Prince Edward in NI

The Duke of Edinburgh is paying a two-day visit to Northern Ireland.

On Thursday His Royal Highness, Colonel, 2 Rifles, visited Thiepval Barracks, Lisburn, County Antrim.

During the afternoon HRH attended a DofE Gold Awards celebration at Hillsborough Castle, County Down.

Today, Friday, 30th June, Prince Edward visited Garvagh and Mussenden Temple, Downhill, County Londonderry.

Mooresfort House

THE MOORES, OF MOORESFORT, WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY TIPPERARY, WITH 10,199 ACRES

CHARLES MOORE JP (1804-69), MP for Tipperary, 1865-9, son of Arthur Moore, of Crookedstone, County Antrim, by Mary O'Hara his wife, purchased Mooresfort, County Tipperary.

He married, in 1835, Marian Elizabeth, daughter of John Story, and had issue,

Charles Henry O'Hara, deceased; 
ARTHUR JOHN, of Mooresfort;
Marian Edith;
Helena Blanche, a nun;
Laura Mary, m  G A Vaughan, nephew of 3rd Earl of Lisburne.

Mr Moore's younger son, 

COUNT ARTHUR JOHN MOORE JP DL (1849-1904), of Mooresfort, MP for Clonmel, 1874-85, Londonderry, 1899-1900, High Sheriff of County Tipperary, 1877, wedded, in 1877, Mary Lucy, daughter of Sir Charles Clifford, 1st Baronet, of Hatherton Hall, Staffordshire, and had issue,

Arthur Joseph Clifford, 1878-1900;
CHARLES JOSEPH HENRY O'HARA, his heir;
Edith Mary.

Mr Moore, Commander of the Order of St Gregory, Chamberlain to Pope LEO XIII, was created a Count by His Holiness in 1879.

His younger son,

CHARLES JOSEPH HENRY O'HARA MOORE MC JP (1880-1965), of Mooresfort, and Aherlow Castle, Captain, Irish Guards, married, in 1917, the Lady Dorothie Mary Evelyn Feilding MM, daughter of 9th Earl of Denbigh.

MOORESFORT HOUSE, near Lattin, County Tipperary, was built in 1725 as a three-storey block.

The house was remodelled in the 1850s by Charles Moore MP, converting the house to a two-storey building in order to have higher rooms.

The Italianate remodelling of the house included the addition of an ornate portico and pediment to the front elevation and canted-bay windows flanked by classically influenced pilasters giving the building an overall Victorian character.

The decorative stained glass window is due to the addition of a chapel designed by George Ashlin also added about this time.

The house retains notable interior features including timber shutters and graceful plasterwork to the drawing room depicting musical instruments.

The extensive ranges of outbuildings adjoining the house are still used to serve a working farm, and contribute positively to the over all setting of the house.

AHERLOW CASTLE, near Bansha, County Tipperary, was also a seat of Arthur Moore MP.

This small castle stands in the Glen of Aherlow.

It has a polygonal tower with loops at one end; a square tower at the other.

Former town residences ~ 64 Prince's Gate, London; 10 Grafton Street, Dublin.

First published in August, 2013.

Prince William in Belfast

The Prince of Wales is in Belfast today, launching his new initiative to tackle homelessness in the United Kingdom.

His Royal Highness was welcomed to the city by the Lord-Lieutenant of Belfast, Dame Fionnuala Jay-O’Boyle DBE.

Norwood Tower Chart

Click to Enlarge

A map dated 1938 showing Norwood Tower in its grounds, with two gate lodges, extensive outbuildings, greenhouses, walled garden, pond, walks and paddocks.

Norwood Tower was probably one of the largest private homes in east Belfast.

The grounds comprised about 50 acres.

Circular Road can be seen to the north of the mansion.

Is the smaller building below Norwood Tower a summer-house?

Or a gardener's lodge?

A path runs down to it from the front garden.

The main drive to the west now forms part of Norwood Court; while the drive to the east is now Norwood Drive.

 Norwood Tower (Image: Mrs Primrose Henderson, 2011)

Norwood Tower was the residence of the Hendersons, proprietors of the Belfast Newsletter newspaper.

Norwood Tower was demolished for housing development ca 1954.

Ardnagreena House is just outside the picture; its gate lodge remains, though the Victorian villa was demolished in the 1990s.

Ardvarna House and its gate lodge were demolished after the 2nd World War.

First published in May, 2011.

Birr Castle

THE EARLS OF ROSSE WERE THE SECOND LARGEST LANDOWNERS IN THE KING'S COUNTY, WITH 22,513 ACRES

This noble family, of English origin, was brought into Ireland towards the close of ELIZABETH I's reign. Its members have, at different periods, filled the highest political employments in the state; have taken distinguished parts in the senate; have become eminent upon the Bench and at the Bar; and have twice been enrolled amongst the baronetage of the kingdom, and twice elevated to the peerage.

