Ballyscullion Park

THE BRUCES, OF BALLYSCULLION PARK, OWNED 4,000 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY LONDONDERRY

This is a branch of the Bruces of Stenhouse, a suburb of Edinburgh, springing from,

SIR ROBERT BRUCE, of Airth, who wedded Janet, daughter of Alexander, 5th Lord Livingston, and had issue,

John (Sir), whose male line is extinct;
WILLIAM, ancestor of the baronets of Stenhouse; and

THE REV ROBERT BRUCE (1554-1631), a distinguished personage in the reign of JAMES VI, King of Scotland, who had the honour of crowning that monarch's Queen.

A younger son of that eminent clergyman,

THE REV MICHAEL BRUCE, settled at Killinchy, in County Down, but was driven, with other ministers, thence into Scotland, in 1651, by Colonel Venables, and the parliamentarians, for his fidelity to the King.

In 1668 he was sent prisoner to Westminster, for officiating in private as a minister of the Gospel.

He returned to Killinchy, however, in 1669, after undergoing great hardships, and a long imprisonment in England and Scotland.

Mr Bruce died about 1692, leaving a son,

THE REV JAMES BRUCE, Minister of Killyleagh, who married Margaret, daughter of  Lieutenant-Colonel James Traill, and was father of

THE REV PATRICK BRUCE, Minister of Drumbo, County Down, who removed for a time to Scotland, and afterwards succeeded his father as minister of Killyleagh.

He wedded, in 1718, Margaret, daughter of James Hamilton, of Ladyland, in Galloway, and had several children, of whom the eldest son,

JAMES BRUCE, of Killyleagh, born in 1720, married Henrietta, youngest daughter of the Hon and Rev Dr Henry Hervey Aston Bruce (fourth son of 1st Earl of Bristol, by Catherine, sister and heiress of Sir Thomas Aston Bt), and had issue, 

HENRY HERVEY ASTON, his heir;
Stewart, created a baronet, 1812;
Frideswide, m, 1781, D Mussenden, of Larchfield, Co Down.

Mr Bruce was succeeded by his elder son,

THE REV HENRY HERVEY ASTON BRUCE, of Downhill, County Londonderry, who was created a baronet in 1804, designated of Downhill, County Londonderry.

Sir Henry espoused, in 1786, Letitia, daughter of the Rev Dr Henry Barnard, and had issue,

Frederick Hervey, b 1787, died unmarried;
James Robertson, 2nd Baronet;
HENRY WILLIAM, of whom hereafter.

Sir Henry's youngest son,

ADMIRAL SIR HENRY WILLIAM BRUCE KCB (1792-1863), of Ballyscullion Park, married firstly, in 1822, Jane, daughter of Admiral the Hon Sir Alexander Forrester Cochrane, and had issue,

Alexander Hervey, an army officer;
HENRY STEWART BERESFORD.

He wedded secondly, in 1832, Louisa Mary Minchin, daughter of Colonel George Dalrymple, and had further issue,

James Minchin, Rear-Admiral, RN. 

Admiral Bruce's second son, 

HENRY STEWART BERESFORD BRUCE JP DL (1824-1908), of Ballyscullion Park, Lieutenant-Colonel, 2nd Lancashire Militia, espoused firstly, in 1846, Marriette, daughter of John Hill, of Bellaghy Castle, and had issue, seven sons and four daughters; of whom the third son,

STEWART ARMIT MacDONALD BRUCE JP (1858-1937), was of Ballyscullion Park.

THE MULHOLLANDS are a branch of the ancient sept of MacLallan, Argyllshire.

They were first established in County Antrim, whence they spread into the counties of Kilkenny, Carlow, Londonderry, and Monaghan.

In the last-named county, Captain John Mulholland held the estate of Conaghty by grant from the Crown; and his lineal descendant, John Mulholland, served as High Sheriff in 1766.

ANDREW MULHOLLAND JP DL (1792-1866), of Springvale (Ballywalter Park), County Down, was the son of Thomas Mulholland (1756-1820), of Belfast.

THE RT HON HENRY GEORGE HILL MULHOLLAND (1888-1971), Speaker of the Northern Ireland House of Commons, MP for Ards, was the third son of Henry, 2nd Baron Dunleath, and Norah Louisa Fanny Ward.

In 1945, Mr Mulholland was created a baronet, designated of Ballyscullion Park, County Londonderry.

