The O'Neill Baronetcy (1643)

This was a branch from the Milesian stock from which the present noble family of O'NEILL claims descent.

HUGH BOY O'NEILL, from whom the territories called the Claneboys, in counties Down and Antrim, received their name, grandson of HUGH MEYTH, King of Ulster, 1122, recovered those lands from the English (which had been wrested from his family at the invasion during the reign of HENRY II), and his descendants enjoyed them until the reign of JAMES I.

When a portion was conquered by force of arms from the O'Neills, more purchased by JAMES I by them, and some part left in their possession, which has descended to the O'Neills of Shane's Castle.

His Majesty, when he instituted the Order of Baronets, had chiefly in view the subduing of the clan O'Neill in Ulster, and the Ulster hand ~ the Red Hand of O'Neill ~ was given as a badge to the order.

BRIAN O'NEILL, in consideration of his gallant services at the battle of Edgehill, was created a baronet by CHARLES I in 1643, designated of Upper Claneboys.

Sir Brian married Jane Finch, of the family of the 1st Earl of Nottingham, and dying in 1670, was succeeded by his son, 

SIR BRIAN O'NEILL, 2nd Baronet, of Backerstown, County Dublin, one of the judges of the Court of King's Bench in Ireland during the reign of JAMES II, who married Mary, sister of Christopher, 10th Baron Dunsany, and dying in 1694, was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR HENRY O'NEILL, 3rd Baronet (c1674-1759), of Kellystown, near Drogheda, who married firstly, Mary, daughter of Mark Bagot, of Mount Arran, County Carlow, and had an only son,

BRIAN, his successor;

RANDALL, 5th Baronet.

He wedded secondly, Rose, daughter of Captain James Brabazon (son of Sir Anthony Brabazon, and nephew of William, 1st Earl of Meath), and had further issue,

Brabazon;
Henry;
FRANCIS, 6th Baronet.

Sir Henry was succeeded by the eldest son of his first wife,

SIR BRIAN O'NEILL, 4th Baronet, of Kellystown, who died without male issue, when the title devolved upon his brother,

SIR RANDALL O'NEILL, 5th Baronet, of Kellystown, surveyor of excise at Rush, County Dublin, who married, about 1750, Mrs Margaret Tompkins, by whom he had a son, William, and a daughter, Rachel.

Sir Randall died in 1799, and was succeeded by his only son,

SIR WILLIAM O'NEILL, 6th Baronet (c1754-84), of Kellystown, who died childless, when the baronetcy reverted to his uncle (of the half blood) and heir male, being sixth and youngest son of the 3rd Baronet, 

SIR FRANCIS O'NEILL, 7th Baronet (c1730-99), of Kellystown, who was ejected from his property under the Popery Acts, and after renting two small farms near Kellystown, kept "a small huckster's shop and dairy" at Slane.

He married a daughter of ________ Fleming, of County Louth, by whom he had fourteen or fifteen children.

Sir Francis was in possession of the patent of the baronetcy in 1798, but died in 1799, being buried (with his father) at Mount Newton.

His widow died 18 months later.

Following his death the baronetcy expired.

*****

AS TO aristocratic kinsmen abandoning such claimants, again we may cite Burke's account of the support, moral and financial, given to the above mentioned Sir Francis O'Neill by his distant Protestant kinsman John, 1st Viscount O'Neill:

In that humble cottage the aged and poverty stricken baronet was visited in May, 1798 by John, the first Viscount O'Neill, and his two sons, Charles and John, the late Earl and the last Viscount ... for John, the first Lord O'Neill, princely in mind and he was exalted in station, never turned his face from a poor relation.

BACKWESTON HOUSE was once the residence of Sir Brian O'Neill, 1st Baronet.

He was a descendant of the Chiefs of Claneboy, and proved himself a gallant soldier, first in Holland and afterwards on the royalist side in the Civil War in England.

In relating the vicissitudes of the O'Neill family, Sir Bernard Burke has told how Sir Brian, with a few others, tried to rally the royal troops at the rout of Newburn, and how on the hard fought field of Edgehill he rallied the dragoons with undaunted courage, and finally saved CHARLES I from being taken prisoner.

Honours came to Sir Brian, but without corresponding wealth, and after the Restoration, he appears to have tried to add to his slender income by sending wool to France, a trade for which, on account of his constant loyalty and good service he was given a licence by the King.

Sir Brian, who was twice married, first to Jane Finch and secondly to Sarah Savage, whose mother was a daughter of Hugh, first Viscount Montgomery, of the Great Ards, died about 1670, and was succeeded by his son, who bore the same name.