WILLIAM PARSONS, of Norfolk, father of Lady Poynings (wife of Richard, Lord Poynings), and mother of Sir Edward Poynings KG (1459-1521), was grandfather (it is presumed) of

SIR WILLIAM PARSONS, 1st Baronet (1570-1650), ancestor of the extinct Earls of Rosse, settled in Ireland ca 1590, with his brother, Sir Laurence Parsons, ancestor of the later earls.

Sir William, being a Commissioner of Plantations, obtained very considerable territorial grants from the Crown.

In 1602, he succeeded Sir Geoffrey Fenton as Surveyor-General of Ireland; and in 1610, he obtained a pension of £30 per annum for life.

In 1611, he was joined with his brother, Laurence, in the supervisorship of the crown lands, with a fee of £60 per annum for life.

In 1620, presenting to JAMES I, in person, surveys of escheated estates, in his capacity of surveyor-general, he received the honour of knighthood, and was created a baronet, denominated of Bellamont, in the same year.

Sir William represented the county of Wicklow in parliament in 1639, and was nominated Lord Justice with Lord Dillon in 1640; but that nobleman being soon removed, he was re-sworn with Sir John Borlace, Master of the Ordnance.

He continued in the government until 1643, when he was removed, charged with treason, and committed to prison, with Sir Adam Loftus and others.

Sir William died in Westminster, and was succeeded by his grandson,

SIR WILLIAM PARSONS, 2nd Baronet, of Bellamont, County Dublin (only son of Richard Parsons by his first wife, Lettice, eldest daughter of Sir Adam Loftus, and granddaughter maternally of Walter Vaughan).

This gentleman married Catherine, eldest daughter of Arthur, Viscount Ranelagh; and dying in 1658, was succeeded by his only surviving son,

SIR RICHARD PARSONS, 3rd Baronet, who was elevated to the peerage, in 1681, in the dignities of Baron Oxmantown and Viscount Rosse, with remainder to the male issue of his great-grandfather.

His lordship wedded firstly, Anne Walsingham; secondly, Catherine, daughter of George, Lord Chandos, both of whom died issueless; and thirdly, in 1685, Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Sir George Hamilton, and niece of Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, by whom he two sons and three daughters.

He died in 1702, and was succeeded by his elder son,

RICHARD, 2nd Viscount (1702-41), who was created, 1718, EARL OF ROSSE.

His lordship married, in 1715, Mary, eldest daughter of Lord William Paulet, brother of Charles, 2nd Duke of Bolton, by whom he had two sons and a daughter; and was succeeded by his elder son,

RICHARD, 2nd Earl; at whose decease, in 1764, without issue, all the honours expired, and the representation of the family devolved upon Sir William Parsons, 4th Baronet, of Birr Castle, MP for the King's County; who married and had issue,

LAURENCE, 3rd Earl, born in 1758,

• William Parsons, 3rd Earl (1800–67)
• Lawrence Parsons, 4th Ear (1840–1908)
• William Edward Parsons, 5th Earl (1873–1918)
• Lawrence Michael Harvey Parsons, 6th Earl (1906–79)
• William Clere Leonard Brendan Parsons, 7th Earl (b 1936).

The heir apparent is the present holder's son Lawrence Patrick Parsons, styled Lord Oxmantown.

The 7th and present Earl is a descendant of the 1st Baronet.

Lord and Lady Rosse live at Birr Castle.

During the period 1979-2007, Lord and Lady Rosse facilitated many decades of research by Dr Anthony Malcomson, former director of the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, and latterly sponsored by the Irish Manuscripts Commission, to enable the production, for the first time, of a comprehensive calendar of the Rosse Papers in 2008.

The archive is held in the Muniment Room of Birr Castle.

The Calendar is of inestimable value for researchers delving into the history of the Parsons family, including English settlement of the Irish midlands in the 17th century; the Williamite wars; early Irish nationalism; the Royal Navy in the 18th century; 19th century science and astronomy; and the fate of the landed gentry in the early 20th century.

BIRR CASTLE demesne, and the historic town of Birr, County Offaly, lie in the centre of Ireland.

The Castle is private, though the famous gardens of the demesne are open every day.

The demesne includes Ireland's Historic Science Centre whose galleries show what Ireland's leading historic scientists have contributed to astronomy photography, engineering and the art of gardening.

Birr Castle’s most spectacular high ceilinged rooms are its tapestried hall, its great Gothic music saloon overlooking the river, its yellow drawing room and long red dining room.

Other features inside include a unique staircase of the 1660s, an early panelled bedroom and dungeons.

Surrounding the castle is Ireland’s largest heritage garden with rivers, waterfalls, a fountain and lake with a Canadian log cabin, cloisters with urns and statuary.

