1st Viscount Blundell

The noble family of BLUNDELL was a junior branch of the Blundells of Ince, Lancashire, whose direct male heir, CHARLES ROBERT BLUNDELL, dsp 1838, having bequeathed his estates, including Ince Blundell, to Thomas Weld, their possessor.

SIR FRANCIS BLUNDELL MP (1579-1625), of London, brother and heir of Sir George Blundell, Knight, of Cardington, Bedfordshire (who had a grant of the manor of Blundell, King's County), was appointed, in 1619, secretary for the affairs of Ireland.

Sir Francis was created a baronet in 1620.

He married Joyce, daughter of William Serjeant, of Waldridge, Dinton, Buckinghamshire, and by her had a son and successor,

SIR GEORGE BLUNDELL, 2nd Baronet, of Blundell Castle, MP for Philipstown, 1661, who wedded Sarah, daughter and eventual heir of Sir William Colley, of Edenderry, King's County, and had (with two daughters) three sons,

FRANCIS, his heir;

William;

Winwood.

The eldest son,

SIR FRANCIS BLUNDELL, 3rd Baronet (1643-1707), of Blundell Castle, MP for King's County, 1692-3, 1695-9, and 1703-7, espoused firstly, in 1671, Ursula (d 1673), daughter of Sir Paul Davys; secondly, in 1675, Anne, only daughter of Sir Henry Ingoldsby Bt, by whom he had issue, nine children, including his son and successor,

SIR MONTAGUE BLUNDELL, 4th Baronet (1689-1756), of Blundell Castle, MP for Hastlemere, 1715-22, who married, in 1709, Mary, daughter of John Chetwynd, of Grendon, Warwickshire, and had issue,

Montagu, died unmarried 1732;

Elizabeth;

MARY, of whom presently.

Sir Montague was elevated to the peerage, in 1720, in the dignities of Baron Blundell, of Edenderry, King's County, and VISCOUNT BLUNDELL.

Lord Blundell died in 1756, and with him the titles expired.

His lordship's younger daughter,

THE HON MARY BLUNDELL, wedded, in 1733, William Trumbull, of Easthampstead Park, Berkshire, and had issue, an only child,

MARY TRUMBULL, who married, in 1760, Colonel the Hon Martin Sandys, son of Samuel, 1st Baron Sandys, and had issue, an only child,

MARY SANDYS (1764-1836), suo jure Baroness Sandys, who wedded, in 1786, Arthur, 2nd Marquess of Downshire, and had issue,

ARTHUR BLUNDELL SANDYS TRUMBULL, 3rd Marquess;

Arthur Moyses William, 2nd Baron Sandys;

Arthur Marcus Cecil, 3rd Baron Sandys;

Arthur Augustus Edwin;

George Augusta;

Charlotte; Mary.

Prospect of Blundell's house from the Castle (RJ Welch/ NMNI)

ON a high rock adjacent to the village of Dundrum, County Down, stand the picturesque ruins of the 13th century Dundrum Castle, consisting of a great circular keep or tower, and with a strikingly featured barbican.

Dundrum Castle ranks in importance with the castles at Carrickfergus and Dunluce.

The castle commands an extensive and varied prospect of Dundrum Bay, the sea to the south, and Lecale to the east; and the noble range of the Mourne Mountains to the south and south-west.

Ruins of Dundrum Castle, drawn by Mary Delany in 1758 

Ruins exist, south of the castle, of a larger and more domestic edifice (Blundell's House) which prevailed in the 16th century.

The celebrated MARY DELANY, wife of the Very Rev Patrick Delany, Dean of Down, drew the ruins of Dundrum Castle in 1758: the earliest known drawing of the castle.

Dundrum Castle: the circular keep and twin entrance towers (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

The Delanys resided during this time at MOUNT PANTHER.

Blundell's house can clearly be seen on the slope below the castle, with its steep roofless eaves.

Blundell's House, with Dundrum Castle behind it (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

The Queen's University of Belfast has published a fully comprehensive survey of an excavation undertaken at Blundell's House, Dundrum Castle, in 2009.

The castle itself, remarks the Parliamentary Gazetteer, is supposed to have been built for the Knights-Templars by Sir John de Courcy.

Dundrum Castle and curtain wall (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

It was reputedly held by the Knights till the abolition of their order in 1313; and afterwards held by the Prior of Down till the Reformation; when it next passed successively from GERALD, 11th EARL OF KILDARE, to the Magennises, on whose attainder it was forfeited to the Crown and granted, ca 1605, to the EARL OF ARDGLASS.

It afterwards became the property of Sir Francis Blundell, 1st Viscount Blundell, ca 1636; from whom it descended through marriage to the MARQUESS OF DOWNSHIRE.

The castle was finally dismantled about 1652 by the orders of OLIVER CROMWELL.

After 1660 the Blundells returned and built a gabled L-shaped mansion (Blundell's House) in the south-west corner of the outer bailey.

This dwelling was ruined by the time the property passed to the 2nd Marquess of Downshire in the early 19th century, though the trees on the hill were probably planted at this time.

The castle and grounds were placed in state care by the 7th Marquess in 1954.

First published in March, 2022. Blundell arms courtesy of European Heraldry.