Franklin Maxims: VI

TELL ME MY FAULTS, AND MEND YOUR OWN.

First published in May, 2020.

Redhall

THE MACAULAYS OWNED 567 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY ANTRIM

The Macaulays of Antrim trace their descent from the MacAulays of Ardincaple, or Ardencaple, Dumbartonshire, a branch of that family having settled in County Antrim early in the 17th century, and occupied a position of considerable importance in the county.

The ancient clan of the MacAulays of Ardincaple has been traced to Awlay, a brother of Maldouen, Earl of Lennox, who died in the reign of ALEXANDER III, King of Scots.

JAMES MACAULAY JP, of Ben Neagh, Crumlin, County Antrim, married, in 1785, Jane, daughter of Thomas Hyndman, of Ballyronan, County Londonderry, and died in 1839, leaving a son,

ROBERT MACAULAY (1788-1864), of Glenoak, Crumlin, and of Larne, County Antrim, who wedded, in 1807, Helena, daughter of Jasper White, of Limerick, and had issue,

Jasper, of Leigh Hill House, Cobham, Surrey;
JOHN, of whom hereafter;
Helena; Robina; Emily.

Mr Macaulay’s younger son,

JOHN MACAULAY JP DL (1823-1912), of Red Hall, Ballycarry, County Antrim, High Sheriff of County Antrim, 1891, espoused, in 1853, Jane Callwell, daughter of Patrick Agnew, of KILWAUGHTER and Larne, County Antrim, and had issue,

ROBERT HELENUS;
Agnew McNeil;
Elizabeth Agnew; Helen Elizabeth White; Edith May Agnew.

Mr Macaulay was succeeded by his eldest son,

ROBERT HELENUS MACAULAY (1854-1943), who married, in 1883, Sarah, youngest daughter of William Richardson, of BROOKLANDS, Belfast, and had issue,

ROBERT KEITH AGNEW, 1884-1963, Lieutenant, Royal Engineers;
John Mortimer William, b 1885;
Irene Vera Muriel.

REDHALL, near Ballycarry, County Antrim, is essentially a 17th century tower-house, enlarged by the addition of two wings containing large reception rooms of ca 1790, and remodelled in the 19th century.

In the older part of the house there are ceilings of primitive though vigorous plasterwork.

John Dalway arrived at Carrickfergus in 1573 and, marrying Jane O’Neill, was given a large grant of land in this area.

It is presumed he built a house and that he coined the name Red Hall.

In 1609, William Edmonstone, of Duntreath, Stirlingshire, secured a lease from John Dalway.

What form the house took at that time is not known, though it would appear that Edmonstone repaired and modernised an existing castle or tower house which had been owned by the O'Neills and dated from at least the mid-16th century, if not earlier.

Dating from the 17th century remodelling are the oak staircase of the Jacobean period; the roof timbers; and a panelled room in late 17th century style.

Panelled ceilings in the first floor have been ascribed to ca 1730.

In 1784, the estate was sold by Sir Archibald Edmonstone Bt to RICHARD GERVAS KER who, in 1793, added the wings to each side to create drawing and dining rooms, with a kitchen in the basement.

Mr Ker was also probably responsible for remodelling the main block, including building a parapet around it and adding a four-columned porch in front of a newly positioned central entrance.

Ker was succeeded by his nephew, David Stewart Ker, of MONTALTO, who, in 1822, is recorded as having built the nearby threshing mill to the west of the house in 1835.

In 1830, the house was described as,

Very plain in its architecture, stone finished on the outside without anything ornamental in its structure or appearance ... the garden is small but the demesne ornamental and pleasure grounds are very extensive, and the plantings of firs, larch and beech very tastefully varied and laid out.

In 1869, the estate was bought by John Macaulay, to whom may be attributed the present rendered finish to the exterior, incorporating quoins, rustications, string courses, and surrounds to windows; the small balcony on the east elevation; the canted bay added to the south wing, the square turret added at the north-east corner; the replacement of the small-paned windows by plate glass; and banks, terraces and stone steps around the house, all apparently between 1871-75.

The Macaulay surname is spelled MacAulay in the 1912 edition of Burke's Gentry of Ireland, and varies in several other publications.

The internal plasterwork ceilings in the entrance hall and morning room, and plasterwork details in the dining-room and drawing-room may also be attributed to Macaulay.

The present porch was in position by 1871, when it had a small pediment over it.