Beyond that a riverbank wilderness and native woods; a Georgian country house in its own park; even a romantic ruined manor court.

Birr Castle was built on medieval foundations in the 1620s. It has been redeveloped many times over the years with more recent parts of the castle dating to the 19th century.

As such the castle has many stylistic perspectives. The façade of the castle is Gothic.

The reception rooms are high ceilinged and date mainly from the early 19th century with a spectacular Gothic ‘saloon’ or drawing room overlooking the River Camcor.

There is a medieval basement and dungeons beneath the Castle as well as battlements along the roof.

The 100 acre demesne has a huge variety of rare and beautiful trees and plants from all over the world. Some highlights include: The Camcor and Little Brosna Rivers and the Lake.

The Fernery with a waterfall, streams and fountain.

The formal gardens feature the hornbeam cloisters, Bavarian urns and decorative seats.

The walled gardens feature Box Hedges that are over 350 years old.

They are also, according to The Guinness Book of Records, the tallest hedges in the world. Other features include: Orchards, bridges, arboretum, outdoor grass stage (teatre Verde), herbaceous borders, lakeside log cabin, Georgian mansion and derelict manor court and stable muse, bog land, country cottages, moat, drawbridge.

A main feature of the demesne is the "Great Telescope" of the 3rd Earl, an astronomical telescope with a 72" reflector.

When completed in 1845, it was the largest telescope on earth, and capable of capturing more light and seeing further into space than any telescope had done before.

It was dismantled in 1914, but was restored by the state in the 1990s as an Irish scientific icon.

There is a long history of photography at the castle. Mary Rosse (1813-85) was the earliest acclaimed female photographer in world.

Her dark room, in which she developed her own photos, is still preserved in the castle exactly as she left it in the 1890s.

Lord Snowdon, who was, as Anthony Armstrong-Jones, partly brought up at Birr, returned to it as a setting for Viyella and other catalogues in the 1980s.

The gardens are host to wedding photography most weekends in the summer.

Former residence ~ Womersley Park, Doncaster.

Former town residence ~ 25 Eaton Terrace, SW1.

First published in June, 2011.  Rosse arms courtesy of European Heraldry.

The Darnley Estate

THE EARLS OF DARNLEY WERE THE GREATEST LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY MEATH, WITH 25,463 ACRES

JOHN BLIGH (c1617-66), of London, and Rathmore, County Meath, third son of William Bligh, merchant of Plymouth, agent of the Adventurers for the Forfeited Estates in 1641, acquired lands in County Meath assigned to him by a deed in chancery, 1654.

This gentleman was commissioner for auditing arrears of customs and excise, 1648-63, and MP for Athboy in the first parliament after the Restoration.

John Bligh married Catherine, sister of the Rt Rev William Fuller, Lord Bishop of Lincoln, and was succeeded by his only surviving son,

THE RT HON THOMAS BLIGH (1654-1710), of Rathmore, County Meath, MP for Rathboy, 1692-3, County Meath, 1695-1710, and of the Privy Council to QUEEN ANNE, who wedded Elizabeth, daughter of Colonel James Naper, of Loughcrew, in the same county, leaving, with other issue, a son,

JOHN BLIGH (1687-1728), MP for Trim, 1709-13, Athboy, 1713-21, who espoused, in 1713, the Lady Theodosia Hyde, then only daughter and heir of Edward, 3rd Earl of Clarendon, by Catherine, Baroness Clifton, and had issue,

George, died in infancy;

EDWARD, his heir;

JOHN, succeeded his brother;

Mary; Anne; Theodosia.

Mr Bligh was elevated to the peerage, in 1721, in the dignity of Baron Clifton, of Rathmore, and Viscount Darnley.

His lordship was further advanced to the dignity of an earldom, in 1725, as EARL OF DARNLEY.

He was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

EDWARD, 2nd Earl (1715-47), who had previously inherited the English barony of CLIFTON on the decease of his mother, 1722.

His lordship died unmarried, and the honours devolved upon his brother,

JOHN, 3rd Earl (1719-81), who espoused, in 1766, Mary, daughter and heir of John Stoyte, of Street, County Westmeath, barrister, and had issue,

JOHN, his successor;
Edward, General in the army;
William;
Mary; Theodosia; Catherine.

His lordship was succeeded by his elder son,

JOHN, 4th Earl (1767-1831), who married, in 1791, Elizabeth, thgird daughter of the Rt Hon William Brownlow, of Lurgan, County Armagh, and had issue,

EDWARD, his successor;
John Duncan;
Mary; Elizabeth.

This nobleman presented, in 1829, a petition to the King, claiming the dukedom of LENNOX, as heir of line of Charles, 6th Duke of Lennox and 4th Duke of Richmond, at whose death, in 1672, CHARLES II was served His Grace's heir.