Sir Brian O'Neill, the 2nd baronet, has been already mentioned in the history of Stillorgan in connection with his marriage to the widow of James Wolverston, who was a sister of Christopher Plunkett, 10th Lord Dunsany.

He was educated as a lawyer at Gray's Inn, which he entered in 1664, and, as stated in the history of Stillorgan, was appointed by JAMES II, in 1687, as one of the justices of the King's Bench in Ireland.

By his first marriage, Sir Henry O'Neill, 3rd Baronet, was father of Sir Randal, 4th Baronet, surveyor of customs at Rush, County Dublin, and died having had a son and a daughter, who both died unmarried. 

Sir Henry O'Neill, by his second marriage, left Sir Francis O'Neill, of Kellystown, in the county of Meath, 7th Baronet, who married Miss Fleming, of County Louth.

• Sir Brian O'Neill, 1st Baronet (d 1670)
• Sir Brian O'Neill, 2nd Baronet (d 1694);
• Sir Henry O'Neill, 3rd Baronet (c1674-1759);
• Sir Brian O'Neill, 4th Baronet;
• Sir Randall O'Neill, 5th Baronet (d 1779);
• Sir William O'Neill, 6th Baronet (c1754-84);
• Sir Francis O'Neill, 7th Baronet (c1730-99).

First published in April, 2011.

Myra Castle

ROWLAND CRAIG-LAURIE OWNED 423 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY DOWN 

ROWLAND CRAIG-LAURIE JP (1810-96), of Red Castle, Kirkcudbright, and Myra Castle, County Down, married, in 1843, his cousin Jane, only surviving child and heir of Richard Forster Anderson, of Walshestown Castle, County Down.

Mr Craig-Laurie, a magistrate for Kirkcudbright, was the elder son of John Craig (d 1837), by Jane Anderson his wife, and grandson of Rowland Craig, and his wife, Margaret Bigham, grand-niece of the Rev Walter Laurie, of Redcastle, from whom the estate descended.

His only brother,

JOHN CRAIG-LAURIE JP, Lieutenant-Colonel commanding North Down Rifle Militia, married, though died without male issue.

MYRA CASTLE, near Downpatrick, County Down, was constructed in 1844 by Rowland Craig-Laurie.

It has plain, rendered walls; and, states Mark Bence-Jones

None of the pseudo-medieval detail which one would expect in a castellated house of its period; relying for its effect on the skilful grouping of its elements.

The castle is dominated by a tall, four-storey entrance tower, containing only stairs, with a circular turret at the other side of the front.

There are simple battlements and rectangular windows, some with unobtrusive mullions.

The castellated mansion house was erected to the south of Walshestown Castle (above), a 16th century tower house.

Lewis states that this fort was constructed on the site of an earlier castle built by John de Courcy as part of the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland.

Writing in the 1830s, Lewis recorded that Walshestown Castle had been occupied by Captain Richard Anderson's ancestors since the reign of CHARLES I in the 17th century (Anderson was Craig-Laurie's father-in-law).

Prior to his death in ca 1840, Anderson resided at the 300 year-old fortification, making it the only one of twenty-seven similar examples to remain inhabited during the 19th century.

THE BOATHOUSE at Myra Castle, a small single-storey building located in the townland of Walshestown along the shore of Strangford Lough, was constructed between 1834 and 1859, most likely between the 1840s and 1850s when the mansion and its parklands were set out by Rowland Craig-Laurie.

It did not appear on the first edition of the Ordnance Survey maps (1834) for the area, but was recorded on the second edition in 1859, where it was depicted as a small square building.

The map also depicted a long pier, extending from the boathouse out into Strangford Lough; contemporary with the boathouse, the pier had also been raised prior to 1859.

The main function of the boathouse and pier was to provide a landing where supply boats, laden with coal, could offload their cargo close to the Castle; however the current owner states that this initiative failed and was only ever attempted once, due to the distance between the house and the pier.

The boat house is of simple rubble greywacke construction, and is largely intact.

It is located adjacent to a scheduled pier, and is enhanced by a traditional County Down sea wall and high quality stone gate piers and stile, providing pedestrian and vehicular access to the shore.

The group occupies a magnificent setting on the shores of Strangford Lough, and contributes to a remarkably intact cultural landscape complete with several high quality listed buildings, including the romantic 19th-century Myra Castle.

*****

THIS is the beautiful lough-shore site of the late 16th century Walshestown Castle, of which substantial remains survive in the walled-garden of the present house.

Some of the planting north of Walshestown Castle had 18th century origins, though much of this has been replaced in recent decades with commercial conifers and hardwoods.