Sir Harry married, in 1914, Sheelagh, daughter of Sir Arthur Douglas Brooke Bt, and had issue,

Michael Henry, 2nd Baronet and 5th Baron Dunleath;
SYLVIA PATRICIA NORAH, of whom we treat.

Sir Harry's only daughter,

SYLVIA PATRICIA NORAH MULHOLLAND (b 1918), wedded, in 1939, Major Timothy Palmer, and had issue,

Amanda Clare, b 1950;
RICHARD TIMOTHY MULHOLLAND.

RICHARD TIMOTHY MULHOLLAND PALMER (b 1954), is now of Ballyscullion Park.

BALLYSCULLION PARK, near Bellaghy, County Londonderry, is a two-storey, five-bay Victorian country house.

It was built in 1840 by the distinguished architect (Sir) Charles Lanyon for Admiral Sir Henry William Bruce KCB, a younger son of Sir Henry Hervey Bruce Bt (1820-1907).

Stones were taken from the Earl-Bishop’s residences at Downhill and Ballyscullion to build Ballyscullion Park House.

The front portico has four columns (two square, two round) with pilaster Tuscan capitals, supporting a frieze with triglyph & mutule, deep cornice and blocked parapet.

There are ashlar steps and side blocks; deep overhanging eaves and pitched roofs.

The northern elevation was formerly glassed in.

Ballyscullion Park remained in the Bruce family until 1938, when it was purchased by Sir Henry and Lady Mulholland.

Sir Henry, 1st Baronet, was Speaker of the Northern Ireland House of Commons from 1929 to 1945.

During the 2nd World War the estate, renamed Camp Ballyscullion, was prepared by the 202nd Engineering Combat Battalion for US soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division before D-Day.

Ballyscullion Park remains a private home owned by the Mulholland family.

It may be hired as a wedding venue or film location: part of Game of Thrones was filmed in the park.

This partly walled demesne was established in 1787 for Frederick, 4th Earl of Bristol and Lord Bishop of Derry, commonly known as The Earl-Bishop.

That palatial country house was sadly was never completed, though the central rotunda (a prototype for the considerably larger Ickworth House) was finished.

Remnants of what was once known as "The Bishop's Folly" lie in the woodland, having been partly demolished in 1813.

Nearby stands the present Ballyscullion Park, which overlooks Lough Beg and distant mountains beyond, affording fine views and incorporating the spire of a church on an island in the lough.

This was added as a folly tower in order to provide an eye-catcher from the original palace.

The Earl-Bishop chose this location for his late 18th century building as he considered it, ‘... not to be inferior to any Italian scenery’.

The foreground to the lough is in the manner of parkland with stands of trees.

There are effective shelter belts in what is flat exposed land.

Close to the stable-yard lies the partly walled garden, which is cultivated as an ornamental and productive garden for present-day family use.

First published in December, 2014.

Cahercon House

THE HON CHARLES WILLIAM WHITE WAS THE SECOND LARGEST LANDOWNER IN COUNTY TIPPERARY, WITH 23,957 ACRES

LUKE WHITE (c1740-1824) was born at Bell's Lane (now Garfield Street), Belfast.

This bookseller, lottery operator and Whig politician was once known as "the Smithfield Millionaire." 

He started as an impecunious book dealer, first in the streets of Belfast; then, from 1778, at an auction house in Dublin, buying and reselling around the country. 

By 1798, during the Rebellion, he helped the Irish government with a loan of £1 million (at £65 per £100 share at 5%). 

He then purchased Luttrellstown Castle from Henry Luttrell, 2nd Earl of Carhampton, in 1800, and changed its name to Woodlands in order to eradicate the memory of its previous owner.

Mr White, High Sheriff of County Dublin, 1804, Longford, 1806, MP for Leitrim, 1818-24, married firstly, in 1781, Elizabeth, daughter of Peter de la Mazière, and had, with other issue,

Thomas, Colonel in the army, of Woodlands;
Samuel;
Luke;
HENRY, of whom hereafter;
Matilda, m 4th Baron Massy.

He espoused secondly, in 1800, Arabella, daughter of William Fortescue, and had further issue, one son.

Mr White died at his London residence in Park Street, Mayfair.

