Fernhill House

Location and history

Fernhill House and Stables are located on Glencairn Road. 

History

Fernhill House was built by butter merchant John Smith in 1864, and the stables and outbuildings followed in 1880. Both are Grade B2-listed buildings. 

The estate was later sold in 1898 to the Cunningham family, owners of the Northern Whig newspaper. 
Fernhill House has strong historical links to Unionist culture. During the Home Rule crisis in 1912, the grounds were used to train the Ulster Volunteer Force and weapons were stored there. In 1994 the Loyalist ceasefire was announced in Fernhill House.

Belfast Corporation (now Belfast City Council) purchased the estate in 1962 and opened it to the public as Glencairn Park. The parks department was based in Fernhill House between 1975 and 1990. In recent years however, it has become dilapidated and is in a state of disrepair internally.

Current status

We carried out a range of initial structural and condition surveys in 2025 to establish the extent of deterioration of the building and stables. Following this, in September 2025 our councillors agreed to an initial investment of £950,000 to secure the structure of the building and stables, with a view to restoring them and bringing them back into use in the longer term.

Extensive temporary works are due to take place within the building, including removal of asbestos to reduce health risks and enable future refurbishment. 

In parallel to these physical works, work is underway to consider viable options for its future use. We are actively engaging with the local community and stakeholders on potential futures uses.