The parkland around Myra Castle was created during the 1840s as a setting for the newly-built house.

The designed landscape is of high quality and once contained a lake (now silted up), with cascades overlooked by a Mogul-style summer house (now roofless).

The walled-garden, on the east side of Walshestown Castle, has a stream, a pond and a gardener’s house.

A balustraded terrace lies outside the house.

To the rear of the house, a service tunnel links the building with the stables, coach house and farm yard.

A Tudor-Gothic gateway with a castellated tower adjoins the lodge.

*****

COLONEL THE RT HON ROBERT HUGH WALLACE CB CBE (1860-1929) acquired Myra Castle thereafter.

Former seats ~ Red Castle, Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbright; and Myra Castle, Downpatrick, County Down.

First published in September, 2016.

Castle Blunden

THE BLUNDEN BARONETS OWNED 1,846 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY KILKENNY

JOHN BLUNDEN (c1718-83), only surviving son of John Blunden, of Castle Blunden (Barrister, MP for County Kilkenny, 1727-52), married Martha, daughter of Agmondesham Cuffe, and sister of JOHN, 1ST BARON DESART, and had issue (with several daughters),

JOHN, his heir;
William Pitt, father of the 3rd Baronet;
Overington (General in the army; MP).

Mr Blunden, MP for Kilkenny City, 1761-76, was created a baronet in 1766, designated of Castle Blunden, County Kilkenny.

Sir John was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR JOHN BLUNDEN, 2nd Baronet (1767-1818), High Sheriff of County Kilkenny, 1805 and 1813, Mayor of Kilkenny, 1802, who married twice, though both marriages were without issue, when the title passed to his nephew,

SIR JOHN BLUNDEN, 3rd Baronet (1814-90), DL, Barrister, High Sheriff of County Kilkenny, 1843 and 1847, who wedded, in 1839, Elizabeth, daughter of Major John Knox, of Dublin, and had issue,

WILLIAM, his successor;
John Overington;
Edward Herbert;
Maurice Robert;
Arthur Henry;
Abraham;
Kate; Harriette; Nicola Sophia.

Sir John was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR WILLIAM BLUNDEN, 4th Baronet (1840-1923), Surgeon, High Sheriff of County Kilkenny, 1904, who espoused, in 1879, Florence Caroline, daughter of Henry Shuttleworth, and had issue,

JOHN, his successor;
Eric Overington;
Muriel.

Sir William was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR JOHN BLUNDEN, 5th Baronet (1880-1923), who wedded, in 1918, Phyllis Dorothy, daughter of Philip Crampton Creagh, and had issue,

WILLIAM, his successor;
PHILIP OVERINGTON, 7th Baronet.

Sir John was succeeded by his elder son,

SIR WILLIAM BLUNDEN, 6th Baronet (1919-85), Lieutenant-Commander RN, who married, in 1945, Pamela Mary, daughter of John Purser, and had issue,

Sarah Vanessa; Griselda Jane; Caroline Susan; Rowena Mary;
Elizabeth Anne Gabrielle; Fiona Christine.

Sir William died without male issue, when the title passed to his brother,

SIR PHILIP OVERINGTON BLUNDEN, 7th Baronet (1922-2007), who wedded, in 1945, Jeanette Francesca Alexandra, daughter of Captain D Macdonald RNR, of Portree, Isle of Skye, and had issue,

HUBERT CHISHOLM, his successor;
John Maurice Patrick;
Marguerite Eugenie.

Sir Philip was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR HUBERT CHISHOLM BLUNDEN, 8th and present Baronet (1948-), of The Cottage, Carrigloe, Cobh, County Cork, 1st Battalion, Irish Guards, who married, in 1975, Ellish O'Brien, and has issue,

EDMUND, b 1982;
Amelia, b 1977.

CASTLE BLUNDEN, County Kilkenny, is a mid-18th century house built either for John Blunden MP, or for his son, Sir John Blunden, 1st Baronet.

It comprises three storeys over a vaulted basement, with a six-bay front enclosing a central niche containing a statue below an armorial panel.

The interior decoration is late 18th century in style, likely decorated by the 2nd Baronet, whose wife afforded him "a clear £8,000 a year."

The hall boasts a frieze of rams' heads; and the plasterwork in the drawing-room has an "Adamesque" ceiling.

Castle Blunden stands in a most idyllic setting, with water on both sides of it, probably formed originally from a moat (from an earlier castle).

First published in August, 2018.

