Keppel Association Tour

THE KEPPEL ASSOCIATION was founded in 2003. Its Honorary Life Member is Her Majesty The Queen. The Earl of Albemarle and Viscount Bury are its Presidents.

Members of the Keppel Association visited Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland from the 8th-12th May, 2017.

The Association was surprised to discover many Keppel connections and relationships within the Province and even more so south of the border.

The idea of arranging an Irish tour for the membership of the Association stemmed originally from a generous offer by the Lady Rose and Peter Lauritzen to entertain a group of members at Mount Stewart, County Down, former seat of the Marquess of Londonderry.

Mount Stewart was bequeathed to Lady Rose's father, Lord Bury, and her mother, the Lady Mairi Bury (née Vane-Tempest-Stewart) and consequently became a Keppel seat.

As soon as the National Trust completed their work of restoration of Mount Stewart House (which lasted for over three years), the Association started to plan a tour, the centrepiece of which would be a complete day spent visiting the house and gardens; with another day spent driving into the Irish Republic, to the Battle of the Boyne site where it is believed that Arnold Joost van Keppel, 1st Earl of Albemarle, KG, already highly favoured by WILLIAM III, played a role.

The group assembled at the Londonderry Arms Hotel in Carnlough, County Antrim, which was to be their base for the next four days.

The next morning they set forth to Glenarm Castle, seat of the McDonnells, Earls of Antrim, where they met Patricia Mackean, who lives in Northern Ireland, and her sister, Diana von Halle, two members of the group who described themselves as the "day girls" because they did not stay with the rest of the group at the Londonderry Arms hotel, nor for the whole tour.

The members were then conducted by the family butler round Glenarm Castle, which also has connections with the Vane-Tempest family through the marriage in 1799 of Anne, Countess of Antrim de jure, to Sir Harry Vane-Tempest, father of Frances Anne, Marchioness of Londonderry.

Afterwards the group toured the enormous and immaculately maintained 18th century walled garden with its abundant tulip beds, many of which were in full bloom.

After a light lunch in the tearoom, located in the former mushroom-house, the members drove to the Giant's Causeway, where they made a brief stop at Dunluce Castle, a former seat of the Earls of Antrim.

The following day, the group set out on the long drive to the battle of the Boyne site, stopping en route at Castle Ward, ancestral seat of the Viscounts Bangor, where they were hospitably received by the National Trust caretaker, Andrea Hutton.

1st Countess of Albemarle, by Sir Godfrey Kneller (National Trust, Mount Stewart)

Thence the group continued their journey to the Boyne, where John Villiers gave a short talk on the background to the Glorious Revolution and the battle; and Charles Villiers gave an account of his recent researches into the history of the Irish properties owned by the Keppel family in the 18th and 19th centuries.

At the visitor centre the members met up again with the two "day girls" and admired an excellent exhibition comprising the weapons used at the battle and models of the principal characters involved.

On the return journey back to base the group drove to Slane Castle, County Meath, seat of the Marquess Conyngham, though, unfortunately, the main entrance was obstructed by building works and, as a consequence, the house was closed by the time they arrived.

The whole of the third day of the tour was devoted to Mount Stewart, which was, as intended, the climax of the Keppel Association's visit to Northern Ireland.

The group was first taken on an extended tour of the magnificent reception rooms, guided by Peter Lauritzen; his impressive knowledge of the history of the Londonderry family and the unimpeachable scholarship and ready wit that imbued everything he had to say about every picture, piece of furniture and objet d'art in every room made the tour a splendid example of learning worn lightly.

The Keppel Association group with their hosts outside the garden front of Mount Stewart

After a delicious luncheon served in Rose and Peter's private apartments (during which many of the group spilled out into the Italian Garden), they were taken on a tour of all the gardens by the head gardener, Neil Porteous, who proved to be as erudite and entertaining a horticulturalist and dendrologist as Peter was a historian and art historian.

This memorably enjoyable day was ended at the Londonderry Arms Hotel, where a copious, farewell dinner had been prepared.

On the final day in Northern Ireland, after a photo-call in front of the hotel, the members departed for Belfast, where they visited the Ulster Museum.

Through the good offices of William Montgomery, of Greyabbey House, the group was met by the chief curator, Kim Mawhinney.

The members admired a dozen or so pieces of Williamite glassware from the museum's collection (not on public display presently).

So ended a tour that, although the connection with the Keppels was somewhat tenuous, if not non-existent, had enough intrinsic interest to keep all the members of the Keppel Association group fully engaged; and it was greatly enhanced by the superb weather enjoyed throughout and the warm hospitality which was shown everywhere the group went.

First published in November, 2017.

1st Earl of Albemarle

This noble family was originally seated in Gelderland, and had a castle there, considerable for its privileges and antiquity. WALTER VAN KEPPEL, Lord of Keppel, lived in 1179 and 1231; founded the monastery at Bethlehem, near Doetinchem; by his wife, Beatrix, he was father of Walter van Keppel, who held the lordship of Vervoelde: and whose son, Derek van Keppel, Lord of Vervoelde, was father of Derek van Keppel, who held the lordship of Vervoelde as a fief under his cousin , Lord Sweder van Voorst, 1362; his eldest son,

WALTER VAN KEPPEL, Lord of Vervoelde, ancestor of the Van Keppels, Lords of Vanvoelde and the Voorst, whose representative,

ARNOLD JOOST VAN KEPPEL (1670-1718), Lord of the Voorst.