An addition by Macaulay, subsequently removed, was a large central chimney on the south parapet of the main block.

In 1902, the estate was bought by W J Porrit, who was responsible for the red-painted finish to the exterior, of which only traces now remain.

In 1918, George Reade became Redhall's new owner.

He inserted dormers into three of the attics; and was probably responsible for the removal of Macauley's south chimney.

In 1927, after lying empty for some years, it was bought by Vice-Admiral John William Leopold McClintock, son of Admiral Sir Francis L McClintock KCB, and grandfather of the present owner.

In 1939-45, it was requisitioned for military use.

IN the 1870s the grounds comprised 567 acres.

The wooded demesne at Redhall is laid out on an axial plan typical of sites dating from the 17th century.

The majority of such sites were subsequently altered during passing generations but the grounds at Redhall remain little altered in plan.

The house, enlarged from its 1627 origins, stands at the apex of straight avenues leading from north to south and from east to west.

There is an oak avenue, a lime avenue leading to the church of 1848 and a late 19th century Wellingtonia avenue (the latter is in addition to the axial plan mentioned above).

There has been continuous tree planting in the demesne including less formal areas around a glen and waterfall.

Atkinson, in Ireland Exhibited to England (1823), remarks on the beauty of the lawn and forest.

The Ordnance Survey Memoirs of 1839 state that,

About fifty acres are under ornamental plantings and shrubberies. Besides these are numerous judiciously disposed belts and clumps of plantings, which not only show to advantage beautifully diversified surfaces of the demesne, but exceedingly heighten the effect of the rich scenery of Larne Lough.

The demesne, on ground rising to the west from the lough, still enhances the area today.

Terraced lawns at the house are reminiscent of the Victorian era.

The walled garden is close to the house and is part cultivated with fruit trees.

There is a stone building, possibly built as a summer house.

The lodge on the Larne Road and a tower are both listed.

First published in December, 2010.

Donard Lodge Colourized

Donard Lodge Colourized © History of Newcastle, County Down.  Click to Enlarge

On my seventeenth birthday, the 22nd December, 1976, I received a thoughtful present from my grandmother.

Historic Buildings in the Mourne Area of South Down was published by the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society in May, 1975.

It was prepared for the Society by P J Rankin.

One property that features in the book is DONARD LODGE, Newcastle, County Down, the former 'Marine Residence' of Lord and Lady Annesley, whose principal seat was CASTLEWELLAN CASTLE.

The Annesleys developed Newcastle as a resort in the early 19th century.

They owned a vast stretch of land from Slieve Donard to Slieve Croob, totalling almost 25,000 acres, which made them one of the largest landowners in County Down.

The old castle, close to the sea-shore, was taken down by Lord Annesley, and in its place he erected a

'Spacious and elegant' hotel, costing £3,000. This hotel commanded 'a most extensive prospect, embracing the Isle of Man in the foreground, and in the rear the lofty mountains of Mourne.'

William, 3rd Earl Annesley, built Donard Lodge, at the foot of Slieve Donard, about 1830.

Click to Enlarge

It was eighty-nine feet in length, with a large semi-circular conservatory attached to the south side.

The northern elevation, near the Glen River, contained the stable-yard and other outbuildings.

About 500 acres of land above the mansion were planted with trees, and a beautiful garden was created by the Rev John Moore (of Rowallane) and his sister Priscilla, 3rd Countess Annesley.

Eighty acres of the demesne, around and above the mansion, became the pleasure grounds, with winding paths, ornamental trees and shrubs, waterfalls, cascades, an aviary, a hermitage, shell house, spa house, spa well, visitors' dining house, ornamental dining house, and a variety of rustic stone seats and little bridges.

I've already written about it, though recently I came across a fascinating site on Facebook called History of Newcastle, County Down.

With the site's kind permission I have posted a colourized photograph of Donard Lodge as it looked in happier times.

Almost a week ago I visited the location of the old mansion though, sadly, nothing exists at all apart from some overgrowth and rubble.

When it was demolished in 1966, DONARD LODGE was derelict and probably roofless, having suffered a calamitous fire in 1941.

Donard Lodge, September, 1966, before Demolition. Photo Credit © History of Newcastle

The gate lodge at King Street of ca 1836 survives.

First published in June, 2020.  The colourized image of Donard Lodge is by kind permission of History of Newcastle.

