Forkhill House

THE ALEXANDERS WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY ARMAGH, WITH 8,324 ACRES

NATHANIEL ALEXANDER (1689-1761), of Gunsland, County Donegal, second son of JOHN ALEXANDER, of Ballyclose, County Londonderry, and of Gunsland, County Donegal, and grandson of ANDREW ALEXANDER, of Ballyclose, alderman of Derry, 1755, married Elizabeth, daughter of William McClintock, of Dunmore, County Donegal, and had issue,

WILLIAM, of London, Barrister;
ROBERT, of Boom Hall;
James, created EARL OF CALEDON;
Mary Jane; Rebecca.

The second son,

ROBERT ALEXANDER (1722-90), of Boomhall, County Londonderry, wedded, in 1759, Anne, daughter of Henry McCullogh, and had issue,

NATHANIEL, his heir;
Henry, of Glentogher;
William, Lieutenant-General;
James, of Somerhill, Kent;
Josias Du Pré, East India Company;
Elizabeth; Anne.

The eldest son,

THE RT REV AND RT HON NATHANIEL ALEXANDER  (1760-1840), of Portglenone House, married, in 1785, Anne, daughter of the Rt Hon Richard Jackson MP, of Coleraine, and had issue,

Robert (Rev), of Portglenone;
James (Rev);
Nathaniel;
HENRY, of whom presently;
George;
William Stuart;
Anne; Mary; Eliza; Henrietta Frances.

The fourth son,

HENRY ALEXANDER (1803-77), of Forkhill House, County Armagh, High Sheriff of County Armagh, 1856, a barrister, espoused, in 1839, Louisa Juliana, second daughter of Thomas, 2nd Earl of Ranfurly, and had issue,

GRANVILLE HENRY JACKSON, his heir;
Henry Nathaniel;
Claud Henry;
Ronald Henry;
Frederick Henry Thomas;
Dudley Henry, CMG;
Blanche Catherine; Alice Mary Juliana;
Constance Henrietta Georgina; Emily Louisa; Edith Ellen.

Mr Alexander was succeeded by his eldest son,

GRANVILLE HENRY JACKSON ALEXANDER JP DL (1852-1930), of Forkhill House, High Sheriff of County Armagh, 1883, Captain, 3rd Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers, who married, in 1880, Daisy, daughter of M Mathews, of San Francisco, USA, though the marriage was without issue.

Captain Alexander sold most of his estate under the 'Wyndham' Land Act about 1905; and the remainder, including Forkhill House, in 1924.

FORKHILL HOUSE, Forkhill, County Armagh, sometimes spelled Forkill, is an 18th century house of three storeys and two bays.

The walls are rendered.

It was built for Richard Jackson (who endowed many schools in the area) ca 1780, along with the farmyard.

The house is said to have been occupied by John Foxall in 1836.

George Bassett, writing in 1888, remarked,

An extensive property owner here, has lately spent from £6,000 to £7,000 improving his fine residence, Forkhill House. The demesne is open to the public, and is much frequented by excursion and picnic parties. A trout lake, containing between eight and ten acres, romantically situated, affords good sport for angler.

The improvement was likely in a hip-roof annex built on to the left front of the original house.

This section which was burned during the troubles in the 1920s, and subsequently demolished. 

Though known as Forkhill House, the pre-1834 building has gone, with the exception of one wing. 

The part-walled demesne of 100 acres is in an outstanding position on the south-facing slopes of Tievecrom Mountain. 

At the present time it is practically treeless, but the grounds contain some very interesting ornamental features that are not operational, but could be.

The ponds are drained but artificial islands, with parts of rustic buildings and a boat-house in good condition remain.

A mountain top turret view point affords excellent views.

The walled garden is used for grazing.

The gate lodge has been enlarged and decorated many times during the 19th century. 

First published in August, 2010.