Fisherwick Lodge

FISHERWICK LODGE, near Doagh, County Antrim, is a former hunting lodge of the Marquesses of Donegall.

The lodge was re-built about 1805 as a hollow square, with two single-storey fronts of nine bays each.

It has lofty windows which reach almost to the ground, and a pedimented wooden door-case, with fluted columns.

Although the present house is likely to date from the early years of the 19th century, its origins are in an 18th-century hunting lodge for the Donegall estate.

The current lodge was built by the 2nd Marquess (1769-1844).

Its name derives from the barony of Fisherwick, one of the family's subsidiary titles.

The Lodge was built in the midst of an extensive deer park which covered "nearly all of six townlands, including Kilbride, Ballywee, Holestone, Douglasland, Ballyhamage and part of the parish of Donegore and the Grange of Doagh.

The 2nd Marquess, who had a reputation for extravagance, also laid out an artificial lake in front of the Lodge.

Deer were hunted by hounds in the Doagh district, and the improvements by the 2nd Marquess included the establishment of large kennels and extensive stabling.

In 1899, the kennels were associated with the establishment of a racecourse at Lisnalinchy, which continued to exist in part up until the late 1950s, retaining the name East Antrim Hounds, but have since been relocated to the Parkgate district.

The estate is described in an 1812 statistical survey by the Rev John Dubourdieu:

"Close to [Doagh] is Fisherwick Lodge ... the building itself, which is very handsome, and the plantations, have much improved and enlivened the look of this well placed hamlet, which has, in addition, a good inn [Doagh or Farrell's Inn]."

The Ordnance Survey Memoir of 1838 describes the lodge thus:

An elegant and uniform structure in the Cottage style, forming with the offices a spacious quadrangular enclosure. It contains a regular suite of handsome apartments, and is constructed and finished in the most modern style.

Lord Belfast and his father, the 2nd Marquess, subsequently disentailed their estates, with the exception of Islandmagee.

It is recorded that the Donegall family took refuge at Fisherwick Lodge following the seizure in 1806 of the contents of their town residence in Belfast, Donegall House, by creditors.

Fisherwick Lodge was finally sold, in 1847, to John Molyneaux JP.

In 1894, Mr Molyneaux drained the artificial lake in front of the house.

The lodge has since been divided into two properties.

The south gate lodge was demolished ca 2000 and replaced with a modern dwelling.

First published in February, 2015.  Donegall arms courtesy of European Heraldry.

General Clinton

JOHN DE CLINTON, son of Thomas de Clinton, and the descendant of Geoffray de Clinton, Lord Chamberlain to HENRY I, marrying Ida, eldest of the four sisters and co-heirs of William de Odingsells, Lord of Maxstoke Castle, Warwickshire, and thus acquiring that lordship, seated himself there.

This John de Clinton was in the wars of Scotland in the time of EDWARD I, and had summons to Parliament, as Baron Clinton, in 1299.

He died in 1315, leaving two sons,

JOHN, his successor;
WILLIAM, created EARL OF HUNTINGDON.

The elder son,

JOHN, 2nd Baron (c1300-35), was summoned to Parliament from 1332 to 1335, in which latter year he died, and was succeeded by his son,

JOHN, 3rd Baron (c1325-98), summoned to Parliament from 1357 to 1397.

This nobleman inherited the estates of his uncle, William, Earl of Huntingdon.

His lordship was engaged in the French wars, with little interruption, during the reigns of EDWARD III and RICHARD II.

He wedded firstly, Idonea, elder sister of William, Lord Saye, and aunt and sole heir of Elizabeth, Baronesss Saye; she was also cousin and heir of William, Baron Sele.

By this lady he had issue,

WILLIAM, his successor;
Thomas;
Margaret.

He espoused secondly, Elizabeth, daughter and heir of William de la Plaunch.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

WILLIAM, 4th Baron (1378-1431), who married Alice, daughter of William, 2nd Baron Botreaux, and was succeeded by his son,

JOHN, 5th Baron (1410-64); who exchanged his manor of Maxstoke with Humphrey, Earl of Stafford, for the manors of Whiston and Woodford, Northamptonshire.

His lordship, being a staunch Yorkist, was attainted in 1461, but on the subsequent re-establishment of his party, he was restored, and enjoyed the favour of EDWARD IV.

He wedded Joan, daughter of Edmund, 5th Baron Ferrers, and was father of

JOHN, 6th Baron (c1429-88), who wedded Anne, daughter of Sir Humphrey Stafford, and was succeeded by his son,

JOHN, 7th Baron (1471-1514), who espoused firstly, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Morgan, and was succeeded by his son,

THOMAS, 8th Baron (1490-1517), who married Mary, natural daughter of Sir Edward Poynings KG; and dying of the sweating sickness, was succeeded by his son,

EDWARD, 9th Baron (1512-85), who was one of the most eminent persons of the age in which he lived.