As His Majesty's (legitimate) issue became extinct in 1807, with His Eminence the Cardinal Duke of York, and as that personage was the last heir male of the STUARTS, the Earl of Darnley put forward his claim as heir general, being descended from Catherine, sister of the 6th Duke.

The petition was referred to the House of Lords, but their lordships came to no decision about it.

His lordship was succeeded by his elder son,

EDWARD, 5th Earl (1795-1835), who wedded, in 1825, Emma Jane, daughter of Sir Henry Parnell Bt, and had issue,

JOHN, his successor;
Edward Vesey;
another son;
Elizabeth Caroline; a daughter.

His lordship, Lord-Lieutenant of County Meath, was succeeded by his eldest son,

JOHN, 6th Earl (1827-96), Hereditary High Steward of Gravesend and Milton.

• John Stuart Bligh, 6th Earl (1827-96);

• Edward Henry Stuart Bligh, 7th Earl (1851–1900);

• Ivo Francis Walter Bligh, 8th Earl (1859–1927);

• Esme Ivo Bligh, 9th Earl (1886–1955);

• Peter Stuart Bligh, 10th Earl (1915–80);

• Adam Ivo Stuart Bligh, 11th Earl (b 1941).

The heir apparent is the present holder's only son, Ivo Donald Bligh, styled Lord Clifton (b 1968).

Darnley Estate Office

During the 1641 Rebellion, the town of Athboy, County Meath, was captured by Owen Roe O'Neill.

With Cromwell and the collapse of the Rebellion, much of the land ownership passed to adventurers from England.

In 1694, the town's 'lands and commons' and several other denominations of land were erected into a manor and granted to Thomas Bligh, MP for Athboy, who had earlier purchased almost 3,000 acres in the area of Athboy.

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the Darnleys planned and carried out the development of Athboy, giving it the form which prevails today.

It was not until 1909, under the 1903 Wyndham Act, that Francis Walter, 8th Earl, auctioned the town of Athboy.

Darnley Lodge Hotel (Image: Tripadvisor)

The Darnley estate office was finally closed in 1948.

Today the erstwhile Darnley estate office on the main street is the Darnley Lodge Hotel.

Cobham Hall

Cobham Hall came into the family through the Stuarts, having been granted, by JAMES I, to Ludowick Stuart, 1st Duke of Richmond and 2nd Duke of Lennox, after the attainder of Henry, Lord Cobham, for his concern in Raleigh's conspiracy.

Former Seats - Cobham Hall, near Gravesend, Kent; Rathmore, County Meath.

Former London residence ~ 46 Berkeley Square, W1

First published in July, 2012.

Westport House

THE MARQUESSES OF SLIGO WERE THE GREATEST LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY MAYO, WITH 114,881 ACRES

This is a junior branch of the noble house of BROWNE, Barons Kilmaine, which is supposed to have sprung from a common ancestor with the extinct Brownes, Viscounts Montagu; though some suggest that the family sprang more immediately from the Brownes of Betchworth Castle, Surrey.

JOHN BROWNE, an Englishman, settled at The Neale, County Mayo, ca 1580, and assisted Sir John Perrott and Sir Richard Bingham in carrying out the composition of Mayo in 1585, whereby the chieftains and freeholders of Mayo acknowledged the sovereignty of ELIZABETH I, and agreed to adopt English laws and tenures.

In 1583 he was appointed the first Sheriff of the then newly created County of Mayo. In 1588, he was slain by the Bourkes of Mayo, who were then in insurrection.

The aforesaid John Browne married Ann, daughter of Nicholas Cardiffe, of Dunsink, County Dublin, and left issue, with one daughter (Elizabeth), an only son,

JOSIAS BROWNE (c1579-1634), of The Neale (an infant at the date of his father's death), who wedded Joan, daughter of Edward Bermingham, of Carrick, County Kildare, and by her had, with other issue,

JOHN, his heir;

Valentine;

Robert;

Andrew.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

JOHN BROWNE, who was created a baronet in 1636, designated of The Neale, County Mayo.

Sir John married Mary, daughter of Sir Dominick Browne, Knight, of Galway, and had issue,

George, ancestor of the Barons Kilmaine;
JOHN, of whom presently;
Dominick; Elizabeth.

Sir John died in 1670, and was buried in the Abbey of Ross, County Galway.

His second son,

COLONEL JOHN BROWNE, of Kinturk and Westport, a colonel in the service of JAMES II, and one of the capitulators of Limerick, where (being originally bred a lawyer) he had a principal hand in drawing up the celebrated articles of capitulation.

By his second wife Maud, daughter of Theobald, 3rd Viscount Bourke, he had two sons and three daughters: Bridget, Lady Athenry; Elizabeth; and Elizabeth.

Colonel Browne died in Dublin, 1712, and was succeeded by his elder son, 

PETER BROWNE, of Westport, who wedded Mary, daughter of the Rt Hon Denis Daly, one of the judges of the Court of Common Pleas in Ireland.

