Powerscourt House

THE VISCOUNTS POWERSCOURT WERE THE SECOND LARGEST LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY WICKLOW, WITH 40,986 ACRES

The surname of Wingfield is derived from the manor of Wingfield, Suffolk, where the progenitors of this family are stated to have been located before the Conquest; and the place of their abode was denominated Wingfield Castle.

It has been said that this manor gave both a name and seat to a large family in those parts, famous for their knighthood and ancient gentility, which brought forth an abundance of renowned knights, and among them two celebrated companions of the Order of the Garter under the reign of HENRY VIII.

SIR ROBERT WINGFIELD (c1403-54), Knight, of Letheringham, Suffolk, was MP for Suffolk.

SIR RICHARD WINGFIELD (1550-1634), lineally descended from the Wingfields of Letheringham, Suffolk, a person of high military reputation, began his career under his uncle, Sir William Fitzwilliam, Lord Deputy of Ireland, in the civil wars in Ireland.

He was afterwards engaged upon the Continent; and returning to Ireland, was appointed by ELIZABETH I, in 1600, Marshal of Ireland; and by JAMES I, for his subsequent achievements, twice joined in the government of Ireland.

At the same time he was called to His Majesty's privy council.

Sir Richard was elevated to the peerage, in 1618, in the dignity of VISCOUNT POWERSCOURT, but died without issue, in 1634, when the dignity expired; while the estates devolved upon his cousin,

SIR EDWARD WINGFIELD, a distinguished soldier under the Earl of Essex, and a person of great influence and power in Ireland.

Sir Edward married Anne, daughter of Edward, 3rd Baron Cromwell, and had issue,

Lewis;

RICHARD;

Francis.

Sir Edward died in 1638, was succeeded by his second son,

RICHARD WINGFIELD, who wedded, in 1640, Elizabeth, daughter of Henry, 1st Baron Folliott, and had issue, an only child,

FOLLIOTT WINGFIELD (1642-1717), in whose favour the viscountcy of POWERSCOURT (second creation) was revived in 1665.

His lordship wedded the Lady Elizabeth Boyle, eldest daughter of his guardian, the Earl of Orrery; but dying without issue, the peerage again expired, while the estates passed to his cousin,

EDWARD WINGFIELD (1659-1727), barrister-at-law (son of Lewis Wingfield), MP for County Sligo, 1692-3, 1695-9, 1703-13, who espoused firstly, Eleanor, second daughter of Sir Arthur Gore, of Newton Gore, County Mayo; and secondly, Miss Lloyd, daughter of William, Lord Bishop of Killala; by the former of whom he had one son and two daughters, viz.

RICHARD, his heir;
Isabella; Sidney.

The only son,

THE RT HON RICHARD WINGFIELD (1697-1751), of Powerscourt, MP for Boyle, 1727-44, was elevated to peerage, in 1743, in the dignities of Baron Wingfield and VISCOUNT POWERSCOURT (third creation).

His lordship married firstly, in 1721, Anne, daughter of Christopher Usher, of Usher's Quay, Dublin, but by her had no issue.

He wedded secondly, Dorothy, daughter of Hercules Rowley, of Summerhill, County Meath, and had issue,

EDWARD, 2nd Viscount;
RICHARD, 3rd Viscount;
Frances; Isabella.

His lordship was succeeded by his elder son,

EDWARD, 2nd Viscount (1729-64); at whose demise, unmarried, the honours devolved upon his only brother,

RICHARD, 3rd Viscount (1730-88), who espoused Amelia, daughter of John, Earl of Aldborough, and had issue,

RICHARD, his successor;
John;
Edward;
Martha; Emilia; Harriot.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

RICHARD, 4th Viscount (1762-1809), who married firstly, in 1789, Catherine, second daughter of John, 1st Earl of Clanwilliam, by whom he had three sons,

RICHARD, his successor;
John;
Edward, father of RICHARD.

He wedded secondly, in 1796, Isabella, second daughter of the Rt Hon William Brownlow, and had further issue,

William;
Catherine; Emily.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

RICHARD, 5th Viscount (1790-1823), who espoused, in 1813, Frances Theodosia, eldest daughter of Robert, 2nd Earl of Roden, and had issue,

RICHARD, his successor;
Catherine Anne.

His lordship married secondly, in 1822, Theodosia, daughter of the Hon Hugh Howard, and niece of the Earl of Wicklow, but had no further issue.

He was succeeded by his only son,

RICHARD, 6th Viscount (1815-44), who married, in 1836, his cousin, the Lady Elizabeth Frances Charlotte Jocelyn, daughter of Robert, 3rd Earl of Roden, and had issue,

MERVYN EDWARD, his successor;
Maurice Richard;
another son.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

MERVYN EDWARD, 7th Viscount (1836-1904), KP, a Privy Counsellor, who wedded, in 1864, the Lady Julia Coke, daughter of Thomas, 2nd Earl of Leicester, and had issue.

• Richard Wingfield, 6th Viscount (1815–44);

• Mervyn Wingfield, 7th Viscount (1836–1904);

• Mervyn Richard Wingfield, 8th Viscount KP (1880–1947);

• Mervyn Patrick Wingfield, 9th Viscount (1905–73);

• Mervyn Niall Wingfield, 10th Viscount (1935-2015);

• Mervyn Anthony Wingfield, 11th Viscount (b 1963)

The 8th Viscount was the last Lord-Lieutenant of County Wicklow, from 1910 until 1922.

POWERSCOURT, near Enniskerry, County Wicklow, is one of the most beautiful country estates in Ireland.

Situated in the mountains of Wicklow, it was originally an important strategic site for the Anglo-Normans, who came to Ireland in the 12th century.

By the year 1300 a castle had been built here and was in the possession of the le Poer (Power) family from which it takes its name.

The succeeding centuries saw the castle held for different periods by powerful families such as the O'Tooles and the FitzGeralds, Earls of Kildare.

In 1603 Powerscourt Castle and lands were granted to a new English arrival in the area: Richard Wingfield.