His lordship was created EARL OF LINCOLN in 1571, having previously filled the office of LORD HIGH ADMIRAL.

He married firstly, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Blount, and had issue, three daughters,

Bridget; Katherine; Margaret.

His lordship wedded secondly, Ursula, daughter of William, 7th Baron Stourton, and had further issue,

HENRY, his successor;
William;
Thomas;
Frances; Anne; Elizabeth.

His lordship espoused thirdly, in 1552, Elizabeth, daughter of Gerald, 8th Earl of Kildare.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

HENRY, 2nd Earl (1541-1616), KB, who married firstly, in 1557, the Lady Catherine Hastings, daughter of Francis, 2nd Earl of Huntingdon, and had issue,

Edward;
THOMAS, his successor.

He wedded secondly, in 1586, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Richard Morrison, and had further issue,

Kendal;
Henry (Sir).

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

THOMAS, 3rd Earl (1568-1619), who espoused Elizabeth, daughter and co-heir of Sir Henry Knyvett MP, and had issue,

THEOPHILUS, his successor;
Henry;
Thomas;
Edward;
Charles;
Knyvett;
Arabella; Susan; Frances; Dorcas; Sara; Ann.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

THEOPHILUS, 4th Earl (1599-1667), KB, who married firstly, in 1622, Bridget, only daughter of William, 1st Viscount Say and Sele,

EDWARD, Lord Clinton, father of EDWARD, who succeeded his grandfather;;
Catharine; Arabella; Margaret.

He wedded secondly, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Arthur Gorges.

His lordship's grandson,

EDWARD, 5th Earl (1645-92), wedded, in 1674, Jeanne, daughter of Pierre de Guliere, Lord of Verun; though died without issue, when the earldom reverted to his cousin,

FRANCIS, as 6th Earl (1635-93), who espoused firstly, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir William Killigrew, and had issue, an only child, Francis, who died in infancy.

He married secondly, Susan, daughter of the Rev Anthony Peniston, and had further issue,

Henry, 7th Earl;
GEORGE, of whom we treat;
Susannah.

His lordship's younger son,

ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET THE HON GEORGE CLINTON (c1686-1761), Governor of the Colony of Newfoundland, 1732, Governor of the Province of New York, 1741, wedded Anne, daughter and co-heir of General Peter Carle, and had, with other issue,

HENRY, his heir;
Mary; Lucy Mary.

Admiral Clinton's son and heir,

GENERAL THE RT HON SIR HENRY CLINTON KB (1730-95), Commander-in-Chief, America, 1778-82, who married, in 1767, Harriet, daughter of Thomas Carter, and had issue,

Frederick, died in 1774;
WILLIAM HENRY (General Sir), GCB, his heir;
Henry (Lieutenant-General Sir), GCB;
Harriet; Augusta.

Photo Credit: National Army Museum

Sir Henry was appointed Governor of Gibraltar in 1794, though died in London before taking up the post.

He was interred at St George's Chapel, Windsor.

The Barons Clinton, one of the oldest peerages still extant, are related to the Earls of Lincoln.

First published in April, 2020. General Clinton's arms courtesy of European Heraldry.

Prehen House

THE KNOXES OWNED 3,641 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY LONDONDERRY

This appeared to be the direct representative line of the ancient and extended family of KNOX, the founder of that name. ADAMUS, son of Uchtred, obtained from the High Steward, during the time of ALEXANDER II, King of Scots, 1214-49, grants of the lands of Knock, Ranfurly, Crieff Castle, Craigend, etc, in Renfrewshire.

The descendants of ADAMUS assumed the name of Knox, derived, according to Patronymina Britannica, from the lands of Knocks or Knox, Knock being Gaelic for round-topped hill.

For many generations they were seated at Ranfurly Castle, the ruins of which lie between Glasgow and Greenock.

This Adamus was father of

JOHANNE DE KNOX, whose eldest son,

UTRED DE KNOCX, was father of

ALANUS DE KNOCKIS, during the time of ROBERT THE BRUCE, who had a son,

SIR JOHN DE KNOX, Lord of Ranfurly, who wedded, in 1371, the second daughter and co-heiress of Sir David Fleming, of Biggar, whose son was

ROBERT DE KNOCK, father of

UCHTRED DE KNOCKS, who had a son,

JOHN DE KNOCKS, who, by his wife, the only child of Sir Robert Maxwell, of Calderwood, had a son,

UCHTRED, father of

UCHTRED KNOX, of Craigend, Renfrewshire, who married Agnes, daughter of Lord Lyle, and had two sons,

UCHTRED, his heir;
George.