He left properties worth £175,000 per annum which subsequently devolved upon his fourth son,

HENRY WHITE (1791-1873), of Woodlands, County Dublin, and afterwards of Rathcline, County Longford, who wedded, in 1828, Ellen, daughter of William Soper Dempster, of Skibo Castle, Sutherland, and had issue,

LUKE, his heir;
Henry;
George Frederick;
Francis Samuel;
Charles William, of Cahercon;
Robert;
Eleanor; Emily.

Mr White was elevated to the peerage, in 1863, in the dignity of BARON ANNALY, of Annaly and Rathcline, County Longford.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

LUKE, 2nd Baron (1829-88), KP, MP for Clare, 1859-60, Longford, 1861-2, Kidderminster, 1862-5, who espoused, in 1853, Emily, daughter of James Stuart, and had issue.

• Luke White, 2nd Baron (1829–88);
• Luke White, 3rd Baron (1857–1922);
• Luke Henry White, 4th Baron (1885–1970);
• Luke Robert White, 5th Baron (1927–90);
• Luke Richard White, 6th Baron (b 1954).

The Heir apparent is the present holder's only son, the Hon Luke Henry White.

*****

The 1st Baron's fifth son, the Hon Charles William White (1838-90), of Cahercon, inherited the County Clare estates comprising 18,226 acres, and 5,731 acres in County Tipperary.

CAHERCON HOUSE, near Kildysart, County Clare, is situated on the banks of the River Shannon, the seat of the Scott family until at least the 1850s.

The sale rental of 1854 gives a detailed description of the house which included 16 bedrooms.

Cahercon, variously known as Cahircon, Caheracon and Cahiracon, is a late-Georgian block of three storeys over a basement, with two-storey, mid-19th century wings and other additions.

The house faces across the Shannon estuary.

The main block is of five bays, with an Ionic porch; the wings have three-sided bows. The roof is prominent.

Cahercon was the seat of the Scott family until at least the 1850s and was constructed around 1790.

In 1873, the wings, conservatory and single storey bay were added.

By the 19th century James Kelly held the house in fee.

The Hon James William White, son of Lord Annally's son, lived in Cahiracon in the mid 1870s and it was still a seat of the family in 1894.

The Vandeleurs lived in Cahercon at the beginning of the 20th century.

In 1920, it was purchased by the Maynooth Mission to China, and they in turn sold it to the Salesians Sisters of St John Bosco in 1962.

Until 2002, Cahercon House operated as a secondary school, boarding school and convent.

First published in July, 2012.

Noble of Glasdrumman

THE NOBLES OWNED 824 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY FERMANAGH

JAMES NOBLE, of Glasdrumman, Lisnaskea, County Fermanagh, whose arms were "or, two lions passant in pale sable between two flaunches azure, over all on a fesse gules, three bezants," died in 1720, leaving issue, amongst others,

MUNGO, of whom presently;
James, of Clontivern.

The elder son,

MUNGO NOBLE, married firstly, in 1725, Prudence, daughter of Patrick Bredin, of Drumcagh, County Fermanagh, and had issue,

JAMES, of whom presently;
Jerome, an officer in the army;
Susanna; Jane.

Mungo Noble wedded secondly, in 1741, Mary, daughter of the Rev William Leslie, of Aghavea, County Fermanagh, and had issue,

William (Rev), Vicar of Holy Trinity, Cork;
Mungo, East India Company;
Letitia.

Mr Noble died in 1754, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

JAMES NOBLE (1727-80), of Glasdrumman, High Sheriff of County Fermanagh, 1755, who espoused, in 1755, Catherine, eldest daughter of WILLIAM WALLER, of Allenstown, County Meath, and eventually heiress in her issue to Waller of Allenstown.

She died in 1791, having had issue, four sons and five daughters, namely,

MUNGO HENRY, of whom hereafter;
William James;
James;
Robert Thomas;
Anna Maria; Susan; Leonora; Prudence; Mary Martha.

Mr Noble was succeeded by his eldest and only surviving son,

THE REV MUNGO HENRY NOBLE (1759-1831), of Glasdrumman, Rector of Clongill, County Meath, who married, in 1794, Maria, only child of the Rt Hon and Most Rev Dr William Newcome, Lord Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, by his first wife, Susanna, only surviving child and heiress of Sir Thomas D'Oyly Bt, of Chiselhampton, Oxfordshire.