Following a successful military career in Ireland, Flanders, France and Portugal, Wingfield was knighted and in 1600 was appointed as Marshal of Ireland.

His descendants were to remain at Powerscourt for over 350 years.

Powerscourt was much altered in the 18th century when famous German-born architect, Richard Castle, remodelled the castles and grounds.

The work was commissioned by Richard Wingfield (1697-1751) and involved the creation of a magnificent mansion around the shell of the earlier castle.

Entrance front

The central courtyard was converted into an entrance hall beneath the remarkably beautiful ballroom.

The north front was adapted to present a grand entrance in the Palladian manner, while the south and front faced the gardens and was initially only two storeys in height.

Powerscourt House was extensively altered during the 18th century by the German architect Richard Cassels, starting in 1731 and finishing in 1741: On a commanding hilltop position, Cassells deviated slightly from his usual sombre style, to give the house something of a 'castle air'; a severe Palladian façade bookended by two circular domed towers. 

GEORGE IV was the guest of Richard Wingfield, 5th Viscount, in August 1821.

The 7th Viscount inherited the title and the Powerscourt estate, which comprised 49,000 acres of land, at the age of 8 in 1844.

When he reached the age of 21, he embarked on an extensive renovation of the house and created the new gardens.

Main attractions on the grounds include the Tower Valley (with stone tower), Japanese Gardens, winged horse statues, Lake, Dolphin Pond, Walled Gardens, Bamberg Gate and the Italian Garden.

The Pepper Pot Tower is said to be designed after a favoured three-inch pepper pot.

Of particular note is the pets' cemetery, whose tombstones have been described as "astonishingly personal".

Inspiration for the garden design followed visits by Powerscourt to ornamental gardens at the Palace of Versailles, Schönbrunn Palace near Vienna, and Schwetzingen Castle near Heidelberg.

The garden development took 20 years to complete in 1880.

In 1961, the estate was sold by the 9th Viscount, Mervyn Patrick Wingfield, to the Slazenger family, who still own it to this day (2010).

Tragically in the early hours of 4th November, 1974, a fire broke out on the top floor and by the morning the main part of the house was a roofless shell.

No one was injured, but all of the principal reception rooms and bedrooms were destroyed.

The Saloon

The walls of the main house, revealing stonework dating back to the 16th century, stood as a stark reminder of the fire for over twenty years.

Then in 1996 a process of regeneration began with the re-roofing of the house and the restoration of the windows as they were before the fire.

The entrance hall now features an exhibition describing the fascinating history of Powerscourt, while shops, a terrace café and other visitor facilities are also located in the house.

Wendy Anne Pauline Slazenger (daughter of the late Ralph Slazenger), married the 10th Viscount, Mervyn Niall Wingfield, in 1962. The marriage was dissolved in 1974 and Lord Powerscourt remarried.

Through her children, the Hon Mervyn Anthony Wingfield and the Hon Julia Wingfield, there remains a strong family connection between the two families and the Powerscourt Estate.

Only two rooms are open to the public as they once appeared while Powerscourt had residents, while the rest of ground floor and first floor are now retail units.

THE GARDENS at Powerscourt were laid out in two main periods.

When the house was rebuilt in the decade after 1731, the surrounding grounds were laid out in a series of formal rides and parkland to the North, with carefully planned gardens and terraces to the South. 

The design reflected the desire to create a garden which was part of the wider landscape.

To the north formal tree plantations framed the vista from the house, while a walled garden, fish pond, cascades, grottoes and terraces lay to the south. 

Walks wound through the wooded grounds and a fine tree lined avenue was created.

A century later the 6th Viscount instructed his architect, Daniel Robertson, to draw up new schemes for the gardens. 

Robertson was one of the leading proponents of Italianate garden design which was influenced by the terraces and formal features of Italian Renaissance villas and perfected in gardens in France and Germany.

Robertson designed the terrace nearest the house.

He is said to have suffered from gout and directed operations from a wheelbarrow, fortified by a bottle of sherry.

When the sherry was finished, work ceased for the day!

The death of the 6th Viscount in 1844 meant that alterations to the gardens ceased until his son resumed the work in the late 1850s. 

Using a combination of Robertson's designs and the plans of the other landscape experts, the terraces were completed, enormous numbers of trees were planted and the grounds adorned with an amazing collection of statuary, ironwork and other decorative items.

By the time of his death in 1904, the 7th Viscount had transformed the estate.

Further generations of the Wingfields maintained the grounds, adding the Japanese Gardens, Pepper Pot Tower and continuing to plant specimen trees. 

First published in November, 2011.  Select bibliography: The Powerscourt Website.

Russborough House

THE EARLS OF MILLTOWN OWNED 427 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY WICKLOW, 1,898 ACRES IN THE QUEEN'S COUNTY, 300 ACRES IN COUNTY DUBLIN, AND 287 ACRES IN THE KING'S COUNTY

This family was anciently seated at Whitfield, Northamptonshire, from whom descended

HUGH LEESON (1620-1700), son of William Leesone, of Culworth, Northamptonshire, who, having been engaged as a military officer in Ireland, 1680, settled there during the reign of CHARLES I.

Mr Leeson made an advantageous marriage to the daughter of one of Dublin's leading aldermen, marrying, in 1673, Rebecca, daughter of Alderman Richard Tighe, Mayor of Dublin.

Having retired from the army, he acquired Lot Five, South St Stephen’s Green (Leeson’s Walk).

Mr Leeson became an eminent brewer and property developer.

He was buried about 1700, and was succeeded in his commercial pursuits by his second son,

JOSEPH LEESON (1660-1741), of Dublin, who wedded, in 1695, Margaret, daughter and co-heir of Alderman Andrew Brice, Sheriff of Dublin, and left (with four other daughters),

JOSEPH, his heir;
Anne, m to Hugh Henry;
Martha, m to Richard Cooke;
Joyce, m to Sir Robert Blackwood, 1st Baronet. 

Mr Leeson left a very considerable inheritance to his son, estimated at £50,000 (£100 million in 2014) plus £6,000 per annum (£1.2 million in 2014).

