• General Notes

  of Enniskillen
  
  Rev. Mark Noble of Portora- famous master of the Royal School, Portora. 
  Supposedly he had 18 children that died young -except his daughter.
  
  ==============================
  The popularity of The Royal School at Enniskillen as a place of academic excellence increased so much under the headmasterships of both Grattan and Dunkin that that the next Headmaster, the Reverend Mark Noble, appointed in 1761 and incidentally also a Scholar of TCD, found that the accommodation for his pupils was becoming rather cramped. Due consideration was given to a new site for the school; the best available site appeared to be on Portora Hill, overlooking the town. In 1778 a new school was built on the crest of the hill. The original square block building, which gave accommodation for 60 to 70 pupils, can be seen as the central portion of the familiar façade of Portora, close examination will reveal even today the position of its original central entrance. Portora as we know it was established.
  

Details of Mark's family with Jane Noble