Saintfield Visit

SAINTFIELD, originally called Taunaghnieve, Tonaghneave, or Tonaghnieve, now a village in County Down comprising one long street intersected by a shorter one, was sparsely inhabited woodland five centuries ago, when the entire region was owned by the Clandeboye O'Neills.

In 1605 it was acquired by SIR JAMES HAMILTON (c1560-1644), 1st Viscount Claneboye.

Sir James held this land until 1709, when he sold it to Major-General Nicholas Price, of HOLLYMOUNT, near Downpatrick, County Down, son of Catherine, daughter of Sir James Hamilton (1644-c1706), MP for County Down, 1692-3, Bangor, 1695-9 and 1703-6.

General Price purchased the newly-named Saintfield for his third son Nicholas, who lived initially on the main street of the new village on the site of the former hotel.

The Major-General's grandson Francis (1729-91), MP for Lisburn, 1759-76, moved with his family into their grand new mansion house, SAINTFIELD HOUSE, about 1750.

The chorographer of County Down remarked in 1776 that,

"It was, not many years ago, made a town by the care and industry of the late General Price, who began to improve here, opened and made the roads passable from Belfast to Down though it, encouraged linen manufacturers and other tradesmen to settle here, had a barrack fixed for a troop of horse, and promoted the repair of a ruinous, now decent parish church, to which he gave plate and other ornaments."

The Parliamentary Gazetteer apprises us that,

"Saintfield was the scene of an atrocity and a skirmish on respectively the 8th and 9th June, 1798. A number of insurgents assembled near Saintfield on the 8th June, under a leader named Jackson, and with furious resentment set fire to the house of one McKee, an informer, where eleven persons are said to have perished in the flames."

"This was the only act of atrocity, except in battle, committed by the armed malcontents in Ulster. Electing for their general Henry Munro, a shopkeeper of Lisburn, they placed themselves on the 9th in ambuscade, awaiting the approach of Colonel [Granville Anson] Chetwynd-Stapylton, with a body of York Fencibles and yeomen cavalry. Here the royal troops would have been totally routed, if the infantry, on whom the cavalry were driven back with slaughter, had not, with a cool intrepidity, extremely uncommon, if not altogether singular, at this time in Ireland, rallied and dislodged the foe."

"Stapylton, having remained master of the ground, retreated to Belfast, having lost about sixty men, including three officers, beside Mr Mortimer, a clergyman, Vicar of Portaferry, who had volunteered on this occasion."

The proprietor and lord of the manor in 1802, NICHOLAS PRICE, erected a large market-house and hotel.

The erstwhile residence of the Prices on the main street of the village became an inn or hotel; and, in 1803, a market-house was built beside the hotel.

The Market-House (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

The market-house also functioned as a court-house on the first floor, with its first sitting in 1804.

It's a rather elegant two-storey, rendered building with three bays, a hipped roof, and cupola.

The handsome clock on the facade of the market-house was made by William Spratt, of Ardmillan, near Killinchy, County Down (hence the letters "AM" after his name).

The three arched openings on the ground floor have been blocked up.

A wooden door now occupies the central arch; the two outer arches have been replaced with windows.

There is an inscribed stone panel above the central arch which proclaims:

In Usum hujus oppidi vcinuqu: hoc

forum venale sumtu suo aedificavit

armiger Nicholaus Price curante

seneshalle Joanne McBirnie

AD 1803

This translates approximately as, In the use of this town he built a market for sale at his own cost. Squire Nicholas Price. Seneschal John McBirnie. AD 1803.

During the summer months the fowl market opened at 2am, presumably a considerable boon for poachers, having helped themselves in the darkness to pheasants and other wildfowl from the landlord's adjacent demesne.

The former market-house now serves as an Orange Hall.

Price's former hotel (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

THE HOTEL or inn was built about the same time as the nearby market-house.

It comprises a square rendered block, with a fan-lighted entrance to the side, overlooking the market-house.

The elevation on the Main Street has four bays, with a large coach-arch; above which there used to be a Georgian iron lamp-bracket (which has unfortunately disappeared).

