This family, of Norman extraction, was originally called de la Montagne.
In the reign of EDWARD III its members were styled "Hill, alias de la Montagne"; but in succeeding ages they were known by the name of HILL only.
SIR MOYSES HILL (c1554-1630), Knight, descended from the family of HILL, of Devon (two members of which were judges of England in the beginning of the 15th century, and one Lord Mayor of London, 1484), went over to Ulster, as a military officer, with the Earl of Essex, in 1573, to suppress O'Neill's rebellion.
This Moyses Hill was subsequently appointed governor of Olderfleet Castle, an important fortress at the period, as it protected Larne harbour from the Scots.
His first land purchase in County Down came in 1607, when he bought the Castlereagh estates of the hapless Con O'Neill.
Thereafter Sir Moyses acquired the 5,000 acre Kilwarlin estate (now Hillsborough) from the Magennises.
He represented County Antrim in parliament, 1613, and having distinguished himself during a long life, both as a soldier and a magistrate.
He married firstly, Alice, sister of Sorley Boy MacDonnell, and had issue,
PETER, his heir;Mary; Penelope; Frances.
Sir Moyses wedded secondly, Anne Grogan, and had further issue,
Arthur.
Sir Moyses was succeeded by his elder son,
PETER HILL, Provost Marshal and Sheriff of County Down, 1641; but we pass to his younger son, ARTHUR, who eventually inherited the estates, upon the demise of Peter's only son, Francis Hill, of Hill Hall, without male issue.
The said
ARTHUR HILL (c1601-63), of Hillsborough, created Constable of Hillsborough Fort, 1660, was Colonel of a regiment in the service of CHARLES I, and he sat in parliament under the usurpation of CROMWELL, as well as after the Restoration, when he was sworn of the privy council.
Colonel Hill married firstly, Anne, daughter of Sir Richard Bolton, LORD CHANCELLOR OF IRELAND, by whom he had, with other issue, Moyses, who wedded his cousin Anne, eldest daughter of Francis Hill, of Hill Hall, and left three daughters.
He espoused secondly, Mary, daughter of Sir William Parsons, one of the Lords Justices of Ireland, and had three other sons and a daughter, the eldest of whom,
WILLIAM HILL (1640-92), succeeded to the estates at the decease of his half-brother, Moyses, without male issue.
Mr Hill was of the Privy Council to CHARLES II, and JAMES II, and was MP for County Down.
He married firstly, Eleanor, daughter of the Most Rev Dr Michael Boyle, Lord Archbishop of Armagh, LORD CHANCELLOR OF IRELAND, by whom he had an only son, MICHAEL; secondly, Mary, eldest daughter of SIR MARCUS TREVOR, who was created Viscount Dungannon (1st creation) in 1662 for his signal gallantry in wounding OLIVER CROMWELL at Marston Moor, and had two other sons.
Mr Hill was succeeded by his eldest son,
MICHAEL HILL (1672-99), of Hillsborough, a member of the privy council, and of the parliaments of England and Ireland, who espoused Anne, daughter and heir of Sir John Trevor, of Brynkinalt, Denbighshire, Master of the Rolls, Speaker of the House of Commons, and first Lord Commissioner of the Great Seal, and had two sons,
TREVOR HILL (1693-1742), of Hillsborough, who was elevated to the peerage, in 1717, in the dignities of Baron Hill, of Kilwarlin, and Viscount Hillsborough, of County Down.
His lordship wedded Mary, eldest daughter and co-heir of Anthony Rowe, of Muswell Hill, Middlesex; and left (with a daughter, Anne, wedded to JOHN, 1ST EARL OF MOIRA) an only son, his successor,
WILLS, 2nd Viscount (1718-93), who was created Viscount Kilwarlin and Earl of Hillsborough, in 1751, with remainder, in default of male issue, to his uncle Arthur Hill; and enrolled amongst the peers of Great Britain, in 1756, as Baron Harwich, in Essex.
His lordship was advanced to an English viscountcy and earldom, in 1772, in the dignities of Viscount Fairford and Earl of Hillsborough.
The 1st Earl was further advanced, in 1789, to the dignity of a marquessate, as MARQUESS OF DOWNSHIRE.
He married, in 1747, Margaretta, daughter of Robert, 19th Earl of Kildare, and sister of James, 1st Duke of Leinster, by whom he had surviving issue,
His lordship was succeeded by his son,
ARTHUR, 2nd Marquess (1753-1801), who espoused, in 1786, Mary, Baroness Sandys, daughter of the Hon Martyn Sandys, and his wife Mary, daughter of William Trumbull, of Easthampstead Park, Berkshire, and had issue,
His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,
ARTHUR BLUNDELL SANDYS TRUMBULL, 3rd Marquess (1788-1845), KP, who married, in 1811, the Lady Mary Windsor, eldest daughter of Other, 5th Earl of Portsmouth, and had issue,
The Downshire Papers are deposited at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.