On the death, in 1733, of her grand-uncle, the Rev Sir John D'Oyly, 4th Baronet, the late heir male, Miss Newcome became ex parte materna, sole heir-general to D'Oyly of Chiselhampton.

On the death of Robert Waller in 1809, the property of Allenstown, County Meath, devolved upon the Rev Mungo Henry Noble, in right of his mother, Catherine Waller, whereupon he assumed the arms and surname of WALLER in addition to those of NOBLE.

By his wife, Maria Newcome, Mungo Henry Noble Waller had issue,

William Henry, of Allenstown;
ROBERT, of whom presently;
James;
Mungo;
Mungo;
John (Rev);
Susanna; Maria.

The Rev M H Noble Waller was succeeded in his County Fermanagh property by his second son,

THE REV ROBERT NOBLE (1796-1870), of Glasdrumman, Rector and Vicar of the united parishes of Athboy, Kildalky, Girley, Rathmore, and Moyagher, County Meath, who wedded, in 1833, Catherine, eldest daughter of the Rev James Annesley Burrowes, Rector of Castleconnor, County Sligo, by his wife, Catherine Stock, daughter of the Rt Rev Joseph Stock, Lord Bishop of Killala, and had issue,

WILLIAM HENRY, of whom presently;
John D'Oyly;
James Burrowes;
Edwin St George;
Robert D'Oyly;
Arthur Annesley Burrowes;
Ernest Newcome;
Shirley Waller;
Helen Catherine; Emily Mary; Maria Louisa.

The Rev R Noble was succeeded by his eldest son,

MAJOR-GENERAL WILLIAM HENRY NOBLE (1834-92), of Glasdrumman, who wedded, in 1861, Emily, eldest daughter of Frederick Marriott, of Taunton, Somerset, by his wife, Mary Anne, only daughter and heiress of Francis Gibbons, of Wellingborough, and had issue,

SHIRLEY NEWCOME, his heir;
Vere D'Oyly;
Mawde Lettice; Ethel Emily D'Oyly; Violet Alice Agnes; Phyllis D'Oyly; Sybil Cholmley Waller.

General Noble was succeeded by his eldest son,

SHIRLEY NEWCOME NOBLE (1865-1920), of Glasdrumman, Lieutenant, 5th Battalion, Leinster Regiment.

Glasdrumman is a townland to the east of Lisnaskea, County Fermanagh.

It is believed that the Noble family estate was here.

First published in December, 2016.

The MacDonnell Baronetcy

This noble family is descended from ALEXANDER MacDONALD  (c1480-1538), chief of one of the most numerous and powerful clans in the highlands of Scotland.

From him descended

SORLEY BOY MacDONNELL (1505-90), who was seated at Dunluce, County Antrim; and who, in 1573, was made a free denizen of Ireland; but afterwards opposing the government, was subdued; and, in 1586, was again received into The Queen's favour.

His eldest surviving son,

SIR JAMES MacDONNELL, elder brother of RANDAL, 1st EARL OF ANTRIM, married Mary, daughter of Hugh MacPhelim O'Neill, of the Claneboye family, and had numerous issue, of which the ninth son,

SIR ALEXANDER MacDONNELL, of Maye, County Antrim, was created a baronet in 1627, designated of Maye, County Antrim.

He married Evelyn, daughter of Sir Arthur Magennis, 1st Viscount Iveagh, and dying in 1634, left a son and successor,

SIR JAMES MacDONNELL, 2nd Baronet, of Maye, who wedded Mary, daughter of Sir Donough O'Brien Bt, of Dough, County Clare, and had issue,

ALEXANDER;
RANDAL, his successor;
Sarah; Honora; Anne; another daughter.

Sir James died ca 1680, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

ALEXANDER, who, in 1644, commanded the forces sent by Lord Antrim to assist Lord Montrose in Scotland, and upon his return, was appointed lieutenant-general of the province of Munster.

This gallant soldier lost his life in 1647 at the battle of Knocknanuss, against Lord Inchiquin. 

He married the Lady Elizabeth Howard, daughter of Henry, Earl of Arundel, and had a son, Randal, who died young.

Alexander MacDonnell died in 1647, and was succeeded by his next brother,

RANDAL, 3rd Baronet, who married, in 1686, Hannah, sister of David Roche, and had issue,

JAMES, his heir;
Randal;
John Richard;
Mary; Henrietta.

Sir Randal, when captain of a warship in the service of CHARLES II, achieved the memorable action of Marmora against the Moors.

