.

“We decided there and then that the mural shouldn’t be painted over because of its historical significance.”

The Scott family remained until 1997, when Omagh District Council purchased the site, converting it into offices for its environmental health unit.

Vacated in 2016, the house has since fallen derelict, damaged by years of neglect and vandalism.

Lisnamallard now features in the council’s Place Shaping Plan 2035, with hopes that rejuvenation will transform the listed building into a boutique hotel, bringing new life to one of Omagh’s most historic houses.