Standish Robert Gage Prendergast Vereker M.C., 7th Viscount Gort
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Standish Robert Gage Prendergast Vereker, 7th Viscount Gort MC
(1888–1975) was an Irish peer, connoisseur
and collector of fine art, antiques, and objets d'art, whose seat was at Hamsterley Hall
, County Durham
.
He was appointed High Sheriff of Durham in 1934.
Gort served in the British Army during the First World War, with the rank of lieutenant
. He served under his brother John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort
, in the Second World War and was awarded the Military Cross
. He bought Bunratty Castle
, County Clare
, Ireland
in 1953. Encouraged by John Hunt
he then set about refurbishing the castle with a large personal antique collection. He put a roof on the castle and generally saved it from ruin. It had not been lived in since the building of Bunratty
House (now an attraction within the folk park). The castle later was run by Shannon Development
.
The castle is today a tourist attraction
, with an Irish Victorian
-themed folk park which was created around it. It is the most complete and authentically restored and furnished castle in Ireland. The antiques
with which Gort filled the castle remain, and visitors to the castle may view them in situ. Lord Gort
generously donated the castle to the Irish people, along with its contents, and the castle and folk park are now run by Shannon Development
. Gort is commemorated at the castle by a plaque near the portcullis
, and by portraits of him and Lady Gort in the castle.
He was succeeded in the title by his first cousin, once removed Colin Vereker
.
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(1888–1975) was an Irish peer, connoisseur
Connoisseur
A connoisseur is a person who has a great deal of knowledge about the fine arts, cuisines, or an expert judge in matters of taste.Modern connoisseurship must be seen along with museums, art galleries and "the cult of originality"...
and collector of fine art, antiques, and objets d'art, whose seat was at Hamsterley Hall
Hamsterley Hall
Hamsterley Hall is an 18th century country house at Hamsterley, Rowlands Gill, County Durham, England. It is a Grade II* listed building.The estate at Hamsterley was given, in 1762, by Sir John Swinburne Bt to his younger brother Henry Swinburne...
, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
.
He was appointed High Sheriff of Durham in 1934.
Gort served in the British Army during the First World War, with the rank of lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
. He served under his brother John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort
John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort
Field Marshal John Standish Surtees Prendergast Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort, VC, GCB, CBE, DSO & Two Bars, MVO, MC , was a British and Anglo-Irish soldier. As a young officer in World War I he won the Victoria Cross at the Battle of the Canal du Nord. During the 1930s he served as Chief of the...
, in the Second World War and was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
. He bought Bunratty Castle
Bunratty Castle
Bunratty Castle is a large tower house in County Clare, Ireland. It lies in the centre of Bunratty village , by the N18 road between Limerick and Ennis, near Shannon Town and its airport. The name Bunratty, Bun Raite in Irish, means the 'bottom' or end of the 'Ratty' river. This river, alongside...
, County Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in 1953. Encouraged by John Hunt
John Hunt (antiquarian)
John Hunt was a historian, antiquarian, and collector. Together with his wife Gertrude, he amassed the collection that today forms the basis of the Hunt Museum, Limerick, Ireland. He encouraged Lord Gort to restore Bunratty Castle. He is commemorated by a bust in the castle because of this...
he then set about refurbishing the castle with a large personal antique collection. He put a roof on the castle and generally saved it from ruin. It had not been lived in since the building of Bunratty
Bunratty
Bunratty is a village in County Clare in the parish of Newmarket on Fergus, Ireland.-History:The first settlement in Bunratty was by Vikings in 970 AD. Bunratty had reached it peak in 1804 AD, with a thriving economy, expanding community, and the construction of much of the buildings and...
House (now an attraction within the folk park). The castle later was run by Shannon Development
Shannon Development
Shannon Development is an important regional development body for the Shannon Region of Ireland and encompases counties Clare, Limerick, and parts of Kerry, Offaly and Tipperary....
.
The castle is today a tourist attraction
Tourist attraction
A tourist attraction is a place of interest where tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, or amusement opportunities....
, with an Irish Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
-themed folk park which was created around it. It is the most complete and authentically restored and furnished castle in Ireland. The antiques
Antiques
An antique is an old collectible item. It is collected or desirable because of its age , beauty, rarity, condition, utility, personal emotional connection, and/or other unique features...
with which Gort filled the castle remain, and visitors to the castle may view them in situ. Lord Gort
Gort
Gort is a town in south County Galway in the west of Ireland. An Gort is the official Irish name for the town, as defined by the Placenames Commission. In spoken Irish, however, the town is known by its traditional name Gort Inse Guaire. It lies just north of the border with County Clare on the...
generously donated the castle to the Irish people, along with its contents, and the castle and folk park are now run by Shannon Development
Shannon Development
Shannon Development is an important regional development body for the Shannon Region of Ireland and encompases counties Clare, Limerick, and parts of Kerry, Offaly and Tipperary....
. Gort is commemorated at the castle by a plaque near the portcullis
Portcullis
A portcullis is a latticed grille made of wood, metal, fibreglass or a combination of the three. Portcullises fortified the entrances to many medieval castles, acting as a last line of defence during time of attack or siege...
, and by portraits of him and Lady Gort in the castle.
He was succeeded in the title by his first cousin, once removed Colin Vereker
Colin Vereker, 8th Viscount Gort
Colin Leopold Prendergast "Kim" Vereker, 8th Viscount Gort MHK, JP was an Irish peer.Gort was the son of Leopold George Prendergast Vereker and Helen Marjorie Campbell, and the grandson of the Hon. Foley Charles Prendergast Vereker, the second son of the fourth Viscount. He was educated at...
.
Sources
- http://www.bunrattycollection.com/introduction.php
- http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/food/ireland/bunratty/mead.html
- http://www.shannondev.ie/News/NewsReleases2007/Title,5733,en.html
- http://www.castles.ancientireland.org/bunratty/index.htm
- Munster historical review, p76. issue 3 01/05/2002.
- http://www.bunrattycollection.com/introduction.php - 9k
- http://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/person.asp?LinkID=mp61703
- http://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/portrait.asp?*LinkID=mp61703&rNo=0&role=sit
- http://www.thepeerage.com/p24101.htm
- Mosley, Charles, editor. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes. Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003.
- http://www.travelireland.org/clare/index.html
- http://www.huntmuseum.com/framesets_hunts/hunts_frameset.html