In 1870, Lord Downshire owned 115,000 acres, mainly in County Down; and a further 5,000 acres at Easthampstead Park in Berkshire.
These estates generated an income of £80,000 per annum, or £3.6 million in today's money.
The Downshires also maintained a grand residence in London, Downshire House (above) at 24 Belgrave Square, now part of the Spanish embassy, it is thought.
Their principal seat was HILLSBOROUGH CASTLE; and they also had a marine residence, Murlough House, near Dundrum, also in County Down.
Lord Downshire sold Hillsborough Castle to the Government in about 1921, I think; and Murlough remained with the family till the 1940s or 50s.
Easthampstead Park was sold after the 2nd World War.
Other seats included North Aston Hall, Oxfordshire; Timweston, Buckinghamshire; and Hill Park, Kent.
Today the Downshires live at Clifton Castle, near Ripon in North Yorkshire.
First published in July, 2009.
PETER HILL, Provost Marshal and Sheriff of County Down, 1641; but we pass to his younger son, ARTHUR, who eventually inherited the estates, upon the demise of Peter's only son, Francis Hill, of Hill Hall, without male issue.
The said
ARTHUR HILL (c1601-63), of Hillsborough, created Constable of Hillsborough Fort, 1660, was Colonel of a regiment in the service of CHARLES I, and he sat in parliament under the usurpation of CROMWELL, as well as after the Restoration, when he was sworn of the privy council.
Colonel Hill married firstly, Anne, daughter of Sir Richard Bolton, LORD CHANCELLOR OF IRELAND, by whom he had, with other issue, Moyses, who wedded his cousin Anne, eldest daughter of Francis Hill, of Hill Hall, and left three daughters.
He espoused secondly, Mary, daughter of Sir William Parsons, one of the Lords Justices of Ireland, and had three other sons and a daughter, the eldest of whom,
WILLIAM HILL (1640-92), succeeded to the estates at the decease of his half-brother, Moyses, without male issue.
Mr Hill was of the Privy Council to CHARLES II, and JAMES II, and was MP for County Down.
He married firstly, Eleanor, daughter of the Most Rev Dr Michael Boyle, Lord Archbishop of Armagh, LORD CHANCELLOR OF IRELAND, by whom he had an only son, MICHAEL; secondly, Mary, eldest daughter of SIR MARCUS TREVOR, who was created Viscount Dungannon (1st creation) in 1662 for his signal gallantry in wounding OLIVER CROMWELL at Marston Moor, and had two other sons.
Mr Hill was succeeded by his eldest son,
MICHAEL HILL (1672-99), of Hillsborough, a member of the privy council, and of the parliaments of England and Ireland, who espoused Anne, daughter and heir of Sir John Trevor, of Brynkinalt, Denbighshire, Master of the Rolls, Speaker of the House of Commons, and first Lord Commissioner of the Great Seal, and had two sons,
TREVOR, his heir;Mr Hill was succeeded by his elder son,
Arthur, 1st VISCOUNT DUNGANNON (2nd creation).
TREVOR HILL (1693-1742), of Hillsborough, who was elevated to the peerage, in 1717, in the dignities of Baron Hill, of Kilwarlin, and Viscount Hillsborough, of County Down.
His lordship wedded Mary, eldest daughter and co-heir of Anthony Rowe, of Muswell Hill, Middlesex; and left (with a daughter, Anne, wedded to JOHN, 1ST EARL OF MOIRA) an only son, his successor,
WILLS, 2nd Viscount (1718-93), who was created Viscount Kilwarlin and Earl of Hillsborough, in 1751, with remainder, in default of male issue, to his uncle Arthur Hill; and enrolled amongst the peers of Great Britain, in 1756, as Baron Harwich, in Essex.
His lordship was advanced to an English viscountcy and earldom, in 1772, in the dignities of Viscount Fairford and Earl of Hillsborough.
The 1st Earl was further advanced, in 1789, to the dignity of a marquessate, as MARQUESS OF DOWNSHIRE.
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| 1st Marquess of Downshire, by Pompeo Batoni Dickinson Gallery, London and New York, Public Domain |
He married, in 1747, Margaretta, daughter of Robert, 19th Earl of Kildare, and sister of James, 1st Duke of Leinster, by whom he had surviving issue,
ARTHUR, his successor;His lordship wedded secondly, Mary, 1st Baroness Stawell, and widow of the Rt Hon Henry Bilson-Legge, son of the 1st Earl of Dartmouth, by whom he had no issue.