He died in 1722, and was succeeded by his only son,

JOHN BROWNE (1709-76), MP for Castlebar, 1744-60, who was elevated to the peerage, in 1760, in the dignity of Baron Mount Eagle, of Westport, County Mayo.

His lordship was advanced to a viscountcy, in 1768, as Viscount Westport; and further advanced to the dignity of an earldom, in 1771, as Earl of Altamont.

He wedded, in 1729,  Anne, daughter of Sir Arthur Gore Bt, and sister of Arthur, 1st Earl of Arran, and had issue,

PETER, his successor;
Arthur, colonel in the army;
James;
Henry;
John;
Anne.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

PETER, 2nd Earl, who married, in 1752, Elizabeth, only daughter and heiress of Chief Justice Kelly, of the island of Jamaica, and had issue,

JOHN DENIS;
Denis, a privy counsellor;
Anne; Elizabeth; Charlotte.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son, 

JOHN DENIS, 3rd Earl (1756-1809), KP, who wedded, in 1787, the Lady Louisa Catharine Howe, youngest daughter and co-heiress of Admiral the Earl Howe, by whom he had an only son, HOWE PETER.

His lordship was created, in 1800, MARQUESS OF SLIGO.

• John Denis Browne, 1st Marquess (1756–1809)
• Howe Peter Browne, 2nd Marquess (1788–1845)
• George John Browne, 3rd Marquess (1820–96)
• John Thomas Browne, 4th Marquess (1824–1903)
• Henry Ulick Browne, 5th Marquess (1831–1913)
• George Ulick Browne, 6th Marquess (1856–1935)
• Ulick John Browne, 7th Marquess (1898–1941)
• Arthur Howe Browne, 8th Marquess (1867–1951)
• Terence Morris Browne, 9th Marquess (1873–1952)
• Denis Edward Browne, 10th Marquess (1908–91)
• Jeremy Ulick Browne, 11th Marquess (1939–2014)
• Sebastian Ulick Browne, 12th Marquess (born 1964)

The heir apparent is the present holder's son Christopher Ulick Browne, styled Earl of Altamont.

The 6th Marquess was the last Lord-Lieutenant of County Mayo, from 1914 until 1922.

WESTPORT HOUSE, near Castebar, County Mayo, ancestral seat of the Marquesses of Sligo, is located west of the Shannon and is one of Ireland's most historic country houses open to the public.

Western front of Westport House, 2011 (Image: Wikipedia)

It was designed by the famous architects Richard Cassels and James Wyatt in the 18th century.

Westport House enjoys a superb parkland setting with lake, terraces, wonderful gardens and magnificent views overlooking Clew Bay, the Atlantic Ocean, Achill, Clare Island and Ireland’s holy mountain Croagh Patrick. 

It was built and is still privately owned by Lord Sligo, a direct descendant of the 16th century Pirate Queen, Grace O’Malley.

During the 1500s, Grace O’Malley was a famous Pirate and “Queen of Connaught”.

After her death, a report stated that for forty years she was the stay of all rebellions in the West.

She was chief of the O’Malley Clan and ruled the seas around Mayo.

Grace O’Malley had several castles in the West of Ireland and it was on the foundations of one of these that Westport House was actually built.

There is still an area of her original Castle in the basement of the House (now known as the Dungeons) which is on view to the visitors.

A bronze statue of Grace O’Malley by artist Michael Cooper is situated on the Westport House grounds.

The original house was built by Colonel John Browne, a Jacobite, who was at the siege of Limerick, and his wife Maud Bourke.

Maud Bourke was Grace O’Malley’s great-granddaughter.

The House then had no lake or dam, and the tide rose and fell against the walls.

The east front of the House as it is today was built in 1730 by Colonel John Browne’s grandson, 1st Earl of Altamont, who hired the famous German architect Richard Cassels.

It is built with the finest limestone taken from the quarry south of the estate farmyard and was executed by local craftsmen. 

Richard Cassels also designed Carton, Hazelwood, Russborough and Leinster House.

Westport House was completed by James Wyatt, who also laid out the town of Westport. 

On the south face of the House is the date 1778 and inside many of the ceilings, cornices and fireplaces are examples of his finest work.

The Large Dining room is perhaps the finest remaining example of his work.

The doors are mahogany, brought back from the family estates in Jamaica. 

There are still a number of original James Wyatt drawings on show, together with some of his son’s, Benjamin Wyatt, who also did some work in the House.

There are several architecturally stunning rooms on show, complete with original contents, most of which have a long association with Ireland and are of particular interest.

Among the pictures are portraits by Sir Joshua Reynolds of the 1st Earl of Altamont; the Rt Hon Denis Browne, brother of the 1st Marquess and a member of Grattan’s Parliament, by Beechy; Howe Peter, 2nd Marquess, who spent four months in jail for bribing seamen in time of war, to bring his ship, full of antiquities from Greece to Westport.

