Landed Estates
University of Galway

Bellamont Forest

Estate(s)
Townland Bellamont Forest
Civil Parish Drumgoon
PLU Cootehill
DED Cootehill Rural
County Cavan
Barony Tullygarvey
Description A red brick house, designed by Sir Edward Lovett Pearce c 1728 for Thomas Coote, younger son of Richard, Baron of Collooney. Originally known as Coote Hill but its name changed in 1767 to Bellamont Forest following Charles Coote’s elevation to the title Earl of Bellamont (2nd creation). Bellamont Forest was inherited by Charles Johnston Coote in 1800. He was one of the illegitimate children of the Earl. Bellamont Forest was occupied by Richard Coote in the mid-19th century. He held it in fee and the buildings had a rateable valuation of £50.10.0. It was sold by George Coote in 1875 to Edward Smith (K.V. Mulligan), who made a fortune out of coal. Edward Patrick Dorman Smith was the eldest son of Edward Smith and his wife Isabella Cullen and succeeded to Bellamont Forest in 1880. In 1906, Captain E. P. Smith was the occupant of the mansion house with a rateable valuation of £61.5.0. The property remained in the hands of the Smith family until the 1980s when it was purchased by an Australian, John Coote, a descendant of the former owners who spent many years renovating the house. John Coote died in 2012 and the house was sold in 2015 to an American couple.

Property Location