His younger brother, Johan Rabo van Keppel (1675-1733), was Lieutenant-Colonel in the service of the States General, Colonel of a foot regiment, Postmaster-General of the Province of Gelderland, Bailiff of Bois-le-Duc, and a noble of the Province of Overiffel.

1st Earl of Albemarle. Photo Credit: The National Trust

This Arnold van Keppel accompanied the Prince of Orange, 1688, and, on the establishment of his royal master upon the throne of England, was created, in 1696, Baron Ashford, of Ashford, Kent, and Viscount Bury, Lancashire.

His lordship was advanced to the dignity of an earldom, in 1697, as EARL OF ALBEMARLE, a town and territory in the Dukedom of Normandy.

Aumale, formerly known as Albemarle, is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region in north-western France. The town's Latin name was Alba Marla.

The 1st Earl was subsequently honoured with the Order of the Garter.

"About this time" says Bishop Burnet, "the King set up a new favourite, Keppel, a gentleman of Guelders, who was raised from a page into the highest degree of favour that any person had ever attained about the King."

"He was now made Earl of Albemarle, and soon after Knight of the Garter, and, by a quick and unaccountable progress, he seemed to have engrossed the royal favour so entirely that he disposed of everything that was in the King's power."

"He was a cheerful young man, that had the art to please, but was so much given up to his own pleasure that he could scarce submit to the attendance and drudgery that was necessary to maintain his post."

"He had never yet distinguished himself in anything."

"He was not cold nor dry, as the Earl of Portland was thought to be, who seemed to have the art of creating many enemies to himself, and not one friend; but the Earl of Albemarle had all the arts of a court, was civil to all, and procured many favours."

His lordship married, in 1701, Geertruid Johanna Quirina, daughter of Adam van der Duyn, and had issue,

WILLIAM ANNE, his successor;
Sophia.

He was a member of the nobles in Holland, Deputy Forester, General of the Horse, in the service of the States-General, Governor of Bois-le-Duc etc.

WILLIAM III held his lordship in the highest esteem and bequeathed to him, in a codicil annexed to His Majesty's last will and testament, the Lordship of Bredevoort and 200,000 guilders, the only legacy His Majesty gave from the Prince of Nassau-Dietz, whom he had made his heir.

His lordship was succeeded by his son,

WILLIAM ANNE, 2nd Earl (1702-54), KG, who wedded, in 1722, the Lady Anne Lennox, daughter of Charles, 1st Duke of Richmond, by whom he had fifteen children, eight sons and seven daughters; only six of whom survived their infancy, viz.

GEORGE, his successor;
Augustus, created 1st VISCOUNT KEPPEL;
William;
Frederick (Rt Rev Hon), Lord Bishop of Exeter;
Caroline; Elizabeth.

His lordship, who was a General in the army and had been British Ambassador at the Court of Versailles, was succeeded by his eldest son,

GEORGE, 3rd Earl (1724-72), KG, a military man, who served as aide-de-camp to the Duke of Cumberland at the battle of Fontenoy, 1745, and the next year, being with His Royal Highness at Culloden, was bearer of the dispatches announcing the victory to London.

He subsequently attained the rank of Lieutenant-General, and was commander-in-chief at the reduction of Havana, where he acquired an accession of reputation and increase of fortune.

The 3rd Earl espoused, in 1770, Anne, youngest daughter of Sir John Miller, 4th Baronet, of Chichester, West Sussex, by whom he had an only son,

WILLIAM CHARLES, 4th Earl (1772-1849), GCH,

William Charles Keppel, 4th Earl (1772–1849);
Augustus Frederick Keppel, 5th Earl (1794–1851);
George Thomas Keppel, 6th Earl (1799–1891);
William Coutts Keppel, 7th Earl (1832–94);
Arnold Allan Cecil Keppel, 8th Earl (1858–1942);
Walter Egerton George Lucian Keppel, 9th Earl (1882–1979);
Rufus Arnold Alexis Keppel, 10th Earl (b 1965).

The heir apparent is the present holder's son, Augustus Sergei Darius Keppel, styled Viscount Bury (b 2003).

The Earls of Albemarle held over 2,500 acres in County Leitrim in 1876. The 6th Earl served as High Sheriff of Leitrim, 1838. 

The 4th Earl was married to the Hon Elizabeth Southwell, daughter of Baron de Clifford, a family who also held lands in Leitrim; and it was through this union that the Keppels acquired their Leitrim estates. 

The 4th Earl also had some land in County Limerick, which came into the family through the marriage of the 2nd Earl and the daughter of the 1st Duke of Richmond in 1723. 

The Lady Mairi Bury (née Vane-Tempest-Stewart), daughter of the 7th Marquess and Marchioness of Londonderry, married, in 1940, Derek Keppel, styled Viscount Bury, son of the 9th Earl of Albemarle.

Former seats ~ Elveden Hall, Suffolk; Quidenham Hall, Norfolk.

First published in November, 2017.