McRobert's bar, with its fascia of about 1840, nestles neatly at one side of the building.

During my highly enjoyable visit to Saintfield in July, 2022, I also visited the parish church, which has the family vault of the Prices tucked away to the side of the old graveyard.

The Price vault at Saintfield parish church (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

It's terribly neglected and overgrown with vegetation at the time of writing (July 4th, 2022).

First published in July, 2022.

The Florence Court Acquisition

SELECTIVE ACQUISITIONS IN NORTHERN IRELAND

PROPERTY: Florence Court House and Garden

DATE: 1954

EXTENT: 15.53 acres

DONOR: Michael, Viscount Cole

*****

PROPERTY: Land in front of Florence Court House

DATE: 1981

EXTENT: 2.21 acres

DONOR: Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland

*****

PROPERTY: Land at Florence Court and Killymanamly House

DATE: 1985

EXTENT: 121.18 acres

DONOR: 6th Earl of Enniskillen

*****

PROPERTY: Walled Garden, Broad Meadow and Gate Lodges

DATE: 1995

EXTENT: 108.54 acres

DONOR: Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland

First published in January, 2015.

The Beresford Baronets

The surname of BERESFORD was assumed from Beresford, in the parish of Alstonefield, Staffordshire, of which manor, JOHN DE BERESFORD was seised in 1087, during the reign of WILLIAM II, and was succeeded therein by his son, HUGH DE BERESFORD, from whom lineally descended

JOHN BERESFORD (1390-1475), Lord of Beresford and Enson, who married Elizabeth, daughter of William Basset, of Blore, Staffordshire, and had, with other issue,

John, his heir;
THOMAS.

Mr Beresford was succeeded at Beresford by his eldest son; while the second,

THOMAS BERESFORD (1420-1473), seated himself at Newton Grange, Derbyshire, where he was resident during the reigns of HENRY VI and EDWARD IV; the former of whom he served in his French wars, and, according to tradition, mustered a troop of horse at Chesterfield, consisting alone of his sons and his own and their attendants.

Mr Beresford wedded Agnes, daughter and heiress of Robert Hassall, of Arclid, Cheshire, by whom he had sixteen sons and five daughters, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Aden; but we pass to the seventh,

HUMPHREY BERESFORD, who eventually became of Newton Grange.

This gentleman espoused Margery, daughter of Edmond Berdesley, or Beresley, and was succeeded by his second son (the eldest having left a daughter only at his decease),

GEORGE BERESFORD, whose eldest son,

MICHAEL BERESFORD (1540-1608), was an officer in the Court of Wards, and seated at Oxford, and The Squires, Kent.

He married Rose, daughter of John Knevitt, and had seven sons and four daughters; of whom

TRISTRAM BERESFORD (1574-1666), the third son, going into Ulster in the reign of JAMES I, settled at Coleraine, County Londonderry, as manager for the Corporaton of London during the plantation of Ulster.

He was succeeded by his eldest son, 

SIR TRISTRAM BERESFORD, Knight (1595-1673), of Coleraine, MP for Coleraine, 1634-66, who was created a baronet in 1665, designated of Coleraine.

Sir Tristram wedded firstly, Anne, eldest daughter of John Rowley, of Castleroe, County Londonderry, by whom he had one son, RANDAL, his heir, and two daughters; and secondly, Sarah Sackville, and had three sons and three daughters, namely,

Tristram;
Michael;
Sackville;
Susanna; Sarah; Anne.

Sir Tristram was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR RANDAL BERESFORD, 2nd Baronet, MP for Coleraine, 1661-8, who wedded Catherine, younger daughter of Francis, 1st Viscount Valentia, and niece, maternally, of Philip, 1st Earl of Chesterfield, and had issue,

TRISTRAM, his successor;
Jane; Catherine.

Sir Randal died in 1681, and was succeeded by his son and heir,

SIR TRISTRAM BERESFORD, 3rd Baronet (1669-1701), MP for County Londonderry, 1692-9, who commanded a regiment of foot against JAMES II, and was attainted by the parliament of that monarch.