Belfast Castle: III

AN ARTICLE FROM EDDIE'S BOOK EXTRACTS

THE VIEW from the gardens and the castle was, perhaps, unsurpassed for the beauty of its quiet landscape.

The fertile valley through which the Lagan wended its seaward course had as a background the hills of Castlereagh (Grey Castle) with the old residence of Con O'Neill occupying a prominent position on the summit; while the slopes of the Holywood hills were visible across the twenty-one arches of the Long Bridge.

The Cromac wood, at that time the undergrowth of the primeval forest, lay to the south, skirting the west bank of the Lagan and extending westward as far as the present Shaftesbury Square.

The River Blackstaff meandered in its zig-zag course from the Great Bridge of Belfast, alias Brickhill Bridge, alias Saltwater Bridge, to its outlet at the south of the Long Bridge and, in its course, supplying fresh water to the Castle fish pond, situated at the present Arthur Square.

To the west rose the Black Mountain, a basaltic range of hills, one of which is still known as the Squire's Hill, converted into a deer park by the Lord Deputy, a district now known as Old Park, with the grazing ground covered with sites for residential dwellings.

To the north arose the clear outline of Ben Madigan, with its streaks of limestone glistening in the sunshine, and the contour of its summit bearing a striking resemblance to the profile of Napoleon Bonaparte.

The trees of the new deer park, so-called to distinguish it from the Old Park, sloped in an easterly direction from the Cave Hill to the shores of the Belfast Lough, terminating at Parkmount.

Early on Sunday morning, 25th April, 1708, the Castle was reduced to a mass of smouldering ruins and there perished in the flames the three youngest daughters, Lady Jane, Lady Frances, and Lady Henrietta Chichester.

The daughter of the Vicar, the Rev Mr Barklie, and a servant maid, Catherine Douglas, and a maid, Mary Teggart, escaped from the devouring flames.

The cause of the fire is said to have been due to the carelessness of a servant who lit a wood fire in a room recently washed, and took no precautions to watch for sparks.

All the goods were also destroyed before the men of the town could get in within the walls to help; and these walls were twelve feet high.

Such is the account, written by a prominent Belfast resident at the time of the occurrence.

A considerable quantity of silver plate and objets d'art were apparently rescued from the Castle.

First published in July, 2012.

Franklin Maxims: V

Wink at small faults; remember thou hast great ones.

First published in May, 2020.

The Adair Baronetcy

The family of ADAIR was settled in Scotland, and later in Ulster, for many generations, and, according to tradition, derived its descent from a junior branch of the noble house of FitzGerald, Earls of Desmond.

The Rt Rev Archibald Adair was Lord Bishop of Raphoe, and Lord Bishop of Waterford and Lismore.

WILLIAM ADAIR, of Kinhilt, Wigtownshire, who was served heir to his father, Ninian Adair, of the same place, in 1608, married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir James Gordon Bt, of Lochinvar, and settled at Ballymacoss, County Antrim.

He died in 1626, and was succeeded by his son,

SIR ROBERT ADAIR, of Ballymena, County Antrim, who was served heir to his father and grandfather, in the Scottish estates, 1629.

He married Jane, daughter of Archibald Edmonstone, of Duntreath, in Stirlingshire, and dying in 1655, was succeeded by his eldest son,

WILLIAM ADAIR, of Ballymena, who dying in 1661, leaving, by his wife, Anna Helena Scott, his wife (to whom he was married ca 1658), an only son,

SIR ROBERT ADAIR (1659-1745), of Kinhilt and Ballymena, who raised a regiment of foot and a troop of horse in the service of WILLIAM III, and received the honour of knighthood from that monarch on the field after the battle of the Boyne.

Sir Robert died in 1745, having married four wives; by the first of whom, Penelope, daughter of Sir Robert Colville, Knight, he left a son,

WILLIAM ROBERT ADAIR, of Ballymena, a captain of horse, who wedded Catherine Smallman, of Ludlow, Shropshire, and died in 1762, leaving two sons,

ROBERT, his heir;
William, in holy orders, of Portsmouth.

The elder son,

ROBERT ADAIR, of Ballymena, married, in 1753, Anne, daughter of Alexander McAuley, of the city of Dublin, barrister-at-law, and had two sons,

WILLIAM, his heir;
Robert, of Acton, Middlesex.

The elder son,

WILLIAM ADAIR (1754-1844), of Ballymena, FLIXTON HALL, Suffolk, and Colehayes Park, Devon, wedded, in 1784, Camilla, daughter and heir of Robert Shafto, of Benwell, Northumberland, and had issue,

ROBERT SHAFTO, his heir;
William Robert, died at Harrow School;
Alexander, of Hetherton Park;
Camilla.