Joseph Leeson (1660-1741) Image: National Library of Ireland

The only son,

JOSEPH LEESON (1701-83), MP for Rathcormack, 1743-56, who, was elevated to the peerage, in 1756, in the dignity of Baron Russborough.

His lordship was advanced to a viscountcy, in 1760, as Viscount Russborough, of Russellstown, County Wicklow.

Joseph, 1st Earl of Milltown

He was further advanced to the dignity of an earldom, in 1763, as EARL OF MILLTOWN.

His lordship married firstly, in 1729, Cecilia, daughter of Francis Leigh, and had issue,

JOSEPH, his successor;
BRICE, succeeded his brother;
Mary, m the 2nd Earl of Mayo.

He wedded secondly, in 1738, Anne, daughter of Nathaniel Preston, by whom he had a daughter,

Anne.

The 1st Earl espoused thirdly, in 1768, Elizabeth, daughter of the Very Rev William French, Dean of Armagh, and had further issue,

William;
Robert;
Cecilia; Florence Arabella.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son

Joseph, 2nd Earl of Milltown

JOSEPH, 2nd Earl (1730-1801), MP for Thomastown, 1757-61, who died unmarried, when the family honours devolved upon his brother,

BRICE, 3rd Earl (1735-1807), who wedded, in 1765, Maria, daughter of John Graydon, of Dublin, and had issue,

Joseph (1766-1800), father of JOSEPH, 4th Earl;
John;
Robert.

His lordship was succeeded by his grandson,

JOSEPH, 4th Earl (1799-1866), KP, 1841, who married, in 1828, Barbara, second daughter and co-heir of Sir Joshua Colles Meredyth Bt, of Greenhills, County Kildare, and had issue,

JOSEPH HENRY, his successor;
EDWARD NUGENT, succeeded his brother;
HENRY, succeeded his brother;
Barbara Emily Maria; Cecilia Mary.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

JOSEPH HENRY, 5th Earl (1829-71), ensign, 68th Regiment of Foot, 1848-51, Aide-de-Camp to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, who was succeeded by his next brother,

EDWARD NUGENT, 6th Earl (1835-90), KP PC, who wedded, in 1871, the Lady Geraldine Evelyn Stanhope, second daughter of the 5th Earl of Harrington, in a childless marriage.

His lordship was succeeded by his brother,

HENRY, 7th and last Earl (1837-91), Barrister, Kings Inn, Dublin, 1860, Vice-Chamberlain, 1859-62, Chamberlain, 1862-74, to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

Following the death of the 7th Earl, a grandson of the Hon John Leeson (2nd son of the 3rd Earl), claimed the succession to the earldom. He died without male issue in 1905.

The earldom of Milltown was then claimed by his 2nd cousin, Robert William Frederick Leeson, a grandson of Captain the Hon Robert Leeson (3rd son of the 3rd Earl).

He died unmarried in 1908, and since that date no further claimants have come forward.

It is possible that there are living male line descendants of the Hon Robert Leeson, 4th son of the 1st Earl, in which case the earldom of Milltown should be regarded as being dormant rather than extinct.

RUSSBOROUGH HOUSE, County Wicklow, is one of the finest and grandest stately homes in Ireland.

Is situated near the Blessington Lakes, between the towns of Blessington and Ballymore Eustace, and is reputed to be the longest house in Ireland, with a frontage measuring 700 feet.

Russborough is an example of Palladian architecture, designed by Richard Cassels for Joseph Leeson, 1st Earl of Milltown and built between 1741-55.

It comprises seven bays and two storeys over a basement; Palladian style, with quadrant Doric colonnades linking to seven-bay two-storey pavilion wings, themselves linked to outbuildings by walls with rusticated arches topped with cupolas.

The walls are of dressed granite, with a central feature to the main block consisting of a pediment supported by four three-quarter Corinthian columns with swag mouldings between the capitals, whilst the wings have three-bay breakfront centres with Ionic pilasters.

Each of the three blocks and the colonnades has a parapet surmounted with urns, and behind each parapet is a slated hipped roof with broad granite chimneystacks to the main blocks.

Within the colonnades are arched niches with Classical statues.

Russborough ca 1824, from an Engraving by John Preston Neale 

The entrance consists of a largely glazed timber door with semi-circular fanlight-like eyebrow window above, and is reached by a grand flight of stone steps with the piers of the balustrade topped with urns and heraldic lions.

The windows are generally flat-headed and filled with three over three and six over six timber sash frames. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

The house is surrounded by an extensive, but largely unadorned, demesne and approached at a right angle from the main avenue to the north-east.

The interior of the house contains some ornate plasterwork on the ceilings by the Lafranchini brothers, who also collaborated with Cassels on Carton House.

Russborough has housed two fine art collections, begun with the Milltown estate, whose collection was donated to the National Gallery of Ireland by the widow of the 6th Earl.

Sir Alfred Beit Bt bought the house in 1952 where he housed his own family's collection, comprising works by many great artists, including Goya, Vermeer, Peter Paul Rubens and Thomas Gainsborough.

This collection was since robbed four times, in 1974 by an IRA gang including the heiress Rose Dugdale, in 1986 by Martin Cahill, in 2001; and in 2002 by Martin Cahill's old associate Martin Foley.

Two paintings, Gainsborough's Madame Bacelli and Vermeer's Lady writing a Letter with her Maid, the latter probably the most valuable painting of the collection, were stolen twice across the thefts, although each was subsequently recovered.

The Beit collection has donated many of its works to the Irish state but a substantial proportion of the paintings have been returned and been made available to view by the owners, the Alfred Beit Foundation.

Russborough remained in the possession of the Earls of Milltown until the 6th Earl's decease.

On the death of Lady Milltown in 1914, it passed to a nephew, Sir Edmund Turton, who rarely stayed there.

On Turton's death in 1928, his widow sold the house to Captain Denis Bowes Daly in 1931.

Sir Alfred Beit Bt bought Russborough in 1952 from Captain Daly to house his art collection and in 1976 established the Alfred Beit Foundation to manage the property.

The foundation opened the historic mansion and its collections to the Irish public in 1978.

