Current condition
Unknown
Ligoniel belonged to Francis Henry May, who as acting Governor pushed through the Peak District Reservation Ordinance in 1904.
"Our house on the Peak was called Ligoniel after some property in Ireland owned by my father's family."
"View from the Peak: an autobiography" by Phoebe May Witworth (2nd daughter of Frances Henry May)
Later purchased by Alexander Findlay Smith, the builder of the Peak Tram, and renamed (or rebuilt into "The Farm")
Photos that show this Place
1906
1915
1910s
Comments
Findlay Path
This piece of land is very close to the Peak Tram, and you can walk there - and get a lovely view. There is an old foundation, but it may be for the second house on this lot.
Go down Findlay Path toward the Barker Rd Peak Tram Station (or alight at Barker Rd and walk up. It is fun to get off somewhere other than the top).
Ligoniel/The Farm
"Ligoniel", later renamed "The Farm", stood just to the east of the Peak Tram line above the Barker/Plantation Road Station.
1899. The site, RBL 101, was put up for public auction by the Government on 4th Sept 1899 with a requirement for the successful bidder to construct a substantial building within 18 months (Government Notification 466/1899). I don't know the result of the auction.
1902. The 1902 Ladies Directory lists Mrs. S.S. Benjamin as residing at "Ligoniel, The Peak". The 1902 Peak Directory stated that Mr. & Mrs. S.S. Benjamin lived at "Ligonciel (sic), Plantation Road".
1904. The 1904 Peak Renumbering Exercise gave Ligoniel's official address as 123 Plantation Road.
1912. The 1912 map(www.gwulo.com/media/13074) labels the property as "Ligo(illegible)".
1914. The 1914 Renumbering Exercise gave the name of the property as "The Farm" and the address as 139 Plantation Road.
1924. The 1924 map (www.gwulo.com/media/13018) labels it as "The Farm", 53 Stubbs Road.
Construction of "Ligoniel" must have commenced sometime after 4th Sept 1899 (site auction) and been completed by early 1902 (Ladies & Peak Directory). Sometime between 1912 and 1914 its name changed to "The Farm". The photo dated 1983 at www.gwulo.com/media/23555 shows a vacant site where "Ligoniel" had stood, meaning that it had been demolished by then.
RBL 109, a small lot adjoining RBL 101, was put up for auction on 12th Nov 1901 (Government Notification 634 & 672/1901, result unknown. As "Ligoniel" was nearing completion or had been completed by that time, it is doubtful that any part of the building stood on RBL 109. Photos of "Ligoniel" don't show any other building close-bye, so perhaps RBL was not sold, or was bought and used as part of the garden of "Ligoniel".