He espoused, in 1687, Nichola Sophia, youngest daughter and co-heiress of Hugh, 1st Baron Hamilton of Glerawly, and had issue,

MARCUS, his successor;
Susanna Catherina; Arabella Maria; Jane; Aramintha.

Sir Tristram was succeeded by his son,

SIR MARCUS BERESFORD, 4th Baronet (1694-1763), MP for Coleraine, 1715-20, who married, in 1717, Catherine, only daughter of James, 3rd Earl of Tyrone, and in consequence of that alliance was advanced to the peerage, in 1720, as Baron Beresford, of Beresford, County Cavan, and Viscount Tyrone; and was created Earl of Tyrone, 1746.

A memorial in Coleraine parish church was restored by the first Baronet's descendant, Henry, 3rd Marquess of Waterford.

In 1872, John, 5th Marquess of Waterford, sold 40,000 acres of Beresford property in County Londonderry, 8,000 acres being acquired by the Beresfords of Learmount.

The present Marquess of Waterford is the 12th Beresford Baronet.

First published in February, 2011.  Beresford arms courtesy of European Heraldry.

Stuart Hall

THE EARLS CASTLE STEWART WERE THE SECOND LARGEST LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY TYRONE, WITH 32,615 ACRES

This family is derived from a cadet of the House of Murdoch, 2nd Duke of Albany, the Regent, third son of ROBERT II, King of Scots.

This cadet (whose elder brother was Andrew, first and last Lord Avondale), was

WALTER STEWART, of Morphie, Aberdeenshire, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Arnot, of Arnot, Fifeshire, and by her had issue, a son,

ALEXANDER STEWART, of Avondale, who had a charter of the lands and barony of Avondale on the resignation of his uncle, Lord Avondale (born 1485-6).

He was one of the lords auditors, 1488, but died before June, 1489, when he was succeeded by his son (by some said to be his brother),

ANDREW STEWART, 1st Lord Avondale, who wedded Margaret, sister of David, 1st Earl of Cassillis, and had with other issue,

ANDREW, his successor;

Henry, 1st Lord Methven;

James;

Alexander;

William;

Barbara; Agnes; Anne.

His lordship fell at the battle of Flodden, 1513, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

ANDREW (c1505-48), LORD STUART OF OCHILTREE, or LORD OCHILTREE,who, having exchanged his barony of Avondale, with Sir James Hamilton,for thatof OCHILTREE, was ordained to be called LORD STUART OF OCHILTREE, in time to come, by Act of Parliament, 1542-3.

His lordship married Margaret Hamilton, natural daughter of James, 1st Earl of Arran, leaving an only surviving son,

ANDREW (c1521-91), 2nd Lord Ochiltree, commonly called The Good Lord Ochiltree, who married firstly, Agnes, daughter of John Cunningham, of Caprington; and secondly, Margaret, widow of John Wallace, of Craigie, and daughter of 1st Earl of Glencairn, and had with other issue,

Andrew Stewart, Master of Ochiltree; father of ANDREW, 3rd Lord;

James, EARL OF ARRAN;

William (Sir).

Lord Ochiltree was succeeded by his grandson,

ANDREW, 3rd Lord Ochiltree (1560-1629), who having sold the feudal barony of OCHILTREE to his cousin, Sir James Stuart, of Killeith, was created, 1619, BARON CASTLE STUART, of County Tyrone, where he possessed considerable estates.

He wedded, ca 1587, Margaret, daughter of Sir John Kennedy, of Blairquhan, and had issue,

ANDREW, his successor;
JOHN, 5th Baron;
Robert, ancestor of the Earl Castle Stewart;
Margaret, m George Crawford, of Crawfordsburn;
Maria, m John Kennedy, of Cultra;
Anna.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

ANDREW, 2nd Lord Castle Stuart (1590-1639), who had been previously created a baronet.