Sir Alfred died in 1994 but Lady Beit remained in residence until her own death in 2005.

In 2010, a fire severely damaged the west wing and caused part of the roof to collapse.

No art was damaged, being removed along with furniture to allow for restorations to the west wing.

Initial examinations of the damage suggested an electrical fault from wiring in the roof may have sparked the fire.

In recent years, farmers' markets have been held on a regular basis in the grounds of the house.

Leeson Street in Dublin is named after the Earls of Milltown.

Former Dublin residence ~ 17 St Stephen's Green (now the Kildare Street Club).

First published in August, 2013. 

Coollattin Park

THE EARLS FITZWILLIAM WERE THE GREATEST LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY WICKLOW, WITH 89,981 ACRES

In 1565, HUGH FITZWILLIAM (c1534-c1576), of Emley, Sprotbrough, and Haddlesey, Yorkshire, collected the records of his family, and from these records the following particulars are partly deduced: SIR WILLIAM FITZ GODRIC, cousin to EDWARD THE CONFESSOR, left a son and heir, SIR WILLIAM FITZWILLIAM, who, being ambassador at the court of WILLIAM, Duke of Normandy, attended that prince in his victorious expedition against England, as marshal of the army, in 1066; and for his valour at the battle of Hastings, THE CONQUEROR presented him with a scarf from his own arm.

This Sir William was father of

SIR WILLIAM FITZWILLIAM, Knight, who wedded Eleanor, daughter and heiress of Sir John Emley, of Emley and Sprotbrough, by which marriage the Fitzwilliams obtained the lordships of Emley and Sprotbrough, which continued with them until the reign of HENRY VIII, when those lordships were carried, by co-heirs, into the families of Suthill and Copley.

Sir William was succeeded by his son,

SIR WILLIAM FITZWILLIAM,

Lord of Emley and Sprotbrough, living in 1117, as appears from a grant made by him of a piece of the wood in Emley to the monks of Byland. To this grant, in a round seal, is represented a man on horseback, completely armed and circumscribed S. Willmi Filij Willmi Dni de Emmalaia; and on the reverse, the arms of FITZWILLIAM, viz. Lozenge. This Sir William, or one of his descendants, caused a cross to be set up in the high street of Sprotbrough; which cross was pulled down in 1520.

From Sir William we pass to his descendant,

SIR JOHN FITZWILLIAM, who founded, in 1372, the Chantry of St Edward in the church of Sprotbrough; and having married Elizabeth, daughter of William de Clinton, 1st Earl of Huntingdon, had three sons, the eldest of whom,

SIR WILLIAM FITZWILLIAM, married Maud, daughter of Ralph, 3rd Lord Cromwell, of Tattershall, and co-heir of the Lord Treasurer Cromwell, by whom he had one son and two daughters.

He was succeeded by his son,

SIR JOHN FITZWILLIAM, who wedded Eleanor, daughter of Sir Henry Green, of Drayton, and had six sons.

The youngest son,

JOHN FITZWILLIAM, of Milton Hall and Greens Norton, in Northamptonshire, espoused Eleanor, daughter of William Villiers, of Brooksby, Leicestershire, by whom he had three sons and two daughters, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

THE RT HON SIR WILLIAM FITZWILLIAM (c1460-1534), Knight, of Milton and Gaynes Park, Essex, and also of the city of London, of which he was sheriff in 1506.

Sir William married firstly, Anne, daughter of Sir John Hawes, Knight, of the city of London, and had,

WILLIAM, his heir;
Richard;
Elizabeth; Anne.

He wedded secondly, Mildred, daughter of Richard Sackville, of Withyham, Sussex, and had three sons and two daughters,

Christopher;
Francis;
Thomas;
Eleanor; Mary.

Sir William was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR WILLIAM FITZWILLIAM, Knight, who espoused Anne, daughter of Sir Richard Sapcote, of Elton, Huntingdonshire; and was succeeded by his son and heir,

SIR WILLIAM FITZWILLIAM (1526-99), Lord Deputy of Ireland and Lord Justice, who wedded Anne, daughter of Sir William Sydney, and aunt of the 1st Earl of Leicester, and had issue,

WILLIAM, his heir;
John;
Mary; Philippa; Margaret.

Sir William was succeeded by his son,

SIR WILLIAM FITZWILLIAM, Knight, of Milton and Gaynes Park Hall, who was elevated to the peerage, in 1620, in the dignity of Baron Fitzwilliam, of Lifford, County Donegal.

His lordship wedded Catherine, daughter of William Hyde, of Denchworth, Berkshire; and dying in 1644, was succeeded by his elder son,

WILLIAM, 2nd Baron (c1609-58), who espoused, in 1638, Jane, daughter and co-heir of Alderman Hugh Perry, of London, and had issue,

WILLIAM, his heir;
Charles;
Jane, m Sir Christopher Wren, the celebrated architect.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

WILLIAM, 3rd Baron (1643-1719), who was advanced, in 1716, to the dignities of Viscount Milton, County Westmeath, and EARL FITZWILLIAM, of County Tyrone.

His lordship married Anne, daughter and sole heir of Edmund Cremor, of West Winch, Norfolk, by whom he had four sons and six daughters.

He was succeeded by his third, but eldest surviving son,

JOHN, 2nd Earl (1681-1728), who wedded Anne, daughter and sole heir of John Stringer, of Sutton-cum-Lound, Nottinghamshire, and left, with three daughters, a son and successor,

WILLIAM, 3rd Earl (1719-56), then a minor, who was, in 1742, enrolled amongst the peers of Great Britain, by GEORGE II, by the style and title of Lord Fitzwilliam, Baron Milton, in Northamptonshire.

His lordship was advanced, in 1746, to the dignities of Viscount Milton and EARL FITZWILLIAM, in the same county.

He espoused, in 1744, the Lady Anne Watson-Wentworth, eldest daughter of Thomas, Marquess of Rockingham, and sister and co-heir of Charles, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, by whom he had issue,

WILLIAM, his successor;
Charlotte; Frances Henrietta.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

WILLIAM, 4th Earl (1748-1833), Lord Lieutenant of Ireland for a very short period, in 1795, who married firstly, in 1770, the Lady Charlotte Ponsonby, second daughter of William, 2nd Earl of Bessborough, by whom he had an only child, CHARLES WILLIAM WENTWORTH, his heir.