Subsequently, however, joining JAMES II's army, he accompanied his ill-fated master to France.

Consequently, Sir Randal was attainted, in 1691, and the baronetcy forfeited.

In 1696, Mr MacDonnell's estate was granted to Charles Campbell, in trust for his wife and children.

His eldest son,

JAMES, who, but for the attainder, would have been the fourth baronet, died unmarried, 1728, and was buried in St James's churchyard, Dublin.

His brother,

RANDAL, of Cross, County Antrim, Colonel in the French service, succeeded his brother, but died unmarried in 1740.

First published in May, 2011.

Portaferry House

THE NUGENTS OWNED 4,638 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY DOWN

The very ancient Anglo-Norman house of SAVAGE was settled at Portaferry, County Down, since the time of the first conquest of Ireland by John de Courcy, Earl of Ulster, in 1117. Under that famous warrior, the original ancestor in Ireland established himself in County Down; and by a written document, dated 1205, in the Tower of London, we find Robin, son of William Savage, named as one of de Courcy's hostages for his appearance before KING JOHN.

The present barony of Lecale was anciently termed the Territory of the Savages, wherein, at Ardglass, they and their dependents erected seven castles, the ruins of which are still extant. It appears, also, that a stately monastery of Dominicans was founded at Newtownards, in 1244, by the Savages, "gentlemen of English extraction". From the extreme scarcity of records in Ireland, it is impossible, at this remote period, to determine, without liability to error, which is the senior branch of the family, that of PORTAFERRY or ARDKEEN CASTLE. 

In 1400, HENRY IV granted to Robert FitzJordan Savage the office of sheriff of the Ards; and it appears, by an indenture dated 1538, that Raymond [Savage] should have the chieftainship and superiority of his sept in the Territory of the Savages, otherwise called Lecale. However, in 1559 the Lord Deputy, Sir William FitzWilliam, made a division between Roland and Raymond Savage of several towns and territories in the Ards.

By pedigree annexed, Roland, in 1572, was in possession of Portaferry Castle, and styled himself "Lord of the Little Ards"; and Lord Deputy Chichester, some years afterwards, addressed him as such by letter. The Ardkeen family had some territories in the barony of Lecale, and also in County Antrim, that family always being sore enemies of the O'Neills. 

ROWLAND SAVAGE, Lord of the Little Ards, County Down, representative of the family in the middle of the 16th century, died at Portaferry in 1572, leaving issue,

PATRICK, his heir;

ROWLAND;

Edmund;

Richard;

James.

The eldest son,

PATRICK SAVAGE (1535-c1604), Lord of the Little Ards, wedded Anne Plunket, and left two sons, of whom the elder,

ROWLAND SAVAGE, Lord of the Little Ards, succeeded his father, and married Rose, daughter of Russel of Rathmullan, County Down.

Mr Savage was, however, succeeded by his brother, 

PATRICK SAVAGE, of Portaferry, who wedded, in 1623, Jean, only daughter of Hugh, 1st Viscount Montgomery, and had issue, 

HUGH, his heir;

ELIZABETH, co-heir to her brother;

SARAH, co-heir to her brother.

Patrick Savage died in 1644, and was succeeded by his son, 

HUGH SAVAGE, of Portaferry, who died unmarried in 1683, and was succeeded in the representation of the family by his cousin, 

PATRICK SAVAGE, of Derry, County Down, and afterwards of Portaferry, who, by his wife Anne Hall, of Narrow Water, left issue,

EDWARD SAVAGE, of Portaferry, who died unmarried in 1725, and was buried at Portaferry.

His uncle and successor, 

JAMES SAVAGE, of Portaferry, wedded Mabel, daughter of Edmund Magee, of Lisburn, and had issue, 

JOHN, his heir;

ANDREW, of whom hereafter;

James;

Margaret; Elizabeth.

The eldest son,

JOHN SAVAGE, wedded Catherine, daughter of ___ Savage, and had issue a son, James, who died young.