He espoused, ca 1604, the Lady Anne Stewart, fifth daughter and co-heiress of John, 5th Earl of Atholl, by which lady he had issue,

ANDREW, 3rd Baron;
JOSIAS, 4th Baron.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

ANDREW, 3rd Baron (-1650), who married Joyce, daughter and heiress of Sir Arthur Blundell, by whom he had issue, an only child, MARY, who wedded Henry 5th Earl of Suffolk.

His lordship died without male issue, and the honours devolved upon his brother,

JOSIAS, 4th Baron (c1637-62), who espoused Anne, daughter of John Madden, of Enfield, Middlesex, by his wife Elizabeth, daughter and co-heiress of Charles Waterhouse, of Manor Waterhouse, County Fermanagh.

This marriage was without issue and the titles reverted to his uncle,

JOHN, 5th Baron, after whose decease without issue, the title remained in abeyance until 1774, when it was claimed by, and allowed to

ANDEW THOMAS STEWART-MOORE (1725-1809), (revert to descendants of the Hon Robert Stuart, of Irry, youngest son of 1st Baron), High Sheriff of County Tyrone, 1755.

His lordship was created Viscount Castle Stewart, 1793; and advanced to an earldom, in 1800, as EARL CASTLE STEWART, County Tyrone.

His lordship wedded, in 1782, Sarah, daughter and co-heir of of the Rt Hon Godfrey Lill, Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in Ireland, by whom he had issue,

ROBERT, his successor;
Andrew;
Caroline; Sarah.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

ROBERT, 2nd Earl (1784-1854), who espoused, in 1806, Jemima, only daughter of Colonel Robinson, by whom he had issue,

EDWARD, 3rd Earl;
CHARLES ANDREW KNOX, 4th Earl;
Andrew Godfrey, in holy orders, father of 6th Earl.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

EDWARD, 3rd Earl (1807-57), who married, in 1830, Emmeline, only surviving daughter and heir of Benjamin Bathurst, in a childless marriage.

His lordship was succeeded by his brother,

CHARLES ANDREW KNOX, 4th Earl (1810-74), who wedded, in 1835, Charlotte Raffles Drury, only daughter of Acheson Quintin Thompson, of County Louth, and had issue,

HENRY JAMES, his successor;
Mary; Ella Sophia; Alice Maude; Margaretta.

His lordship was succeeded by his son,

HENRY JAMES, 5th Earl (1837-1914), High Sheriff of County Tyrone, 1870, who espoused, in 1866, Augusta Le Vicomte, daughter of Major William Stewart Richardson-Brady, and had issue, two daughters,

Mary; Muriel Albany.

His lordship died without male issue, and the titles reverted to his cousin,

ANDREW JOHN, as 6th Earl (1841-1921); who married, in 1876, Emma Georgiana Diana, daughter of Major-General Arthur Stevens, and had issue,

Andrew John, Viscount Stuart (1880-1915), killed in action;
Robert Sheffield (1886-1914), killed in action;
ARTHUR, of whom presently;
Charles Patrick;
Katherine Frances.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

ARTHUR, 7th Earl (1889-1961), MC, Major, Machine Gun Corps, MP for Harborough, 1929-33, who wedded, in 1920, Eleanor May, daughter of Solomon Robert Guggenheim, and had issue,

David Andrew Noel, Viscount Stuart (1921-42), killed in action;
Robert John Ochiltree, Viscount Stuart (1923-44), died of wounds in action;
ARTHUR PATRICK AVONDALE, of whom hereafter;
Simon Walter Erskine.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

ARTHUR PATRICK AVONDALE, 8th Earl (1928-2023), of Stuart Hall, near Stewartstown, County Tyrone, who married firstly, in 1952, Edna, daughter of William Edward Fowler, and had issue,

ANDREW RICHARD CHARLES, his successor;

Bridget Ann.

His lordship was succeeded by his son,

ANDREW RICHARD CHARLES, 9th Earl (1953-), who wedded, in 1953, Anniw Yvette, daughter of Robert le Poulain, and has issue, a daughter,

Celia Elizabeth, born in 1976.

