Warren House

THE CHARLEYS OWNED 348 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY ANTRIM

The family of CHARLEY or CHORLEY, passing over from the north of England, settled in Ulster in the 17th century, at first at Belfast, where they were owners of house property for two hundred years; and afterwards at Finaghy, County Antrim, where  

RALPH CHARLEY (1664-1746), of Finaghy House, County Antrim, left a son,

JOHN CHARLEY (1712-93), of Finaghy House, who died aged 81, leaving a son and successor,

JOHN CHARLEY (1744-1812), of Finaghy House, who married, in 1783, Anne Jane, daughter of Richard Wolfenden, of Harmony Hill, County Down. 

His second son, 

MATTHEW CHARLEY (1788-1846), of Finaghy House, married, in 1819, Mary Anne, daughter of Walter Roberts, of Colin House. His eldest son,

JOHN STOUPPE CHARLEY JP (1825-78), of Finaghy House, and of Arranmore Island, County Donegal,

a magistrate for counties Donegal, Antrim, and Belfast; High Sheriff of County Donegal, 1875-6. Mr Charley owned 6,498 acres of land in County Donegal.

This gentleman married, in 1851, Mary, daughter of Francis Forster JP, of Roshine Lodge, County Donegal.

His third son,

WILLIAM CHARLEY, of Seymour Hill, Dunmurry, married, in 1817, Isabella, eldest daughter of William Hunter JP, of Dunmurry; and dying in 1838, was succeeded by his eldest son,

JOHN CHARLEY, of Seymour Hill,  who died unmarried in 1843, aged 25, and was succeeded by his brother, 

WILLIAM CHARLEY JP DL (1826-1904), of Seymour Hill, who wedded, in 1856, Ellen Anna Matilda, daughter of Edward Johnson JP, of Ballymacash, near Lisburn, and granddaughter of Rev Philip Johnson JP DL. 

Mr Charley was juror of Great Exhibition, 1851; chairman of J & W Charley & Company. He wrote the book Flax And Its Products.

He was succeeded by his son,

EDWARD JOHNSON CHARLEY (1859-1932), of Seymour Hill; whose sixth son, 

COLONEL HAROLD RICHARD CHARLEY CBE DL (1875-1956), of Seymour Hill,

officer, 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles; fought in the Boer War, and 1st World War, with 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles; wounded and became a PoW. In 1916 he started workshops for interned British servicemen at Murren. He was Officer-in-Charge for Technical Instruction for servicemen interned in Switzerland, 1917; Commissioner, British Red Cross Society, Switzerland, 1918; commander, 1st Royal Ulster Rifles, 1919-23. CBE, 1920; City Commandant, Ulster Special Constabulary, 1924-52; originator of the British Legion Car Park Attendants scheme (adopted throughout Great Britain); Honorary Colonel, 1938, Antrim Coast Regiment (Territorial Army). 

His eldest son, 

COLONEL WILLIAM ROBERT (Robin) HUNTER CHARLEY OBE (1924-2019), married Catherine Janet, daughter of William Sinclair Kingan, in 1960.

WARREN HOUSE, originally called Warren View, formed part of the Charley estate though, until 1922, was occupied by different members of the Johnston family. 

In 1923, Edward Charley, of Seymour Hill, presented it to his brother, Colonel Harold Charley (1875-1956) on his marriage to Phyllis Hunter MBE (1893-1988). 

They extended the house and enlarged it over a number of years. 

Estate agents describe it thus:

Detached house; six bedrooms; three reception rooms; self-contained annex set on ca 1 acre of gardens; approved guest-house, full of potential. Once the home of flamboyant car magnate John De Lorean; also former home of the Charley family involved in the linen industry, this historic Edwardian dwelling is now run as a successful guest-house. Set in tranquil riverside gardens, the impressive façade gives way to a sumptuous living space. 

Warren House looks across the river Derriaghy to an ancient mound and rabbit warren.

The Charleys sold the house in 1951.

It was sold again thereafter, and is is understood that one later owner converted the large drawing-room into a Plymouth Brethren chapel.

In 1970, when the De Lorean factory was built in the nearby fields, Warren House became John De Lorean's residence.

A special road-way was made directly from the factory to the house.

First published in March, 2011.