At his decease he was succeeded by his brother,

ANDREW SAVAGE, of Portaferry, who espoused Margaret, sister and co-heir of Governor Nugent (of Tortola), and daughter of Andrew Nugent, of Dysart, County Westmeath, by his wife, the Lady Catherine Nugent, daughter and co-heir of Thomas, Earl of Westmeath, and had a son and heir,

PATRICK SAVAGE, of Portaferry, who married, in 1765, Anne, daughter of Roger Hall, of Narrow Water, and by her had, with daughters who died unmarried,

ANDREW, his heir;

Patrick Nugent, m Hariett, daughter of Rev Henry Sandford;

Roger Hall, Captain RN, died unmarried;

John Levallin, died unmarried;

William, in holy orders;

Barbara; Dorcas Sophia.

Mr Savage died in 1797, and was succeeded by his eldest son (who assumed the surname of NUGENT and became co-heir of the barony of Delvin),

ANDREW NUGENT JP DL (1770-1846), of Portaferry House, Lieutenant-Colonel, North Down Militia, High Sheriff of County Down, 1808, who wedded, in 1800, the Hon Selina Vesey, youngest daughter of Thomas, 1st Viscount de Vesci, and had issue, 

PATRICK JOHN, his heir;

Thomas Vesey, m Frances, eldest daughter of Sir James Stronge Bt;

Andrew Savage, m Harriet, Viscountess Bangor;

Arthur, m Charlotte, only daughter of Major Brooke, of Colebrooke;

Charles Lavallin, major-general in the army;

Selina, m James, eldest son of Sir James Stronge Bt;

Anne.

Colonel Nugent succeeded his father in 1797, and assumed his present surname, on succeeding to a portion of the estate of his maternal great-uncle, Governor Nugent, in 1812.

His eldest son,

PATRICK JOHN NUGENT (1804-57), of Portaferry House, Lieutenant-Colonel, North Down Militia, High Sheriff of County Down, 1843, married, in 1833, his cousin Catherine, daughter of John 2nd Viscount de Vesci, and had issue,

ANDREW;

JOHN VESEY, lieutenant-colonel in the army;

Arthur Vesey;

Frances Isabella.

His eldest son,

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL ANDREW NUGENT JP DL (1834-1905), of Portaferry House, High Sheriff of County Down, 1882, Colonel, Royal Scots Greys, died unmarried and was succeeded by his brother,

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL JOHN VESEY NUGENT JP DL (1837-1914), of Portaferry House, who married, in 1886, Emily Georgiana, daughter of Herbert Langham.

Colonel Nugent died without issue, and was succeeded by his cousin, 

EDMOND HENRY STUART NUGENT, whose son,

ROLAND THOMAS NUGENT (1886-1962), was a Northern Ireland politician. 

He entered the diplomatic service in 1910 and served with the Grenadier Guards in 1918; and again in 1940-43; was a Director of the Federation of British Industries, 1916-17 and 1919-32; and was knighted in 1929.

In 1944, Sir Roland Thomas Nugent entered Northern Ireland politics, serving as Leader of the Senate, 1944-50; Minister without Portfolio in the Northern Ireland Government, 1944-45; Minister of Commerce, 1945-49; Minister in the Senate, 1949; and Speaker of the Senate, 1950-61. 

On his retirement from that post, Sir Roland was created a baronet, though he died in the following year, when the baronetcy became extinct.

Sir Roland, 1st and last Baronet, married, in 1917, Cynthia Maud Ramsden, daughter of Captain Frederick William Ramsden and the Lady Elizabeth Maud Conyngham (daughter of 3rd Marquess Conyngham).

The couple had three children, of whom their two sons were both tragically killed in action during the 2nd World War. 

I have written about the Nugent Baronets here.

PORTAFERRY HOUSE, Portaferry, County Down, is a dignified mansion of ca 1750, designed by William Farrell for Andrew Savage.

It was extended ca 1790, and assumed its present form in 1818-20.

The central entrance front comprises five bays, with a Wyatt window in each of the two upper storeys.

The porch has paired Ionic columns and end piers.

On either side of the centre there are broad, three-sided bows of two storeys, though the same height as the main block.

The hall had Ionic columns and good plasterwork. 

Kennels were built to the north side of the demesne.

A threshing mill/horse walk was built to the north east of the farmyard.

The work to the house was completed in 1820 at a total cost of £7,140.

Portaferry House remained in the Nugent family until the 1980s, by which time sections of it had fallen into disrepair.

The present owner has done much to restore the building.

*****

THE DEMESNE is laid out as a fine landscape park for the 1760 house, enlarged in the early 1820s after additions and alterations were made to the house by Andrew Nugent.