The elder son,

UCHTRED KNOX, espoused Janet, daughter of Lord Sempill, and had issue,

UCHTER, his heir;
William, of Silvyland, ancestor of the EARL OF RANFURLY, and KNOX OF BRITTAS.

The elder son,

UCHTER KNOX, of Ranfurly, wedded Isabella, daughter of ______ Cunningham, of Craigend, and had two sons,

John, of Ranfurly;
ANDREW, who eventually carried on the family.

The younger son,

THE RT REV ANDREW KNOX (1559-1633), was consecrated Lord Bishop of the Isles, 1605, and Lord Bishop of Raphoe, 1610.

The Bishop had a grant of the monastery and lands of Rathmullen, County Donegal, in 1614.

He married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Ralph Bingley, Knight, of Rosguill, County Donegal, and had issue,

Thomas (Rt Rev), Bishop of the Isles, 1622;
ANDREW, of whom hereafter;
John, in holy orders;
Claud, in holy orders;
James.

Bishop Knox's second son,

ANDREW KNOX, of Rathmullen, County Donegal, wedded Rebecca, daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Galbraith, of Dowish, County Londonderry, and had issue,

ANDREW, his heir;
Robert.

Mr Knox was succeeded by his elder son,

ANDREW KNOX, a major in the besieged army of Derry, attainted by the parliament of JAMES II in 1689.

By Mary his wife he left a son and successor,

GEORGE KNOX, of Rathmullen and Moneymore, County Donegal, who espoused Mary Wray, and had two sons, ANDREW, his heir, and a younger son (from whom descended Letitia, daughter of the Rev George Knox, Rector of Strabane, mother of General Sir Henry Montgomery Lawrence and John, 1st Baron Lawrence, Viceroy of India, 1864).

The eldest son,

COLONEL ANDREW KNOX  (1709-74), of Rathmullen and Moneymore, MP for County Donegal, 1743-68, married, in 1738, Honoria, daughter and heiress of Andrew Tomkins, of Prehen, County Londonderry, and had (with a daughter, Mary Ann, shot by John Macnaghten in 1760) a son, his heir,

GEORGE KNOX, of Prehen, who wedded, in 1760, Jane, daughter of Thomas Mahon, of Strokestown, County Roscommon, and sister of Maurice, 1st Lord Hartland, and had issue,

ANDREW, his heir;
Thomas, in holy orders;
Maurice;
Alexander;
Mary Anne.

Mr Knox was succeeded by his eldest son,

ANDREW KNOX (1766-1840), of Prehen, Colonel, Donegal Militia, MP for Strabane, 1798-1800, who wedded, in 1790, Mary, daughter of Dominick McCausland, of Daisy Hill (Drenagh), County Londonderry, and had issue,

GEORGE, his heir;
Dominick;
Andrew, in holy orders;
Marcus, captain RN;
Thomas;
Jane; Honoria; Mary; Caroline; Benjamina.

Mr Knox was succeeded by his eldest son,

GEORGE KNOX JP DL (c1789-1848), of Prehen, High Sheriff of County Donegal, 1824, Captain, 2nd Dragoon Guards, who espoused, in 1827, Anna Maria, daughter of Robert Johnstone, of Magheramena Castle, County Fermanagh, and had issue,

GEORGE, his heir;
Letitia Mary;
Harriett.

Captain Knox was succeeded by his only son,

GEORGE KNOX JP DL (1832-1910), of Prehen, High Sheriff of County Donegal, 1862, Lieutenant-Colonel, Londonderry Artillery, who wedded Rose Virginie Grimm, of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, and had issue,

EUGENIE, of whom we treat;
Augusta Georgina.

The elder daughter,

EUGENIE KNOX, wedded Ludwig Otto von Scheffler PhD, and had issue,

GEORGE CARL OTTO LOUIS;
Manon;
Virginie.

Their only son,

GEORGE CARL OTTO LOUIS VON SCHEFFLER-KNOX (1884-1966), inherited Prehen in 1910.

PREHEN HOUSE, County Londonderry, is a noble mid-18th century mansion, perhaps the finest early Georgian country house in Northern Ireland.

It was probably designed by Michael Priestly.

Prehan comprises two storeys over a basement of brick vaulting; of rubble, with ashlar dressings.

The entrance front has a pedimented breakfront centre, including acroteria.

The upper storey has four bays; while the lower storey has one bay on either side of the centre.

The front windows boast fine rusticated surrounds with keystones.

There is a lofty roof with a high parapet.

The rear of the house is U-shaped.