Charles William, 5th Earl (1786-1857);
William Charles, Viscount Milton (1812-35);
William Thomas Spencer, 6th Earl (1815-1902);
William, Viscount Milton (1839-77);
William Charles de Meuron, 7th Earl (1872-1943);
(William Henry Lawrence) Peter, 8th Earl (1910-48);
Eric Spencer, 9th Earl (1883-1952);
William Thomas George, 10th Earl (1904-79). 

The titles expired following the decease of the 10th and last Earl.

COOLLATTIN PARK, is near Shillelagh in County Wicklow.

The history of the Wentworth/Fitzwilliam families has been well documented, but what is less well known is the influence they had on the history of the kingdom of Ireland.

As well as the family seat of Wentworth Woodhouse in Yorkshire (where they owned 22,000 acres in 1870), the Earls Fitzwilliam also resided at Malton House (later Coollattin House) in County Wicklow, from where they managed their vast estate.

Coollattin is now a golf club.

The 4th Earl built Coollattin House (it was originally called Malton, one of his grandfather’s titles as Earl of Malton).

The house was designed by the leading architect John Carr, who was also responsible for the grandiose “stable block” at Wentworth Woodhouse as well as the Keppel’s Column and Mausoleum monuments near Wentworth.

The building was started around 1794 but before completion it was burned down in a rebellion in 1798 (along with 160 other houses in the nearby village of Carnew and several Catholic churches).

Work resumed again in 1800 and the house was completed in 1807.

As well as rebuilding their house and the village, the Fitzwilliams contributed to the repairs of the Catholic churches and gave land for other churches (whilst other landlords would not even allow a Catholic church on their estate).

Throughout the family’s time in Ireland they did not take sides in the various Irish struggles through the centuries, and perhaps as a consequence their house was left untouched in the last dash for independence.

As well as undertaking building and agricultural projects, the 4th Earl was also the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland for a short time in 1795.

In 2003, The Times newspaper wrote: 

When the 10th and last Earl died in 1979 the remnants of the huge Coollattin estate, for centuries the Irish seat of the Earls Fitzwilliam, was sold by the last Earl’s widow, Lady Juliet De Chairoff, and in the following years, it was broken up and sold on bit by bit.

In 1983, the sprawling Coollattin House, with its vast lands attached, was resold for €128,000. 

When the farm land value was removed, this amounted to just £8,000 for the house itself — which, with its 120-plus rooms, is still among the largest private houses in the country. 

In the same year the average price of a standard new home in Dublin was more than four times that, at £35,000.

In living memory, the once-grand Coollattin estate had spanned 88,000 acres, had 20,000 tenants and comprised one quarter of Co Wicklow. 

There has long been a rumour that the estate harboured a vast tunnel used by inhabitants of the house to escape to the lodge.

The estate began falling apart in 1948 when the last earl, Peter Fitzwilliam, was killed in a plane crash with JFK’s sister, Kathleen (Kick) Kennedy, with whom, it was speculated, he had been having an affair.

His estate tenants genuinely grieved. 

The Fitzwilliams had a history of being among the most liberal landlords in Ireland. 

They had paid tenants more, invested in their education and had worked hard to ensure that the built environment in their towns was above average.

When the Great Famine came, the Fitzwilliam family were at least decent enough to ship their excess tenants to America rather than simply turn them off the land as many landlords did. 

Thousands were sent abroad to start new lives in this manner.

Perhaps this was the reason Coollattin House survived the great burning sprees that erupted through and after the war of independence, when working classes took their revenge on the less benevolent owners of big house.

Former seats ~ Coollattin Park, County Wicklow; Wentworth Woodhouse, Yorkshire; Milton Hall, Cambridgeshire.

Former town residence ~ 4 Grosvenor Square, London.

First published in July, 2011. 

Ballinacor House

THE KEMMISES WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY WICKLOW, WITH 8,041 ACRES 

The family of KEMMIS or KEMEYS came originally from Monmouthshire, and settled in Ireland in 1731.

THOMAS KEMMIS (1753-1823), a solicitor, son of Thomas Kemmis, of Killeen, Queen's County, married Susanna, daughter of John Long, of Derrynaseera, Queen's County, and had issue, four sons,

Thomas, of Roebuck, County Dublin;
Henry (1776-1857), MP for Tralee, 1798-1800;
WILLIAM, of whom we treat;
James.

The third son,

WILLIAM KEMMIS (1777-1864), of Ballinacor, County Wicklow, and Killeen, Queen's County, Crown and Treasury Solicitor for Ireland (see KEMMIS of Shaen), espoused, in 1805, Ellen, second daughter of Nicholas Southcote Mansergh JP, of Greenane, County Tipperary, and had issue,

WILLIAM GILBERT;
Thomas;
George (Rev);
Richard;
James;
Elizabeth.

Mr Kemmis was succeeded by his son,

WILLIAM GILBERT KEMMIS JP DL (1806-81), of Ballinacor and Ballycarroll, High Sheriff of County Wicklow, 1835, who died unmarried, when he was succeeded by his nephew,

WILLIAM KEMMIS JP DL (1836-1900), of Ballinacor and Ballycarroll, Colonel, Royal Artillery, who wedded, in 1862, Ellen Gertrude de Horne Christy, eldest daughter of George Steinman Steinman, FSA, of Sundridge, Kent, and had issue,

WILLIAM HENRY OLPHERT, his heir;
Marcus Steinman (Rev);
Lewis George Nicholas;
Edward Bernhard;
Gilbert (Rev).

Colonel Kemmis was succeeded by his eldest son, 

WILLIAM HENRY OLPHERT KEMMIS JP DL (1864-1939), of Ballinacor, High Sheriff of County Wicklow, 1904, Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding, Wicklow Royal Garrison Artillery, who espoused, in 1888, Francis Maude, second daughter of the Rev Charles Beauclerk, Chaplain of Holy Trinity Church, Boulogne, France, and had issue,

WILLIAM DARRYL OLPHERT;
Thomas Steinman;
Karolie Kathleen.