It is placed in a splendid position overlooking lawns, pleasure grounds, a series of small lakes and parkland to Strangford Lough.

The original 1760 house stands on a site chosen because it was near ‘a beautiful well-spring up to which from the old castle’. 

The present building owes it appearance to Patrick Savage, who engaged Charles Lilley, a Dublin timber merchant in 1789-90, to start work on an enlarged house.

Later, in 1814, William Farrell was engaged to complete the building, and following Lilley’s designs, this work being completed in 1820.

The parkland incorporates extensive woodland blocks, screens and isolated park trees.

Nugent’s Wood, alongside the shore, belongs to the National Trust. 

A folly tower, which resembles a windmill stump, has far reaching views from the top.

The walled garden, near the town, which belongs to the council, has an interesting ziggurat wall to allow maximum heat to wall fruit.

It is open to the public, as it is adjacent to the 16th century tower house, Portaferry Castle.

There are listed farm buildings and three gate lodges built in 1830. 

First published in November, 2014.

El Molino del Rey

FIELD MARSHAL THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR ARTHUR WELLESLEY KG GCB GCH, FIRST DUKE OF WELLINGTON

WALTER COWLEY, an English gentleman, was sent to Ireland during the reign of HENRY VII, to watch the conduct of 8th Earl of Kildare, then Lord Deputy of Ireland. He resided at Drogheda, where he acquired some property in 1506.

WALERAN DE WELLESLEY, who is stated to have been of a branch of Wellesley of Wellesley, Somerset, was Justice Itinerant for Ireland, 1261.

GARRET COLLEY-WESLEY, 2nd Baron Mornington, was born in 1735.

His lordship was further advanced, in 1760 to the dignities of Viscount Mornington and EARL OF MORNINGTON.

He married, 1759, Anne, daughter of Arthur, 1st Viscount Dungannon, of Belvoir Park, Newtownbreda, County Down.

Lady Mornington subsequently enjoyed the multiplied glories and well-earned honours of her children.

They had issue,

1.  RICHARD, 2nd Earl of Mornington and 1st Marquess Wellesley.

2.  Arthur Gerald, died in childhood.

3.  WILLIAM, Baron Maryborough.

4.  ARTHUR, Duke of Wellington, KG etc.

and five other offspring.

Hailed as the conquering hero by the nation, Wellesley was created Marquess Douro and Duke of Wellington, titles still held by his successors.

As Sir Arthur did not return to England until the Peninsular War was over, he was awarded all his patents of nobility in a unique ceremony lasting a full day.:

•  Baron Douro, 1809
• Viscount Wellington, 1809
• Earl and Marquess of Wellington, 1812
• Marquess Douro and Duke of Wellington, 1814
• Count of Vimeiro in Portugal, 1811
• Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo, Grandee of Spain 1st Class (Grandeza de España,) 1812
• Duke of Vittoria and Marquess of Torres Vedras in Portugal, 1812
• Prince of Waterloo in the Netherlands, 1815

Although the Great Duke spent nearly six years driving the French Army from Spain and removing Joseph Bonaparte from the Spanish throne, he had received little recognition in Spain.

History, as taught in Spanish schools, minimizes His Grace's contribution and those of the British and Portuguese soldiers that fought with him.

Sir Arthur received some recognition during his lifetime (the title of Duque de Ciudad Rodrigo) and the King of Spain, Ferdinand VII, allowed him to keep part of the works of art from the Royal Collection which he had recovered from the French.

Arthur Charles Valerian Wellesley, OBE, is the 10th Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo and 9th Duke of Wellington.

In addition, as a mark of gratefulness for Sir Arthur's service during the War of Independence against the Napoleonic occupation, the Government of Spain donated in perpetuity a country estate which was built at the beginning of the 19th century called “Prince of La Paz,” Manuel Godoy.

The property, also called “the Tower,” occupies all the old Low Meadow of Íllora, a large estate called El Molino del Rey [the King's Mill] which extends to about 12,000 acres.

Although the 1st Duke never visited the Molino del Rey estate, outside Íllora, near the south-western city of Granada, it was passed down to his heirs and is now the property of the 9th and present Duke.

The principal seat of the Dukes of Wellington is Stratfield Saye House in Hampshire, given to the 1st Duke by a grateful Nation; while their London home remains Apsley House in Piccadilly.

Wellington arms courtesy of European Heraldry.First published in March, 2011.