*****

Prehen means "place of the crows" in Gaelic; and during the 17th century the banks of the River Foyle in this vicinity were still thickly wooded.

The townland of Prehen, part of civil parish of Clondermot, and barony of Tirkeeran, was acquired as part of Goldsmiths' Proportion in 1614.

Thomas Raven's map of the Proportion, made in 1619, shows the townland clearly with a house located close to the water, south-west of the present mansion.

This building, evidently a single storey gable-ended dwelling, occupied by one William Taylor, was destroyed in the 1641 Rebellion.

The property was acquired in 1664 by Alderman Alexander Tomkins and his wife Margaret, daughter of Alderman Thomas Moncreiffe.

Tomkins was Mayor of Londonderry at the time of the siege in 1689, and there is a memorial dedicated to "Tomkins of Prehen" in St Columb's Cathedral, erected in 1678.

His house at Prehen, which was probably built in the 1660s, must have stood on the site of the present building.

Alderman Tomkins' son George served as MP for the city from 1715-39 and lived at Prehen.

It can confidently be deduced that the present house was built in the early 1740s.

It is therefore most likely to have been built by Colonel Andrew Knox, who, in 1738, married Honoria, daughter and heiress of Andrew Tomkins of Prehen.

*****

George Carl Otto Von Scheffler, born in 1884, was appointed a Page to the Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenbach and later Governor of the Royal pages at the Emperor's Court in Berlin, where he was honoured with the title of Baron.

He inherited Prehen from his grandfather aged only 26, but a condition of the inheritance was that he add the surname KNOX to his own for the term of his natural life, and that he become a British Citizen within two years of the testator's decease.

The inheritance was contested in court, which Baron Von Scheffler-Knox won, and he subsequently settled at Prehen.

Unfortunately, the 1st World War broke out in 1914 and Baron Von Scheffler-Knox was declared an enemy alien.

Consequently, the house and lands of Prehen were sequestered by the government and later placed on the open market under the Enemy Property Act.

The Baron died in 1966.

During the 1920s, the demesne was sold off in lots, and the house was subsequently subdivided into flats.

The once fine woodlands, for which Prehen was well known, were sold in 1927 to the McGregors, timber merchants, who thereafter felled many of the trees.

The felling caused controversy at the time and a portion of these woodlands were saved - the area now known as Prehen Wood.

Prehen Wood (18.48 acres) was purchased in 2003 by the Woodland Trust with support from the Prehen Historical and Environment Society.

During the 2nd World War the house was requisitioned by the army for troop accommodation.

Eventually, the mansion, its outbuildings, and some of the surviving parkland were acquired by in 1971 in the name of Julia Peck, granddaughter of Winifred Knox.

The house, then in a very poor state of repair, was subsequently restored by her parents, Carola and the late Julian Peck, who moved here from Rathbeale Hall, County Dublin, in 1974.

Mr Peck died in 2001 and Prehen was inherited by his son, Colin Peck, who opened the house to the public. 

Prehen was for sale in 2023.

First published in January, 2015.  Knox arms courtesy of the NLI.

1st Earl of Wemyss

THE EARLS OF WEMYSS AND MARCH WERE THE GREATEST LANDOWNERS IN PEEBLESSHIRE, WITH 41,247 ACRES

This ancient family traces its origin to John, baronial lord of Weems, whence the surname was probably derived, who was younger son of the celebrated Macduff, Thane of Fife, the vanquisher of the tyrant MACBETH.

SIR MICHAEL WEMYSS was sent, according to John of Fordun, in 1290, with Sir Michael Scott, to Norway, by the Lords of the Regency in Scotland, to conduct the young Queen MARGARET to her dominions; but Her Majesty unfortunately died upon the journey, at the Orkneys.

Sir Michael swore fealty to EDWARD I in 1296, and he witnessed the act of settlement of the Crown of Scotland by ROBERT I, King of Scots, at Ayr, in 1315.

MICHAEL, of Wemyss and Methil, the earliest known ancestor of the family of Wemyss, was dead in 1202, when his lands were in the possession of his son,

SIR JOHN, of Wemyss and Methil, Knight, who was living in 1239 and 1261, and died probably ca 1263, having had issue,

MICHAEL, his heir;

John.

The eldest son and heir,

SIR MICHAEL WEMYSS, of Wemyss, Knight, living in 1280, did homage to EDWARD I, 1296, and is said to have married the heiress of Sir David Lochore, of Lochore.