The eldest son,

WILLIAM DARRYL OLPHERT KEMMIS MC (1892-1965), Captain, Inniskilling Dragoons.

When Captain Kemmis died in 1965, Ballinacor was inherited by his maternal cousin, Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Lomer.

The Kemmises owned 4,706 acres of land in the Queen's County.  

BALLINACOR HOUSE, Rathdrum, County Wicklow, is a two-storey, late 18th century house, enlarged, re-faced and re-roofed in the 19th century.

It has a three-bay entrance front with an Ionic portico.

The end elevation has six bays, three of which are in a shallow, curved bow.

There is a gabled office wing with an adjacent conservatory; an Italianate campanile at the junction of the main block and wing.

The clock has been said to keep time for the surrounding countryside.

The entrance hall is stone-flagged, with a plasterwork Victorian cornice; a large, top-lit, two-storey hall with oval lantern; oval gallery with iron balustrade.

The demesne is said to be magnificent, with wooded hills topped by high mountains; a mile-long oak walk; and a mile-long avenue from the front gate to the house, bordered by rhododendrons and firs.

There is a deer-park and the River Avonbeg flows by with abundant cascades and gorges.

*****

THE PRESENT owners, Sir Robert and Lady Davis-Goff, bought Ballinacor Estate in 2001 as a working farm and shoot.

The house underwent an extensive renovation and modernisation project, which was completed in 2009.

This renovation was sympathetic to the time in which the house was built and is furnished appropriately.

The estate has a strong tradition of driven shooting and has game records going back well over a century.

Grouse were previously shot on the estate, and it is hoped to revive the moor in future years.

Lady Davis-Goff inherited Lissen Hall in County Dublin.

First published in May, 2013.

Mount Kennedy House

THE GUN-CUNINGHAMES WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY WICKLOW, WITH 10,479 ACRES

The pedigree of this family with alliances is fully set out in NISBET'S Heraldry, with authorities down to 1800.

SIR ROBERT DE CUNNINGHAME, Laird of Kilmaurs, living in 1350, had two sons, Sir William, ancestor of the Cunninghames, Earls of Glencairn; and SIR ANDREW DE CUNINGHAME, of Polmaise, ancestor of Drumquhassle, to whom DAVID II, King of Scots, gave a grant of the lands of Pitkennedy, and whose descendent in the third generation,

ALEXANDER CUNINGHAME, Laird of Drumquhassle, married Margaret, daughter and co-heir of William Park, of that Ilk, by Margaret his wife, daughter of Allan, Lord Cathcart, and had issue,

JOHN CUNINGHAME, Laird of Drumquhassle, Master of the Household to JAMES VI, called the "Regent's Right Hand", as being the chief adviser of the Earl of Lennox.

He wedded Janet, eldest daughter and co-heir of James Cuninghame, of Polmaise, and had issue,

John, of Drumquhassle;
James, dsp;
ROBERT, of whom presently;
Janet; Margaret.

The third son,

ROBERT CUNINGHAME, of Drumbeg, Sutherland, served heir to his brother in 1644, espoused Elspeth, daughter of William Buchanan, of Ross and Portnellan, and had issue,

John;
WILLIAM.

The younger son,

WILLIAM CUNINGHAME, of Drumbeg, Sutherland, served heir to his brother, 1644, wedded Alice, daughter of John Buchanan, of Arnprior, and was father of

JOHN CUNINGHAME, of Ballindalloch, Banffshire, who wedded Jean, daughter of William Weir, of the family of Blackwood, and had issue six sons, of whom the youngest,

COLONEL DAVID CUNINGHAME, of Seabegs, Stirlingshire, Fort-Major of Stirling Castle, 1745, married Margaret, daughter of J Callander, of Craigforth, and had issue,

ROBERT, of whom presently;
James, Lt-Gen in the army, etc;
Jean; Elizabeth; Anne.

The elder son,

GENERAL ROBERT CUNINGHAME (1726-1801), of Mount Kennedy, was elevated to the peerage, in 1796, in the dignity of BARON ROSSMORE, of Monaghan; and as he had no issue by his wife Elizabeth, daughter of John Murray, and co-heir of her mother, Mary, Dowager Lady Blayney, daughter and heir of Sir Alexander Cairnes Bt, the patent of creation contained a reversionary clause limiting the barony, at his lordship's decease, without male issue, to his wife's family: Firstly, to Henry A N Jones; secondly, to Warner William Westenra; and thirdly, to Henry Westenra.

Mr Jones and the Messrs Westenra were grandsons of the aforesaid Mary, Dowager Lady Blayney.

His lordship died in 1801, and Henry Alexander Nathaniel Jones having predeceased him unmarried, the title devolved upon

WARNER WILLIAM WESTENRA (1765-1842), as 2nd Baron; and his Wicklow estates, at the death of his widow, in 1825, on his niece, Jean Gordon, wife of George Gun, of Kilmorna, County Kerry, who having assumed the name and arms of CUNINGHAME by royal licence, in 1826 became

GEORGE GUN-CUNINGHAME, of Mount Kennedy. By Jean Gordon his wife he had issue,

ROBERT, his heir;
Anne; Matilda; Eliza; Henrietta; Jane; Georgiana Frances.

Mr Gun-Cuninghame died in 1827, and was succeeded by his only son,

ROBERT GUN-CUNINGHAME DL (1792-1877), of Mount Kennedy, who married, in 1817, Elizabeth Foulkes, of Birchamp House, Gloucestershire, and had issue,

ROBERT GEORGE ARCHIBALD HAMILTON, his heir;
George Philip Henry;
Philip Henry;
Elizabeth Jane; Adolphina Frederica; Jane; Mary Julia.

Mr Gun-Cuninghame wedded secondly, in 1832, Annabel Erina, eldest daughter of Viscount Glentworth, eldest son of the 1st Earl of Limerick, and had issue,

Edmund;
Albert Glentworth;
Cecil;
Glencairn Dunsmere Stuart;
Nina Augusta Erina; Eva Adelaide.