The 2nd Marquess was a friend of GEORGE IV and the poet Byron.

There is also a portrait of Admiral of the Fleet the Earl Howe, father of the 1st Marchioness of Sligo, by John Singleton Copley.

Other Artworks include a magnificent collection of landscapes painted in the locality by James Arthur O’Connor.

Other artists such as Chalon, Barret, Gibson, Opie, Brooks and Lavery are part of the collection.

There is also a collection of waxwork figures by Gems Display Figures, which are a tribute to the literary, arts and music achievements of the West of Ireland.

Other original items on show in Westport House, of particular interest, include a fine collection of old English and Irish silver, including 18th century Irish ‘potato’ or dish rings, Waterford glass, a library with many old Irish books.

A Mayo Legion Flag was brought to Ireland by General Humbert when he invaded the country in 1798 and has ever since been at Westport House, which was occupied by his troops.

Westport House was opened to the public for the first time in 1960 and since then has welcomed over four million visitors.

Westport House and grounds were sold in 2017 to a local business family, committed to investing and maintaining the current facilities which are a major tourist attraction.

Mayo County Council has acquired forty acres of the estate which are expected to be retained in their current form as part of the setting for the house.

First published in June, 2011. 

Ormiston House

JAMES COMBE OWNED 62 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY DOWN

ORMISTON HOUSE, Belfast, was built in 1867 to designs by David Bryce of Edinburgh for James Combe, a Scots-born iron-founder and linen manufacturer (Combe Barbour).

Falls Foundry, North Howard Street, Belfast

This is a Scottish-Baronial style mansion house with crow-stepped gables, a bartizan turret and gargoyles.

There is a central three-storey tower-house with two-storey wings on each side; a pitched slate roof; pedimented dormers; and a decorated, pedimented doorway.

Two gate lodges still stand at the Belmont and Hawthornden roads.

There were probably lodges at the Wandsworth and Upper Newtownards roads, too.

The illustration above depicts the visit of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, the 5th Earl Spencer, to Ormiston; His Excellency's carriage passing the triumphal arch at one of the gate lodges.

The Belmont Road gate lodge, still standing, is at the junction of the aptly-named Pirrie Road, possibly the shortest road in Belfast.

Lord Lieutenant's Carriage passing Belmont Road Lodge

This is rather an extravagant little lodge, with crow-stepped gables, and emblems of the three kingdoms at the apexes, viz. sculpted rose, shamrock and thistle.

Belmont Road Gate Lodge in 2019

In 1876, the grounds comprising 62 acres were bounded by Belmont Road, Wandsworth Road, Upper Newtownards Road, and Hawthornden Road.

The Falls Foundry was one of the main foundries in Belfast. It was set up in 1845 by Combe, to supply equipment for the railways, which were expanding at the time. By the 1850s the firm had moved into the textile machinery business and was making carding machinery for long staple flax fibres. 

The name of the firm was later changed to Combe, Barbour and Combe and, in 1900, became a part of Fairbairn Lawson Combe Barbour Ltd. For a period from about 1880 to the end of the first world war, the Falls foundry also made large steam engines as part of their service to mill owners.

Although they occasionally tried to diversify by making specialist machinery for other trades, the firm was best known as a major manufacturer of spinning and twisting frames until 1955, when the parent company ceased business in Belfast. 

The school photograph below was taken outside Ormiston about 1973 and, indeed, features the young Timothy William.

Spotted me yet?

Click to Enlarge

The property was sold to the shipbuilder Sir Edward Harland Bt ca 1880, who remained there until 1887, when it was acquired by his business partner William, later 1st Viscount Pirrie.

I think the Pirries would only have used Ormiston for a part of the year, because they owned a number of other homes, including Downshire House in London.

Downshire House, Belgrave Square

Ormiston must have been used a lot for entertaining visitors, senior executives having ships built and others.

Lord Pirrie, who later became the Chairman at Harland & Wolff, retained the house until his death in 1924; however, by this stage the property was partly owned by the shipyard itself and between 1911-20, it appears to have been used to house various company directors, among them George Cuming who is recorded as resident there in 1918. 

Shortly after Pirrie's death, Harland & Wolff came into sole ownership of the property, selling it in 1928 to Campbell College, which remained there until the mid-1970s.

Since then the property has served as government offices, but is presently vacant.

The stable block appears to have originally consisted of the U-shaped building centred around the small courtyard.

This block was undoubtedly built at the same time as the main house (1865-67); however, as the valuation records give no indication of the original extent of the property, and as no original plans appear to have survived, we cannot be completely certain of this.

The small hipped roof extension to the eastern side of the stables was added some time before 1901, as it shown on a map of that year, as are the garden sheds and large walled garden to the south. 

