Burrenwood Cottage

THE MEADES OF BURRENWOOD WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY DOWN, WITH 13,492 ACRES

JOHN PERCY MEADE JP DL (1847-1919), of Burrenwood, County Down, and Earsham Hall, Norfolk, High Sheriff of County Down, 1897, Captain, Oxfordshire Light Infantry, married, in 1894, Helena Frances, daughter of Sir Allen Johnson Walsh Bt, and had issue,

JOHN WINDHAM, his heir;
Robert Percy, b 1896;
Helena Theodosia Kathleen.

Captain Meade was the elder son of John Meade, of Burrenwood, County Down, and grandson of General the Hon Robert Meade, of Burrenwood, second son of the 1st Earl of Clanwilliam.

The eldest son,

JOHN WINDHAM MEADE JP (1894-1984), of Burrenwood, wedded, in 1932, Grace Dorothea, daughter of Sir Cecil Fane de Salis, and had issue,

JOHN MICHAEL, b 1935;
Francis Windham, b 1941;
Theodosia Frances, b 1932.

BURRENWOOD, near Castlewellan, County Down, is a 6,170 square foot, horseshoe shaped, rustic villa and cottage ornée, built in the late 18th century.

It stands on land, which, in the mid 1700s, belonged to Sir John Hawkins Magill, of Gill Hall, near Dromore.

When Sir John died his entire estate passed to his daughter, Theodosia.

Burrenwood (Image: Best Property Services)

Theodosia, who married Sir John Meade (later 1st Earl of Clanwilliam) in 1776, was a very able woman, who, unusually for the era, managed all of her estates personally.

Theodosia, Countess of Clanwilliam, died in 1817, and left her personal estate to her second son, General the Hon Robert Meade.

General Meade is believed to have extended the original house ca 1820, adding the new ornée cottage front section and the wing to the west, as well as increasing the planting around the house.

The newly extended "Burrenwood Cottage" is shown on a map of 1834.

General Meade lived mainly in London, using Burrenwood as a summer residence.

Burrenwood (Image: Best Property Services)

After his death, in 1852, the Meade family largely abandoned Burrenwood and the property left to the care of trusted tenants.

It was reoccupied by a Meade descendant in 1934 who, during the 2nd World War, removed the thatch for safety reasons.

The Meades sold Burrenwood to the present owners in 2007.

Burrenwood (Image: Best Property Services)

BURRENWOOD COTTAGE today is surrounded by 52 acres of woodland and two acres of lawns.

It is described as lying

"Within extensive mature woodland on the south side of the Burren River. The current owners of Burrenwood cottage occupy the southernly quarter described as Coachman’s quarters. Comprising of a kitchen, sitting room, office/utility room, bathroom and 2 bedrooms over 2 floors with 2 adjacent stables."

The Clanwilliam Papers are held at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.

First published in May, 2010.