THE other major event of his long reign as head of the family was the 1st Earl's acquisition, in 1782, of a third manor in County Tyrone, the manor of Orritor, alias Orator.

Orritor was near Stewartstown, and was thus geographically well-situated to round off the existing manors of Castle Stewart and Forward.

However, the Orritor Estate adjoined Drum Manor and was, thus, closer to Cookstown than Stewartstown; or New Mills, around where the Forward estate is situated.

The fourth manor in the Tyrone estate came in by inheritance, not deliberate purchase, and was remote from the other three: the manor of Hastings, alias Castlegore (near Castlederg) formerly the property of the Edwards family of Castlegore.

Robert Stewart of Stuart Hall had married Margaret Edwards of Castlegore back in 1722; and, as a result of failure of heirs male in the Edwards family, Castlegore passed to the Stuarts.

In 1862, the four manors generated an annual income of £7,567.

A further temporary addition to the Tyrone estate was made in 1866, when Lord Stuart, later 5th Earl Castle Stewart, married the heiress of the Richardson Brady family of Oaklands, alias Drum Manor, Cookstown.

On his death in 1914, however, he was succeeded in the earldom and in the Castle Stewart estates by his cousin; but at Drum Manor by one of his daughters, Lady Muriel Close.

STUART HALL, near Stewartstown, County Tyrone, was built about 1760 for Andrew, 1st Earl Castle Stewart.

It was originally a three-storey Georgian block with a pillared porch, joined to an old tower-house by a 19th century Gothic wing.

More recently, the top two storeys of the main block were removed, giving it the appearance of a Georgian bungalow.

Stuart Hall was blown up by the IRA in July, 1972, and subsequently demolished.

A new dwelling was subsequently built on the site in 1987.

The present house is surrounded by lawns and a maintained woodland garden.

Gillian, Countess Castle Stewart, informed me that Stuart Hall Estate was sold in early 2024 to Sean Coyle, a resident and successful businessman from the county.

Earlier this year (2025) Mr Coyle was awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service. 

Lady Castle Stewart was delighted that, at the same time, he purchased and saved the Collection of family portraits, where they remain.

The Castle Stewart Dutch art collection remains under the care of the National Trust still at Ardress House on public display, and our Coronation Robes and Coronets at the NT's Spring Hill House property.

There is a ha-ha to grazing, with fine views of the landscape park and woodland beyond.

The stables and farm buildings survive from the 18th century and are listed.

The walled garden has a 1832 date stone and is adorned by a castellated wall and two folly towers backing onto the former stack yard.

Rowan describes it as ‘…castellated, of rubble stone with brick corbelling and a plump round tower at either end.’

A stone inscription on a frieze, though, has an inscription which reads either 1783 or 1785.

The walled garden is not kept up.

There were extensive glasshouses.

The chief attribute of the demesne is the fine stands of mature trees, disposed in the landscape style of the mid-18th century.

There is also forest planting.

A gate lodge of ca 1835 has gone but the gate screen remains.

First published in December, 2009. 

Franklin Maxims: X

THE ROTTEN APPLE SPOILS HIS COMPANION

Coolbawn House

THE BRUENS OWNED 6,932 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY WEXFORD

JAMES BRUEN, said to have been of Tarvin, Cheshire, went to Ireland in Cromwell's Army and settled at Abbeyboyle, County Roscommon. He was administrator to his brother, Henry Bruen, of Dublin, in 1700.

James Bruen’s son,

MOSES BRUEN, of Boyle, County Roscommon, purchased land and property in counties Carlow and Wexford from the Beaucamp, Grogan and Whaley families.

Thereafter, the family settled at Oak Park, County Carlow, and Coolbawn, County Wexford.

This Moses, who died in 1757, left issue,

Moses;
HENRY, of Oak Park;
Bridget; Mary; Elinor Catherine; Margaret; Elizabeth.

The second son,

COLONEL HENRY BRUEN (1741-95), of Oak Park, High Sheriff of County Carlow, 1785, MP for Jamestown, 1783-90, County Carlow, 1790-95, removed, ca 1775, to estates which he purchased in County Carlow.