Mr Adair was succeeded by his eldest son,

ROBERT SHAFTO ADAIR (1786-1869), of Flixton Hall, Suffolk, and Ballymena, County Antrim, who wedded, in 1810, Elizabeth Maria, daughter of the Rev James Strode, of Berkhamstead, Hertfordshire, and had issue,

ROBERT ALEXANDER SHAFTO, his successor;
Hugh Edward.

Mr Adair was created a baronet in 1838, designated of Flixton Hall, Suffolk.

His elder son, 

SIR ROBERT ALEXANDER SHAFTO ADAIR, 2nd Baronet (1811-86), of Ballymena Castle, married Theodosia, daughter of GENERAL THE HON ROBERT MEADE, second son of John, Earl of Clanwilliam.

Sir Robert, MP for Cambridge, 1847-57, was elevated to the peerage, in 1873, in the dignity of BARON WAVENEY, of South Elmham, Suffolk.

In 1865, Adair began the construction in the demesne of Ballymena Castle, a substantial family residence in the Scottish baronial style. The castle was not completed until 1887, and was demolished in 1957 after having lain empty for some years and being vandalised; the site is now a car park. In 1870, Adair donated a People's Park to Ballymena, engaging fifty labourers to work for six months landscaping it.

The barony became extinct on his death in 1886, and he was succeeded in the baronetcy by his younger brother,

SIR HUGH EDWARD ADAIR, 3rd Baronet (1815-1902), JP DL, of BALLYMENA CASTLE, who wedded, in 1856, Harriet Camilla, daughter of Alexander Adair, and had issue,

Hugh Alexander (1858-68);
FREDERICK EDWARD SHAFTO, his successor;
ROBERT SHAFTO, succeeded his brother;
Camilla Beatrix Mary.

Sir Hugh was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

SIR FREDERICK EDWARD SHAFTO ADAIR, 4th Baronet (1860-1915), JP, of Ballymena Castle, who died unmarried, when the family honours devolved upon his brother,

SIR ROBERT SHAFTO ADAIR, 5th Baronet (1862-1949), JP DL, who married, in 1890, Mary, daughter of Henry Anstey Bosanquet, and had issue,

Robert Desmond Shafto, died in infancy;
ALLAN HENRY SHAFTO, of whom hereafter;
Camilla Mary Shafto.

Sir Robert was succeeded by his only surviving son,

MAJOR-GENERAL SIR ALLAN HENRY SHAFTO ADAIR, 6th and last Baronet (1897-1988), GCVO CB DSO MC JP DL, who espoused, in 1919, Enid Violet Ida, daughter of William Humble Dudley Ward, and had issue,

DESMOND ALLAN SHAFTO, predeceased his father;
Robert Dudley Shafto (1923-25);
Bridget Mary; Juliet Enid; Annabel Violet.

Sir Allan's only son,

Captain Desmond Allan Shafto Adair, born in 1920, died in 1943 at Italy, killed in action.

When the 6th Baronet died in 1988 the title became extinct.

THE CASTLE, Ballymena, County Antrim, was a large Scottish-Baronial Victorian house built in 1869 for Sir Robert Adair, later 1st Baron Waveney.

It had a massive seven-storey tower at one end was built by Lanyon & Lynn of Belfast.

The original castle, built by the Adairs, was burnt in 1720.

The Adair estate at Ballymena was sold to the tenants in 1904 and the castle fell into disuse.

The castle was still standing in 1953, but badly damaged by arson in 1955 and condemned as unsafe the following year.

When the local council demolished it in 1957, Sir Allan Adair bought Holy Hill House, near Strabane, County Tyrone, and installed ten stained glass windows from the castle there, where they remain today.

Other residences ~ 55, Green Street, Grosvenor Square, London; Anmer Hall, King's Lynn, Norfolk.

First published in October, 2010.

McCance of Suffolk

THE McCANCES OWNED 1,522 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY ANTRIM

The family of McCance is said to have moved from Scotland to Ulster about 1710.

DAVID McCANCE (1684-1747), of Woodbourne, Dunmurry, County Antrim, married Isabella __________ (c1669-1724), and had issue,

JOHN McCANCE (1711-86), of Dunmurry, who wedded firstly, Rachel _______, and had issue,

David (1736-93), of KNOCKNAGONEY, County Down;

JOHN, of whom presently;

William (1746-1810), of Wellington Place, Belfast; and of Suffolk House.