The latter, which included a large glass house is of uncertain date also; however the appearance of both the sheds and the extension suggests that both were added ca 1880s-90s, possibly by Lord Pirrie, who extended the house itself in 1896-97 (when he was Lord Mayor of Belfast) and made changes to the grounds, creating, amongst other features, a nine-hole golf course.

During the mid to late 20th century, much of the southern half of Ormiston's grounds was sold off for housing development with the walled garden and glass house were demolished in the process.

The garden sheds survived and were utilised by Campbell College as changing rooms serving a swimming pool (installed by the school some distance to the south of the house itself), with the stables converted to quarters for the groundsman and stores.

A Valuation Notebook of 1903 still exists which includes an entry, dated 1903, showing the changes believed to have been made by Lord Pirrie in 1896-97, including the large timber-built ballroom to the rear of the house and some additional glass-houses to the south-east of the formal garden.

The garden and the stable extension are all shown, suggesting both were added prior to 1896.

Ormiston has recently been restored to its former glory by its new owner Pete Boyle, proprietor of Argento Jewellers.

First published in July, 2010.

Ravensdale Park

THE BARONS CLERMONT WERE THE GREATEST LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY LOUTH, WITH 20,369 ACRES

This family deduces its pedigree from common ancestors with the EARLS FORTESCUE, viz. remotely, Sir Richard le Forte, a Norman knight, in the train of WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR; and, more remotely, Lord Chief Justice Fortescue.

The first of its members that settled in Ireland,

SIR FAITHFUL FORTESCUE (c1581-1666), Knight, removed to that kingdom early in the reign of JAMES I, and commanded an infantry regiment there.

Sir Faithful obtained large possessions in Ireland, amongst which was Dromiskin Castle, County Louth.

He wedded Anne, daughter of Garret, 1st Viscount Moore, of Drogheda, and was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

SIR THOMAS FORTESCUE (c1620-1710), Knight, Governor of Carrickfergus Castle, who espoused firstly, Sydney, daughter of Colonel William Kinsmill; and secondly, Elizabeth, daughter of Colonel Ferdinand Carey, and had issue,

WILLIAM;
Chichester.

Sir Thomas was succeeded by his grandson,

THOMAS FORTESCUE (1683-1769), MP for Dundalk, 1727-60, who married Elizabeth, daughter of James Hamilton, and sister of James, 1st Earl of Clanbrassil, and had issue,

James, father of WILLIAM, 2nd VISCOUNT CLERMONT;
WILLIAM HENRY, of whom hereafter;
Margaret; Charlotte.

Mr Fortescue's younger son,

THE RT HON WILLIAM HENRY FORTESCUE (1722-1806), MP for County Louth, 1745-60, Monaghan, 1761-70, was sworn of the Privy Council, 1764, and appointed Postmaster-General.

Mr Fortescue was elevated to the peerage, in 1770, in the dignity of Baron Clermont, of Clermont, County louth.

His lordship was created, in 1776, BARON and VISCOUNT CLERMONT, with remainder to his brother, the Rt Hon James Fortescue, of Ravensdale Park, County Louth, MP for that county.

His lordship was further advanced to the dignity of an earldom, in 1777, as EARL OF CLERMONT, but without the reversionary grant.

He was installed as a Knight Founder of the Order of St Patrick (KP) in 1795.

His lordship espoused Frances, eldest daughter of Colonel John Murray, County Monaghan; but dying without issue, in 1806, the earldom expired, while the other honours devolved, according to the limitation, upon his nephew,

WILLIAM CHARLES FORTESCUE, 2nd Viscount (1764-1829), only surviving son of his deceased brother, mentioned above, by Mary Henrietta, eldest daughter of Thomas Orby Hunter, of Crowland Abbey, Lincolnshire.

His lordship died at Ravensdale Park, County Louth, unmarried, when the viscountcy expired.

The title was revived, however, in 1852, when his kinsman,  

THOMAS FORTESCUE, was created BARON CLERMONT (2nd & 3rd creation).

• Thomas Fortescue, 1st Baron Clermont (1815-87)
• Chichester Parkinson-Fortescue, 1st Baron Carlingford, 2nd Baron Clermont (1823-98) (brother).

RAVENSDALE PARK, near Dundalk, County Louth, was a large, rather austere, early Victorian house built of granite with a plain, irregular aspect.

A lofty Italianate campanile with an open belvedere atop dominated the mansion.

Ravensdale was built for Thomas Fortescue, 1st Baron Clermont, the architect being Thomas Duff of Newry.

It was partly two and partly three storeys, though mainly the same height, with an eaved roof.

The garden front was remarkably long, being ten bays.

There was another front of five bays with a domed octagon at one corner.