He married, in 1787, Harriette Dorothea, daughter of Francis Knox, of Rappa Castle, County Mayo, and had issue,

HENRY, his heir;
John, of Coolbawn;
Francis, of Coolbawn;
Maria; Margaret; Harriett.

The son and heir,

COLONEL HENRY BRUEN (1789-1852), of Oak Park, and Coolbawn, County Wexford, married, in 1822, Anne Wandesforde, daughter of Thomas Kavanagh MP, of Borris House, County Carlow, by Lady Elizabeth his wife, daughter of John, 17th Earl of Ormonde, and had issue,

HENRY, of Oak Park;

Elizabeth; Harriet; Anne.

Colonel Bruen was succeeded by his only son,

THE RT HON HENRY BRUEN JP DL (1828-1912), of Oak Park and Coolbawn, MP for Carlow, 1857-80, High Sheriff of County Carlow, 1855, Privy Counsellor, who married, in 1854, Mary Margaret, third daughter of Colonel Edward M Conolly MP, of Castletown, County Kildare, and had issue,

HENRY, his heir;
Edward Francis, Captain RN;
John Richard;
Arthur Thomas;
Charles;
Katherine Anne; Mary Susan; Elizabeth; Eleanor; Helen; Grace.

Mr Bruen was succeeded by his eldest son,

HENRY BRUEN (1856-1927), of Oak Park, and Coolbawn, Lieutenant, Royal Artillery, High Sheriff of County Carlow, 1886, Wexford, 1909, who wedded, in 1886, Agnes Mary, youngest daughter of the Rt Hon Arthur M Kavanagh, of Borris, County Carlow, and had issue,

HENRY ARTHUR BRUEN (1887-1954), of Oak Park, Captain, 15th Hussars, who wedded, in 1913, Jane Catherine Gladys, daughter of Arthur George Florence McClintock, and had issue,

GLADYS PATRICIA BREUN (1914-), of Oak Park, who married, in 1939, Mervyn Anthony Arthur Rudyerd Boyse, son of Major Henry Thomas Arthur Shapland Hunt Boyse. They had four sons.

She lived in 1976 at Maryvale, Church Road, Ballybrack, County Dublin.

Coolbawn House (Image: the NLI)

COOLBAWN HOUSE, near Enniscorthy, County Wexford,was, according to Mark Bence-Jones, 

"An impressive Tudor-Revival pile faced in granite ashlar, built ca 1830s for Francis Bruen to the design of the younger Frederick Darley."

"Symmetrical front; alternate triangular and curvilinear gables; many finials; massive central porch tower, with mullioned window and carved tracery over doorway."

"Screen walls with curvilinear battlements prolonging the facade on either side, one of them with windows lighting a range behind it."

"Monolithic stone mullions in windows; grand staircase of stone in hall to right of entrance; extensive office court, with gables and finials, at right-hand side of house."    

Francis Bruen sold Coolbawn to James Richard Dier JP ca 1918.

Coolbawn (Image: the NLI)

Apparently Mr Dier had plans to sell it for use as a "sanatorium."

Coolbawn (Image: Ireland.com)

Coolbawn was razed to the ground by the IRA in 1923.

Today it is a ruinous shell surrounded by woodland.

The Downhill Acquisition

SELECTIVE ACQUISITIONS IN NORTHERN IRELAND

PROPERTY: Mussenden Temple, Downhill Demesne, County Londonderry

DATE: 1949

EXTENT: 0.59 acres

DONOR: Frederick Smyth

*****

PROPERTY: The Black Glen, Downhill Demesne

DATE: 1961

EXTENT: 17.7 acres

DONOR: Richard Morrison

*****

PROPERTY: Downhill Ruin and Mausoleum

DATE: 1980

EXTENT: 3.1 acres

DONOR: Messrs Robert O'Neill and James Reid

*****

PROPERTY: Downhill

DATE: 2004

EXTENT: 5.98 acres

DONOR: Coleraine Borough Council

First published in December, 2014.