Mary, m James Stouppe.

He espoused secondly, Easter _____.

Mr McCance was buried at Drumbeg parish church.

The second son,

JOHN McCANCE (1744-1811), of Farmhill (Blacks Road today), Dunmurry, married Jane, daughter of JOHN CHARLEY, of Seymour Hill, and had issue,

JOHN;

Mary.

The only son,

JOHN McCANCE JP (1772-1835), of Farmhill, and Suffolk House, Dunmurry, High Sheriff of County Antrim, 1825, MP for Belfast, 1835.

Mr McCance inherited the family linen business as well as becoming chairman of the Northern Banking Company. He was involved with the various activities of his times, being a magistrate, high sheriff, a Police Commissioner, Vice-President of the Royal Belfast Academical Institution (Inst), and a Trustee of the Botanic Gardens, Belfast. He also became MP for Belfast, following a strenuous contest with Lord Arthur Chichester.

He wedded, in 1799, Maria, daughter of William Finlay, of Carrickfergus, County Antrim, and had issue,

WILLIAM, his heir.

His first wife died, possibly as a result of childbirth, in the same year; and, ca 1800, John McCance wedded, secondly, Jane, daughter of William Russell, who died, without issue, in 1812.

John McCance (Image: Ulster Museum)

He espoused thirdly, in 1813, Sarah, daughter of James Law, by whom he had further issue,

James Law;

John Wellington Stouppe, JP (1816-63);

Joseph;

David;

George;

Henry Jones, JP DL (1829-1900);

Jane; Mary; Elizabeth; Charlotte.

A stained-glass window in memory of John and Henry McCance adorns First Dunmurry Presbyterian Church.

Henry Jones McCance (Image: Ulster Museum)

The eldest son,

WILLIAM McCANCE JP (1801-65), of Glenville, and Suffolk House, Dunmurry, married, in 1824, Isabella, daughter of John Russell, of New Forge, County Down, and had issue,

John (1826-69), died unmarried;

William;

FINLAY, of whom hereafter;

Holmes;

William;

Catherine Helen; Isabella; Isabella; Maria; Jane.

The third son,

FINLAY McCANCE JP (1829-90), of Suffolk House and Glenville, wedded, in 1860, Annie Lillias, daughter of James Macaulay, of Strathearn, Dunmurry, and had issue,

JOHN STOUPPE FINLAY;

Isabella; Susan Evelyn.

The only son and heir,

JOHN STOUPPE FINLAY McCANCE JP DL (1865-1926), of Suffolk House, Dunmurry, married, in 1890, Mary Letitia, daughter of James Thomson Bristow, and had issue,

Finlay (1891-1915), killed in action;

Henry Bristow, father (?) of Reginald Finlay McCance (d 2008);

Robert Alexander;

Elizabeth Lillias.

Suffolk House (Image: Planet Suffolk)

SUFFOLK HOUSE, Dunmurry, County Antrim, faced south-east across the Lagan Valley with its back to Collin Mountain. 

Though not the oldest part of the mansion, the main front block with its hipped roof was most impressive.

It was re-built in 1824, with a modest portico and two columns, stepped quoins at each corner; regular bays of windows, with a projecting band of stone dividing the storeys.

In the middle of the small park was a planted pond.

Suffolk House from an engraving by E K Proctor, 1832 (Image: Ebay)

Suffolk House was inhabited by the McCances until 1923, when the house and grounds were leased (or purchased) by the family of Gaffikin.

The Gaffikins lived at Suffolk until 1927, when it remained vacant for ten years.

Suffolk was purchased by Mr Cameron in 1937.

He leased part of the house, and several rooms were utilized for the storage of food during the 2nd World War.

Suffolk House ca 1830 (Historic OS map)

At the end of the war, in 1945, one wing of the house was leased to Otto Harriman, of London.

A section of Suffolk house was demolished about 1958 to make way for road improvements; and in the late 1970s the remainder of the house was completely demolished (a reader informs me that they recall delivering the Belfast Telegraph newspaper to the house about 1979-80)         .

The mansion house stood near the site of Margaretta Park; and the grounds today form part of Colin Glen Park.

Roots, the History of an Outstanding Ulster Family, is written by R F McCance.

First published in July, 2022.