Ravensdale became the home of Lord Clermont's younger brother and successor, the politician Chichester Fortescue, 1st and last Lord Carlingford (who married the famous Frances, Countess Waldegrave).

It was sold to Sir Daniel Dixon Bt, father of 1st Lord Glentoran; then sold again to Lord Arran.

Ravendale was sold, yet again, in 1920, and was burnt shortly afterwards.

Much of the former estate is now a forest park; while the Ravensdale Equestrian and Trekking Centre operates from the demesne.

Ravensdale Forest is part of the former demesne.

First Published in May, 2011.   Clermont arms courtesy of European Heraldry.

Historic Ballydugan

In May, 2017, I paid a visit to Inch Abbey, Downpatrick and Ballydugan.

It is such a long time since I have visited Inch Abbey, that extensive, ruined monastic site on the banks of the river Quoile, just outside Downpatrick, county town of County Down.

These visits always fill me with a sense of nostalgia, a taste of former times, picnicking, glorious meadows in the summer.

Inch Abbey, by the way, is an idyllic picnic spot, if the weather is clement enough.

It was a monastery from about 1180 till 1541, when it was dissolved by HENRY VIII.

The graveyard adjacent to the little car-park at Inch Abbey is dominated by the tomb or vault of the Perceval-Maxwells of FINNEBROGUE.

They were the landowners and presented Inch Abbey to the state in 1910.

Thence I jumped into the two-seater and made my jolly way in a south-easterly direction, over the river, to the historic town of Downpatrick.

Down Cathedral stands proudly to the extreme west of the town, overlooking Inch Abbey across the river Quoile.

I made a bee-line for Down County Museum, which is located in the historic buildings of the former County Gaol of Down.

The Gaol was opened in 1796 until its closure in 1830, when it became a military barracks.

I ambled up the hill to the cathedral.

The cathedral's graveyard lies directly opposite the west front.

The most commanding vault, almost like a little chapel itself, boasts stone pinnacles (larger versions of which adorn the cathedral) and stands at a corner of the graveyard directly overlooking the cathedral's west front.

It has an inscription in capital letters, viz. HASTINGS.

A black cat was sleeping on a grave further along.

Any reader who knows me shall be aware that I never pass a cat without greeting it cordially, and this occasion happened to be no exception.

In fact I persevered and at length my feline devotee was roused and befriended me; to the extent that it followed me into a field and up to the threshold of the cathedral.

Incidentally, the Perceval-Maxwells, like many other landed families of County Down, were patrons of Down Cathedral.

Their armorial bearings are resplendent on large, carved, colourful plaques along the walls of the nave.

Thereafter I motored in a south-westerly direction towards the townland of Ballydugan, a truly heavenly spot in the county.

Ballydugan is a hop, skip and jump away from Downpatrick; yet you are struck by its tranquillity and "olde worlde" charm.

A cursory glance at the map shall indicate that we are within riding-distance of Downpatrick Racecourse.

I have already written about BALLYDUGAN HOUSE.

The old flour mill of Ballydugan is now a guesthouse and undertakes weddings and other functions.

It was built in 1792 by one John Auchinleck of Strangford, County Down.

Rubble masonry was used in its construction.

It is six bays in width and six storeys in height, plus two attic storeys; an impressive, stone-walled forecourt and a gatehouse.

A lofty, tapered brick chimney stands behind the mill.

A mere thirty or forty yards along the road from the mill stands the Lakeside Inn, a former coaching inn, post-office and spirit grocer's.

Margaret Ferguson, whose family owns the inn, has traced the building back to 1840.

Margaret has run the inn for seven years, since the death of her mother Meta.

Her grandfather, Thomas Hutton, ran it in 1899; and his brother, Bernard, took over till 1890.

It came into the family in 1925 when Margaret's grandfather, Thomas Hutton, bought it after 26 years working there.

He died in 1959, and his daughter Meta ran it thereafter.

Meta Hutton died in 2012 and Margaret with her husband Geoffrey have taken the helm.

The two-seater was parked beside the charming little lake at Ballydugan.

I strolled along the road on its eastern side and several hundred yards further along The Old Town emerged.

It was almost akin to stepping back in time.

This is what the Irish call a clachan, a small cluster of buildings huddled together, usually inhabited formerly by extended families and neighbours.

A Christian community known as The Old Town Community is based here.

Ballydugan Cottages have been turned into holiday accommodation.

The Old Town overlooks Ballydugan Lake.

A wooden sign nailed to a tree declares that Belfast Anglers Club has the fishing rights.

Back at the lakeside car-park, I munched my sandwiches and gave a few crumbs to the sparrows outside.

The Lake House in 2014

At the north side of the lake stands an old cottage known variously as Lake Cottage, Ballydugan Cottage, and Lake House.

Its address is Drumcullan Road.

This building and its location interest me, and I intend to write an article about it and its inhabitants soon.

First published in May, 2017.