Mr Gun-Cuninghame was succeeded by his eldest son,

ROBERT GEORGE ARCHIBALD HAMILTON GUN-CUNINGHAME DL (1818-80), of Mount Kennedy and Coolawinna, County Wicklow, Colonel, Wicklow Artillery, who wedded, in 1844, Isabella, only daughter of the Rt Rev Lord Robert Ponsonby Tottenham, Lord Bishop of Clogher (2nd son of 1st Marquess of Ely), by Alicia Maude, his wife, daughter of Cornwallis, 1st Viscount Hawarden, and had issue,

CORNWALLIS ROBERT DUCAREL, his heir;
Alicia; Elizabeth; Anne; Isabella; Emily Eleanor; Mary Isabella;
Lucy Phillippa; Augusta; Beatrice Elizabeth.

Mr Gun-Cuninghame was succeeded by his only son,

CORNWALLIS ROBERT DUCAREL GUN-CUNINGHAME JP DL (1857-1928), of Mount Kennedy, High Sheriff of County Wicklow, 1886, Captain and Honorary Major, 7th Brigade, North Irish Division, Royal Artillery, who wedded firstly, in 1886, Isabella, youngest daughter of Richard Wingfield, and had issue,

ROBERT GEORGE ARTHUR, his heir;
Henry Maurice Benedict;
Dorothy Isabella.

He espoused secondly, in 1904, Constance Evelyn, youngest daughter of Edwin Joseph Vipan.

Mr Gun-Cuninghame was succeeded by his elder son,

ROBERT GEORGE ARTHUR GUN-CUNINGHAME (1896-1970), who married, in 1927, Emily Frances Grace, daughter of Cornelius Richard O'Callaghan, and had issue,

ROBERT HENRY RICHARD, of Finnebrogue, Co Down;
Jean Rosemary; Ruth Isabella Anne.

Captain Gun-Cununghame was succeeded by his only son,

ROBERT HENRY RICHARD GUN-CUNINGHAME, of Finnebrogue, Downpatrick, County Down, Major, Royal Irish Rangers, born in 1930, who espoused, in 1958, Selina Imogen Elizabeth Lorraine, daughter of Major John Robert Perceval-Maxwell, and had issue,

ROBERT PATRICK DUCAREL, b 1959;
Julian Arthur, b 1961;
Richard Benjamin, b 1965.

MOUNT KENNEDY HOUSE, Newtownmountkennedy, County Wicklow,  is a two-storey over basement mansion, to a design originally drawn up by James Wyatt in 1772.

The estate originally belonged to the Kennedys, who erected a large house here in 1670; burnt during the Williamite War.

The estate was purchased in 1769 by Lieutenant-General Robert Cuninghame, later Commander-in-Chief Ireland and 1st Baron Rossmore.

It was modified by the architect and builder, Thomas Cooley, who completed the commission in 1784-85.

Lord Rossmore died in 1801, when Mount Kennedy passed to his niece, Mrs Gun-Cuninghame.

It remained in the Gun-Cuninghames until 1928.

In 1938, the demesne was bought by Mr Ernest Hull, whose widow sold it about 1971.

It later became the home of Mr & Mrs Noel Griffin; and the present family acquired it in 1982.

Mount Kennedy's principal characteristic is the beautiful and delicate interior decoration, incorporating plasterwork by Michael Stapleton.

Exquisite work in the hall (above) and three main reception rooms is further complemented by intricately painted medallions in grisaille by Peter De Gree, a Belgian who came to Ireland in 1785, and whose other works are contained in Lucan House, Luttrellstown Castle and Marlay House.

Mount Kennedy has seven bedrooms, four reception rooms and four bathrooms.

It is set in 170 acres.

The property was sold to a private buyer in 2013.

First published in February, 2013.

Killruddery House

THE EARLS OF MEATH WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY WICKLOW, WITH 14,717 ACRES

The ancestor of this family, which assumed its surname from Brabazon Castle, in Normandy, JACQUES LE BRABANÇON, called the Great Warrior, appears in the roll of Battle Abbey. He was father of

JOHN LE BRABANÇON, of Betchworth, in Surrey, during the reign of HENRY I and HENRY II, and was succeeded by his son,

ADAM LE BRABAZON, of the same place, during the reign of RICHARD I, KING JOHN, and HENRY III.

His son,

THOMAS LE BRABAZON, living in the reign of HENRY III, wedded Amelia, daughter and heiress of John de Mowsley, of Mowsley, Leicestershire, and was succeeded by his son,

SIR ROGER LE BRABAZON, Knight, of Mowsley and Eastwell, Leicestershire, knighted in 1268; who espoused Beatrice, eldest sister and co-heir of Mansel de Bissett, of Eastbridgeford, and had two sons,

ROGER (Sir), his heir;

Mathew, father of WILLIAM.

The eldest son,

SIR ROGER LE BRABAZON (c1247-c1317), Knight, of Mowsley and Eastwell, appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench, wedded though dsp.

He was succeeded by his nephew,

SIR WILLIAM BRABAZON, of Galtrop and Sproxton, Leicestershire; whose descendant,

JOHN BRABAZON, who was a great commander in the martial times of EDWARD III, and a general under the BLACK PRINCE.

He resided at Mousley and Eastwell, in Leicestershire.

His grandson, 

JOHN BRABAZON, of Eastwell, fell at Bosworth Field, 1485, leaving by his wife, Matilda, daughter and heir of Nicholas Jervis, of Hardby, in Leicestershire, five sons; of whom the third son,

JOHN BRABAZON, carried on the line of the family, and wedded a lady named Chaworth, and was succeeded by his only son,

SIR WILLIAM BRABAZON, Knight, who was appointed, in 1534, vice-treasurer and general-receiver of Ireland, and remained in office until his death, at Carrickfergus, County Antrim, 1552.