He died in 1320, and was succeeded by his son,

SIR DAVID WEMYSS, of Wemyss, Knight; from whom lineally descended

SIR JOHN WEMYSS, of Wemyss, who married firstly, in 1574, Margaret, eldest daughter of William, Earl of Morton, but by that lady had no issue; and secondly, in 1581, Anne, sister of James, Earl of Moray, by who he had, with other issue,

SIR JOHN WEMYSS, of Wemyss, who was created a baronet in 1625; and elevated to the peerage, in 1628, in the dignity of Baron Wemyss.

His lordship was advanced, in 1633, to the dignities of Lord Elcho and Methel and EARL OF WEMYSS.

This nobleman, though indebted for his honours to CHARLES I, took part against his royal master, and sided with the parliamentarians.

He wedded, in 1610, Jane, daughter of Patrick, 7th Lord Gray, by whom he had six children, and was succeeded in 1649 by his only son,

DAVID, 2nd Earl (1610-79), who married thrice.

His lordship's third wife, Margaret, daughter of John, 6th Earl of Rothes, by whom he had an only surviving daughter, MARGARET, in whose favour his lordship, having resigned his peerage to the Crown, obtained, in 1672, a new patent, conferring the honours of the family, with the original precedency, upon her ladyship.

He died in 1680, when the baronetcy expired, but the other dignities descended, accordingly, to his daughter,

THE LADY MARGARET WEMYSS, as 3rd Countess of Wemyss.

Her ladyship espoused SIR JAMES WEMYSS, of Caskyerry, who was created, in 1672, for life, Lord Burntisland, having had previously a charter of Burntisland Castle.

The issue of this marriage were,

DAVID, successor to the Countess's honours;
Anne, who wedded David, Earl of Leven and Melville;
Margaret, wedded to David, Earl of Northesk.

The Countess of Wemyss espoused secondly, George, 1st Earl of Cromarty, but had no issue by his lordship.

Lady Wemyss died in 1705, and was succeeded by her only son,

DAVID, 4th Earl, who was appointed, by Queen ANNE, Lord High Admiral of Scotland, sworn of the Privy Council, and constituted one of the commissioners for concluding the Treaty of Union.

His lordship married firstly, in 1697, the Lady Anne Douglas, daughter of William, 1st Duke of Queensberry, and sister of James, Duke of Queensberry and Dover, and of William, 1st Earl of March, by whom he had one surviving son,

JAMES, 5th Earl (1699-1756), who married, in 1720, Janet, only daughter and heiress of Colonel Francis Charteris, of Amisfield, in Haddingtonshire, by whom he had issue, his eldest son,

DAVID, Lord Elcho, having been involved in the rising of 1745, fled into France after the battle of Culloden, and was attainted.

The family honours remained, therefore, from the decease of the 5th Earl, during his lordship's life, under the influence of that penal statute; but at the soi disant 6th Earl's demise without issue, in 1787, they were revived, and inherited by his brother,

THE HON FRANCIS WEMYSS-CHARTERIS, as 7th Earl (1723-1808), who wedded, in 1745, the Lady Catherine Gordon, daughter of Alexander, 2nd Duke of Gordon, by whom he had issue, FRANCIS, Lord Elcho (1723-1808).

Francis Wemyss Charteris, soi disant 7th Earl (1723–1808);
Francis Wemyss Charteris Douglas, 8th Earl, 4th Earl of March (1772–1853) (restored 1826);
Francis Wemyss-Charteris, 9th Earl, 5th Earl of March (1795–1883);
Francis Richard Charteris, 10th Earl, 6th Earl of March (1818–1914);
Hugo Richard Charteris, 11th Earl, 7th Earl of March (1857–1937);
(Francis) David Charteris, 12th Earl, 8th Earl of March (1912–2008);
James Donald Charteris, 13th Earl, 9th Earl of March (b 1948).

The heir apparent is his only son (Francis) Richard Charteris, styled Lord Elcho (b 1984), a lawyer.

GOSFORD HOUSE, Longniddry, East Lothian, is the ancestral seat of the Earls of Wemyss and March.

It was built by the 7th Earl between 1790 and 1800.

Gosford House was designed by the architect Robert Adam, who died before the mansion was completed.

The 8th Earl knocked down the wings, and his grandson, the 10th Earl, rebuilt them in 1891 to designs by the architect William Young.

The south wing contains the marble hall.

Gosford is built in the neo-classical style.

During the 2nd World War, the Army occupied the house, and burnt out the main rooms of the central block.

It was re-roofed in 1987, and restoration of the central block is an ongoing process, which has been progressed in the last ten years by Shelagh, Countess of Wemyss and March.

The Marble Hall, in the south wing, is arguably the most arresting of Gosford's many fine interior features.

It was completed in 1891 by William Young for the 10th Earl, and rises to a height of three storeys, with a magnificent double staircase leading to a surrounding picture gallery.