Mary Amelia, m 1st Marquess of Salisbury;
Charlotte, m 1st Earl Talbot.
His lordship was succeeded by his son,
ARTHUR, 2nd Marquess (1753-1801), who espoused, in 1786, Mary, Baroness Sandys, daughter of the Hon Martyn Sandys, and his wife Mary, daughter of William Trumbull, of Easthampstead Park, Berkshire, and had issue,
ARTHUR BLUNDELL SANDYS TRUMBULL, his successor;The 2nd Marquess died in 1801, and the Marchioness having subsequently succeeded to the estates of her uncle, Edwin, 2nd Baron Sandys, was created, in 1802, BARONESS SANDYS, with remainder to her second and younger sons successively.
Arthur Moyses William;
Arthur Marcus Cecil, 3rd Baron Sandys;
Arthur Augustus Edwin;
George Augusta;
Charlotte; Mary.
His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,
ARTHUR BLUNDELL SANDYS TRUMBULL, 3rd Marquess (1788-1845), KP, who married, in 1811, the Lady Mary Windsor, eldest daughter of Other, 5th Earl of Portsmouth, and had issue,
ARTHUR WILLS BLUNDELL SANDYS TRUMBULL WINDSOR, his successor;His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,
William Frederick Arthur Montagu;
Arthur Edwin;
Charlotte Augusta; Mary Penelope.
The heir apparent is the present holder's son Edmund Robin Arthur Hill, styled Earl of Hillsborough.
- Wills Hill, 1st Marquess (1718–93)
- Arthur Hill, 2nd Marquess (1753–1801)
- Arthur Blundell Sandys Trumbull Hill, 3rd Marquess (1788–1845)
- Arthur Wills Blundell Sandys Trumbull Windsor Hill, 4th Marquess (1812–68)
- Arthur Hill, Viscount Kilwarlin (1841–1841)
- Arthur Wills Blundell Trumbull Sandys Roden Hill, 5th Marquess (1844–74)
- Arthur Wills John Wellington Trumbull Blundell Hill, 6th Marquess (1871–1918)
- Arthur Wills Percy Wellington Blundell Trumbull Hill, 7th Marquess (1894–1989)
- Arthur Robin Ian Hill, 8th Marquess (1929–2003)
- Arthur Francis Nicholas Wills Hill, 9th and present Marquess (b 1959)
The Downshire Papers are deposited at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.
In 1870, Lord Downshire owned 115,000 acres, mainly in County Down; and a further 5,000 acres at Easthampstead Park in Berkshire.
These estates generated an income of £80,000 per annum, or £3.6 million in today's money.
The Downshires also maintained a grand residence in London, Downshire House (above) at 24 Belgrave Square, now part of the Spanish embassy, it is thought.
Their principal seat was HILLSBOROUGH CASTLE; and they also had a marine residence, Murlough House, near Dundrum, also in County Down.
 |
| The Hillsborough Castle Guards |
Lord Downshire sold Hillsborough Castle to the Government in about 1921, I think; and Murlough remained with the family till the 1940s or 50s.
Easthampstead Park was sold after the 2nd World War.
Other seats included North Aston Hall, Oxfordshire; Timweston, Buckinghamshire; and Hill Park, Kent.
Today the Downshires live at Clifton Castle, near Ripon in North Yorkshire.
First published in July, 2009.
Nick and Janey would come over here every year to shoot with Philip and Anna Sandford at Portloughan.
ReplyDeleteJust stumbled across your blog, and having been raised In a rough fashion) at Portloughan it is interesting to hear someone else reminiscing about Salt Island. LP, the inimitable Seamus and Anne (known as the Soup Dragon to us).
ReplyDeleteNot sure who the ugly git in the boater is.....
Regards
Julian Sandford
Lord Downshire was in Hillsborough the weekend before last.
ReplyDeleteThank You for your Blog. As I am researching my Family history, I have Hills in my lineage while still somewhat of a mystery, it was made known to me the name Hill is in some fashion associated with the Royals. The connection was suppressed as was told while GeoIV held the throne. In his court were Hills, as Herb Strewers, lead by Miss Ann Fellowes during the Coronation; my focus is on Lady Augusta Maria/Mary Hill; while there are three female Hills listed amoung the assistants , I am focused to researching her illigetimate son, Willam Henry Brown Hill located out of Exeter, Devonshire(raised by a Mr. Brown, apprentised out as a law clerk). I am intrigued that the Hills you have written about may help in some related discovery. If even it leads away from those findings , I appreciate your contribution to the adventure. Thank You. Cheers. Kind Regards, Mellissa A. Quicke-Kennedy;U.S.A.
ReplyDeleteI am also researching family history I am a Hill and I have traced it down to Wills Hill
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