Sir William was placed thrice at the head of the Irish government, as Lord Justice, in 1543 (when upon alteration of the King's style, from Lord to King of Ireland, new seals were transmitted to him for the use of the Chancery etc) in 1546, and 1550.

He espoused Elizabeth, daughter and co-heir of Nicholas Clifford, of Bobbing and Holm, in Kent, and had issue,

EDWARD, his successor;

Anthony;

Anne; Elizabeth.

Sir William was succeeded by his elder son, 

THE RT HON SIR EDWARD BRABAZON (c1549-1625), MP for County Wicklow, 1585, High Sheriff of Staffordshire, 1606, who was elevated to the peerage, in 1616, in the dignity of Baron Ardee.

His lordship wedded Mary, daughter of Sir Thomas Smith, Knight, of Mitcham, Surrey, and had issue,

WILLIAM, his heir;
Wallop, of Eaton, Herts;
Anthony (Sir), father of WILLIAM.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son, 

WILLIAM, 2nd Baron (c1580-1651), KB, who was created, in 1627, EARL OF MEATH, with remainder, in default of direct male issue, to his brother, Sir Anthony Brabazon, and his male heirs.

His lordship married, in 1607, Jane, eldest daughter of the Rt Hon Sir John Bingley, Knight, and was succeeded by his only son,

EDWARD, 2nd Earl (1610-75), who wedded, in 1632, Mary, younger daughter of Calcott Chambré, of Denbigh, in Wales, and of Carnowe, County Wicklow, by whom he had four sons, three of whom inherited the peerage, and the fourth died young; and two daughters.

His lordship being unfortunately drowned in his passage between Holyhead and Beaumaris, 1675, was succeeded by his eldest son,

WILLIAM, 3rd Earl (1635-85), who wedded Elizabeth, second daughter of Francis, 14th Lord Dacre, and had issue,

Edward, died young;
Elizabeth; Catherine.

His lordship was succeeded by his brother,

EDWARD, 4th Earl (1638-1707), Ranger of Phœnix Park, Dublin.

This nobleman had the command of a regiment at the battle of the Boyne, and was wounded in the subsequent attack against Limerick.

He married twice; but dying sp in 1707, was succeeded by his brother,

CHAMBRÉ, 5th Earl (1645-1715), MP for County Dublin, 1692-3, who espoused Juliana, only daughter and heir of Patrick, 3rd Viscount Chaworth, and had issue,

CHAWORTH, his successor;
EDWARD, succeeded his brother;
Juliana; Mary; Catharine; Frances.

His lordship was succeeded by his elder son,

CHAWORTH, 6th Earl (1686-1763), MP for County Dublin, 1713-14, who wedded, in 1731, Juliana, daughter of Sir Thomas Prendergast Bt; but died issueless, when he was succeeded by his only brother,

EDWARD, 7th Earl (1691-1772),  MP for County Dublin, 1715-27-60, who espoused Martha, daughter of the Rev William Collins, of Warwick, and had issue,

ANTHONY, his successor;
William, of Tara House.

His lordship was succeeded by his elder son,

ANTHONY, 8th Earl (1721-90),  MP for County Wicklow, 1745-60, County Dublin, 1761-8-72, who married, in 1758, Grace, daughter of John Leigh, of Rosegarland, County Wexford, and had issue,

WILLIAM, his successor;
JOHN CHAMBRÉ, successor to his brother;
Mary; Martha; Juliana; Cecilia; Catherine; Arabella Barbara.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

WILLIAM, 9th Earl (1769-97), MP for County Dublin, 1789-90, who fell in a duel, and dying unmarried, was succeeded by his brother,

JOHN CHAMBRÉ, 10th Earl.

• Edward Brabazon, 7th Earl (1691–1772);
• Anthony Brabazon, 8th Earl (1721–90);
• William Brabazon, 9th Earl (1769–97);
• John Chambre Brabazon, 10th Earl (1772–1851);
• William Brabazon, 11th Earl (1803–87);
• Reginald Brabazon, 12th Earl (1841–1929);
• Reginald Le Normand Brabazon, 13th Earl (1869–1949);
• Anthony Windham Normand Brabazon, 14th Earl (1910–98);
• John Anthony Brabazon, 15th Earl (b 1941).

The heir apparent is the present holder's only son, Anthony Jacques Brabazon, styled Lord Ardee (b 1977).

The 13th Earl was the last Lord-Lieutenant of County Dublin, from 1898 until 1922.

John Anthony (Jack), the 15th and present Earl, lives with his family at Killruddery.

 12th Earl of Meath KP

The Brabazons, Earls of Meath, are a Patrick family; that is to say, several earls were appointed to the Most Illustrious Order of St Patrick.

KILLRUDDERY HOUSE, near Bray, County Wicklow, has been described by Mark Bence-Jones as the most successful Elizabethan-Revival house in Ireland.

It used to be known as Killrudddery Castle.

Killruddery was built in 1820 for the 10th Earl of Meath to the designs of Sir Richard Morrison, incorporating a 17th century house, with 18th century additions.

There are three principal fronts, with pointed, curvilinear gables, oriels and pinnacles.

The entrance front has a central, polygonal, battlemented tower; and a forecourt with wrought-iron gates.

The garden front is irregular, with a notable domed conservatory at one end, added in 1852; now the Orangery.

The entrance hall has a segmental-pointed, plaster barrel-vaulted ceiling; a straight flight of oak stairs leading to principal rooms.

The Great Hall is forty feet in height, with arches opening into the corridor at the upper storey.

Its ceiling boasts carved beams and braces carried on corbels decorated with the Meath falcon.

In the early 1950s, when the house was found to have become infested with dry-rot, Lord Meath reduced it in size by demolishing the entrance front and the entire adjoining front, with the exception of one gabled projection.

A new, simplified entrance front was subsequently constructed.

The Killruddery estate, which now extends to 800 acres, is owned and farmed by the 15th Earl and Countess.

In 2000, Lord Meath sold his 4,100 acre sporting estate at Rathdrum for £10 million.

Other former seat ~ Eaton Court, Herefordshire.

First published in November, 2012; revised in 2014.   Meath arms courtesy of European Heraldry.