The elaborate fireplace, alabaster colonnades and ornate plasterwork reflect the strong Italianate taste of the 10th Earl, while the Palladian screen of Venetian windows are reminiscent of Adam's original designs.

The ponds in the policies were recently restored by James, the 13th Earl.

Gosford can be seen from Edinburgh on a clear day. It is open to the public in the summer.

The grounds boast an unusual and rare example of a Scottish curling-house.

Neidpath Castle, near Peebles, is also owned by Lord Wemyss; as was Amisfield Park, Haddington, which was sold by the family to the local council in 1928.

First published in January, 2014.

Orangefield House

THE HOUSTONS OWNED 5,999 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY DOWN 

The family of HOUSTON is believed to have fixed its abode in Ulster during the 17th century as a result of the Scottish plantations (of Protestant settlers), soldiers under CROMWELL who stayed, and, later, persecuted the Covenanters. They settled mainly in the counties of Antrim, Londonderry, Armagh, and Down.

WILLIAM HOUSTON wedded, in 1732, Elizabeth, daughter of Joshua McGeough, of Drumsill, County Armagh, and had (with two other sons and a daughter, all of whom died unmarried) an eldest son,

THOMAS HOUSTON, who married, in 1765, Mary, daughter of John Holmes (c1773-1825), a Belfast merchant and banker.

John Holmes was a founding member of the Belfast Bank. Known as the ‘Bank of the Four Johns’, it soon was doing decent business in the town. Indeed, such was the extent of their success that other merchants in the town set up a rival partnership. 

Holmes was sent by the Belfast Charitable Society to London to negotiate with Lord Donegall, for rights to water for the Poor House and to discover whether elm, lead or iron pipes would be best to use in Belfast’s new water system.

Mr Houston died in 1771, leaving a son,

JOHN HOLMES HOUSTON (c1767-1843), of Orangefield, County Down, High Sheriff of County Down, 1826, who espoused, in 1792, his cousin Eliza, daughter of John Holmes, of Belfast.

Houston memorial, Rosemary St Church (Timothy Ferres)

There is a fine memorial to John Holmes Houston at the First Presbyterian Church, Rosemary Street, Belfast.

His eldest and last surviving daughter,

MARY ISABELLA HOUSTON, espoused, in 1827, Richard Bayly Blakiston, Royal Artillery, afterwards BLAKISTON-HOUSTON, of Orangefield and Roddens, County Down, and had issue,

JOHN, his heir;
Richard Matthew, d 1847;
Thomas, 1833-60;
Charles William, 1836-61;
Anne; Eliza Houston.

Mr Blakiston, High Sheriff of County Down, 1848, was the fifth son of Sir Matthew Blakiston Bt.

Blakiston baronets' coat-of-arms

On the death of his father-in-law, in 1843, he assumed the surname of HOUSTON, in addition to his patronymic, BLAKISTON.

His eldest son,

JOHN BLAKISTON-HOUSTON JP DL (1829-1920), of Orangefield and Roddens, Vice Lord-Lieutenant of County Down, High Sheriff of County Down, 1860, MP for North Down, 1898, married, in 1859, Marian, second daughter of Richard Streatfeild, of The Rocks, Sussex, and had issue,

RICHARD, his heir;
Thomas;
Charles, MP for Belfast Dock, 1929-33;
James Edward;
John (1881-1959), major-general;
Mary Charlotte; Annie Marian; Dora; Mabel; Isabel; Ethel; Hilda.

His eldest son,

RICHARD BLAKISTON-HOUSTON JP DL (1864-1933), of Orangefield and Roddens, High Sheriff of County Down, 1922, wedded, in 1897, Lilian Agnes, daughter of George Jardine Kidston, and had issue,

JOHN MATTHEW;
George, 1900-25;
Marian, 1905-91;
Elizabeth Agnes, 1911-56.

His eldest son,

JOHN MATTHEW BLAKISTON-HOUSTON DL (1898-1984), of Beltrim Castle, County Tyrone, Lieutenant-Colonel, 11th Hussars, High Sheriff of County Down, 1944, wedded, in 1931, Lettice Arden, daughter of Henry Gervas Stobart.

Colonel Blakiston-Houston was raised at Orangefield House and lived there or at the other family homes of Finlaystone Langbank, Renfrewshire, and Roddens, near Ballywalter, County Down.

He served in 1st World War from 1916, and left the army in 1934 after his grandfather died. It's thought that he no longer inhabited Orangefield after that date, and the house was sold in a dilapidated state, with the freehold retained, which itself was sold, it is thought, in the early 1960s. 

By his wife he had issue,

RICHARD PATRICK;
Mary Bridget; Anne; Prudence; Elizabeth; Patience.

Colonel Blakiston-Houston's only son,

RICHARD PATRICK BLAKISTON-HOUSTON OBE JP DL (1948-), of Beltrim Castle and Roddens, High Sheriff of County Down, 1989, married, in 1988, Lucinda Mary Lavinia, daughter of Lieutenant-Commander Theodore Bernard Peregrine Hubbard RN, by his wife, the Lady Miriam Fitzalan-Howard, and granddaughter of the 3rd Baron Howard of Glossop MBE, and had issue,

Jack Peregrine, b 1989;
Christopher George, b 1991;
Letitia Sadhbh Miriam, b 1993;
Felicia Grace Miriam, b 1994;
Harry Charles, b 1996;
Michael Peter, b 1998.

The Blakiston-Houstons owned 1,086 acres of land in County Armagh, 111 acres in County Dublin, and 28 acres in County Antrim.

I have written about the Batesons and Belvoir House here.

I have written about the Blakiston Baronets here.

The Blakiston-Houstons are thought to be related to General Sam Houston, after which Houston, Texas, USA, was named.

Orangefield House, 1902, by the Lady Mabel Annesley (Image: PRONI © 2011)

ORANGEFIELD HOUSE, Knockbreda, Belfast, was built ca 1857 for John Blakiston-Houston to replace an older 18th century mansion.

It stood on an elevated position overlooking its surrounding parkland.

The parkland was bounded by Grand Parade, Castlereagh Road, Knock Road, and the old railway line to the north.

The Victorian mansion-house consisted of two storeys (possibly above a basement) with three U-shaped dormers.

The garden front, facing westwards, consisting of a central curved bow with three bays on either side.

The south elevation had an identical curved bow, with one bay on each side of it.

There was a smaller, two storey office or service wing to the north side, of a lower height and with prominent chimneys.

1903 Map of Orangefield House

The north wing extended to the stable-yard.

Extensive sweeping lawns, landscaped gardens, paths, greenhouses and parkland; a walled garden, and paddocks.

IN 1934, the Blakiston-Houston family offered Belfast Corporation (now the city council) part of the Orangefield estate to develop as a public park.

The corporation, although keen to buy the land, felt that the price was too high at the time.  

Parkland to the west; glasshouses and walled gardens to the east

After lengthy negotiations, they bought part of the site in 1938 for £20,000 (roughly £1 million in today's money).

Much of the demesne developed ca 1938 as the Orby housing estate (named after the 1909 Derby winner); most of the remainder acquired in the 1950s for schools and playing-fields.

Site of the home farm at the River Knock in 2013

Development work was put on hold due to the 2nd World War and plans for the park were only drawn up in 1947. 

Original ideas included football, hockey and cricket pitches, a polo pitch, a bowling green, a quoits and marbles pitch, a cycle track and pitch and putt course, tennis courts, pavilions and store buildings.

Mr R H Blakiston-Houston tells me that the polo ground was only built over about 2002; and was located at Orangefield Crescent, having been previously let to Glentoran Football Club as a practice ground.

There is an interesting account of the wildlife in the old estate grounds in the 1950s. It talks of wrens, kestrels, redwings, tree creepers, fieldfares, sand martins, corncrakes, snipe, a heron “waiting for its breakfast to swim along”. And kingfishers:- ‘suddenly a flash of brilliant blue darts down the river, could he be nest-site hunting?" Hard to believe if you see that river now, though a trusted friend swears he spotted a kingfisher there in the early 1980s!

After the war, the remnant of the estate was purchased by the Education Authority.

Building work commenced in the mid 50s in what was the garden of the big house.

The Boys’ school opened in 1957 and the Girls’ school 1960, due to difficulties with the foundations.

The mansion’s charred shell remained until the early 1970s when it was demolished to make way for an extension to the girls’ school.

The mansion-house stood where Houston Park is today.

I believe part of the stone wall still exists in two locations.

The stable block was demolished approximately ten years ago.

During the building of this extension a worker discovered an old brick-lined well.

The brick was removed and used in the construction of the chimney breasts of the printers workshop in the Ulster Folk Museum at Cultra.

Home Farm, 1903

Some distance to the north of the house was the Home Farm, including an estate school, corn-mill, water-mill, mill-pond and mill-race.

Th farm was lately managed by the Buller family (now of Scarva) prior to the land being developed in the 1930s.

No trace of the once-thriving farm exists today. Its site is now playing-fields.

Site of Orangefield House at Houston Park in 2013

The main entrance was to the north-west: a pair a gate lodges at the Knock River.

They began at what is now Orangefield Lane. Today there is no trace of them at all.

 

2013: Former main entrance, where twin lodges once stood

There were four lodges at one time, to the north, south, east and west.

*****

THE PINKERTON MANUSCRIPTS state that WILLIAM III  reviewed his army at Orangefield in 1690, though there is no documentary evidence to verify this claim.

It's plausible that Orangefield was given its name by the family of De Beers, Huguenots who once lived in the area.

Their estate in Europe was called Orangefield.

A troop of Lord Hewitt's Horse, later known as 6th Dragoon Guards/Carabiniers, under the command of Colonel Robert Byerley, was stationed at Orangefield in 1690.

The first mention of Orange-Field [sic] would appear to be on a lease dated the 4th September, 1720, in which Robert Bateson of Belfast, merchant, acquired a leasehold interest.

I know little of the original 18th century Orangefield House.

The Bateson family were certainly living at Orangefield in 1779.

Between 1809-18, Sir Robert Bateson acquired Belvoir Park, a large mansion and estate at Newtownbreda, within close proximity to Orangefield.

Orangefield's new owner became Hugh Crawford, whose family resided there until about 1837, when it was purchased by the wealthy banker John Holmes Houston.

The original house was demolished about 1857 to make way for the Victorian mansion.   

First published in August, 2011; revised 2015. Photograph of Orangefield House by kind permission of the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. Blakiston-Houston arms courtesy of the NLI.

Torr Head

Torr Head (W A Green/ Ulster Museum)

TORR HEAD, the Parliamentary Gazetteer of about 1844 remarks, is a headland in the parish of Culfeightrin, barony of Cary, County Antrim.

It screens the south side of Murlough Bay, is situated five miles north of Cushendun, and is the nearest point of the mainland nearest to Scotland, being directly opposite the Mull of Kintyre.

It consists of mica slate, with subordinate beds of limestone, syenite, and feldspar porphyry; but in the bay to the north of it are most interesting columnar formations of trap rock, and on the loftier portions of the hills behind it are beds of sandstone and chalk, capped in some instances with basalt.

It may be regarded as a mere projection of the cliffs of Cushleake; and it is immediately overhung by the hill of Cairnlea, whose summit has an altitude above sea-level of 1,250 feet.

The scenery of the headland itself and of the bay which it screens, is singularly grand, yet very little known.

"Soon after we turned from the main road towards the coast," say Mr and Mrs Hall, "we entered a wild district, walked along a barren heath, looked upon Torr Point, stood above the several headlands, gazed, until we became giddy, upon giant rocks, from the summits of terrific cliffs, and commenced a descent into the bay of Murlough."

"There are spots - small unrecorded places - nooks hid beneath cliff or mountain, mere corners of the island, that altogether escape the tourist who bowls along the splendid rocks which render the great leading features of the scenery of the county of Antrim so easy of examination."

"Let the visitor on no account omit to inspect this bay - a scene of unspeakable grandeur and beauty."

Torr Head is a coastguard station; and the fisheries within its district were worked by 73 men, with one open sail-boat and 17 row-boats.

Torr Head (Historic OS map); click to enlarge

The Government established a revenue station at Torr Head ca 1730 in order to combat smuggling.

A century later, in 1832, a signal staff stood at the summit of the headland; and a few buildings also existed at Boat Port, a cove to the south of Torr Head.

These buildings were a water guard's house and a boat house.

This establishment had been under the control of the Board of Customs since 1822.

The coastguard houses were erected ca 1879.

Torr Head signal station (Image: D McAlister & Son)

The former station subsequently became a station and watch house.

In 1898 Guglielmo Marconi, 1st Marquis of Marconi, and his assistants contacted Rathlin Island by radio from Torr Head to prove that wireless communication was a viable proposition. 

The idea was to send notice to London or Liverpool of ships arriving safely after a transatlantic crossing – most vessels on this route would have to pass through the channel north of Rathlin Island. 

Lloyd's of London took a keen interest in this development because until then it relied on semaphore pigeons to relay sightings of ships passing in and out of the North Channel from their watch station at Rathlin’s East Lighthouse to Torr Head.

Torr Head signal station (Image: D McAlister & Son)

The Coastguard entered into a formal agreement with Lloyd's of London in 1906, whereby the station would also act as a signal station on the company’s behalf.

The Admiralty retained the right to exclusive use of the station in the event of war; thus, during the 1st World War, Torr Head served as a War Signal Station.

The station and houses were raided for weapons by the IRA in 1920.

The premises were consequently evacuated in September that year.

Torr Head (Image: Freyssinet Ltd)

The coastguard houses were burned to the ground by an arsonist in November.

The station continued in use by the coastguard until the 1970s, until it was sold and became a private dwelling.

The signal station was derelict in 2023, though has since been sold to a private buyer.

First published in February, 2023.