Belle Isle: II

Porter arms

REMINISCENCES FROM JULIAN BROWN, WHOSE FAMILY ONCE HAD CLOSE TIES WITH BELLE ISLE, COUNTY FERMANAGH

I often visited Miss Tiggy Brunt and Captain Hermon at Necarne Castle (the gardener's house) in the 1970s, when they took up residence there after Mr H A Porter's death.

There are pictures of that period too.

Everyone at Belle Isle, Necarne and (in the summer) Mullaghmore was kind and incredibly generous to all of the Brown family!

Even Captain Hermon mellowed as we grew up.

Mr Henry Archdale Porter (Mastie!) is the man in the hat, with my father and me.

This picture was taken at Mullaghmore, near Classiebawn Castle, in the early 1950s.

The Belle Isle household used to decamp to Mullaghmore every summer, and the Brown family were frequent Sunday guests.

Indeed Captain Hermon was a first rate shot and I recall him at the Belle Isle Shoot.

I was a beater on a couple of occasions as a lad, a dangerous occupation.

My father, Esmond, was a keen shooter too, and often Captain Hermon and my father shot together.

First published in February, 2010. 

The Hamilton Baronetcy (1662)

Coat-of-arms of 1st Earl of Clanbrassil

THE REV HANS (otherwise JOHN) HAMILTON, Vicar of Dunlop, a natural son of Archibald Hamilton, of Raploch, married Janet, daughter of James Denholm, of West Shields, and had issue,

JAMES, created Viscount Claneboye;

Archibald, of Hallcraig;

Gawn, of Ballygally;

JOHN, of whom hereafter;

William, of Newcastle and Bangor;

Patrick, of Gransha;

Jean.

The fourth son,

JOHN HAMILTON (c1576-1639), of Coronary, County Cavan, and of Monella (Hamiltonsbawn), County Armagh, married, in 1617, Sarah, daughter of Sir Anthony Brabazon, Governor of Connaught, and had issue,

HANS, his heir;
Anthony;

James, of Bailieborough;
Francis;

Ursula; Mary; Eleanor.

John Hamilton was invited to Ireland by his brother James, Lord Claneboye, and in 1613 purchased 1,000 acres of the lands of Killycloghan, County Cavan; and in 1615, 1,000 acres of Magheryentrim and Killyruddan, in the barony of The Fews, County Armagh.

He lived to a good age, died on the 16th September, 1639, and was buried in Mullabrack Church.

The eldest son,

THE RT HON SIR HANS HAMILTON, Knight, of Hamiltonsbawn, High Sheriff of County Armagh, 1669, MP for County Armagh, 1661-6, wedded Magdalene, daughter of Sir Edward Trevor Kt, and had an only daughter, SARAH, married to Sir Robert Hamilton, Knight, of Mount Hamilton, County Armagh.

Sir Hans was knighted in 1661, and created a baronet in 1662, designated of Monella.

He died suddenly in 1681, when the baronetcy became extinct, but the estates devolved upon Sir Hans's son-in-law,

SIR ROBERT HAMILTON, Knight, of Mount Hamilton, who was appointed Sir Hans's successor as custos rotulorum of the county, and, in 1683, created a baronet, designated of Mount Hamilton, County Armagh.

*****

Louise Duncan from Australia has researched the family:

Of John's (ie John Hamilton of Monilla) family was first Hans. In his youth he was bred at (unclear) Schools; went to the college of Glasgow, in Scotland; was much disposed for learning, and very capable of it, but by his father's death, and the urgency of his affairs, was soon called back again to Ireland.

He attended his affairs carefully and discreetly till the war of Ireland broke out, at which time duty and necessity obliged him to give his assistance therein, by my Lord Claneboy's advice. His years and parts early promoted him to be a captain of horse; as in progress of time he became lieutenant-colonel. He joined, with the Earl of Clanbrassil, in Ormond's Association.

That war being ended, he married Magdalen Trevor, daughter to Sir Edward Trevor, (and sister to Marcus Trevor, 1st Viscount Dungannon) and had by her some children, whereof only his daughter Sarah came to maturity.

His business then being to improve and plant his estate, lying mostly in the upper country; and, by reason of his very good natural and acquired parts, and justice to the King's interest and family, after King Charles II’s restoration, was knighted and made Baronet., and afterwards one of his Majesty's Privy Council in Ireland, and was very much entrusted by the Government in the oversight of the upper country (at Hamilton’s Bawn in County Armagh).

He died of a good age, in great esteem, and generally much bewailed; lies in the tomb with his father, mother, lady, and daughter.

He was guilty of great errors—whereof afterwards, His natural parts and improvements were both very considerable; his deportment, in his younger years, very commendable; but, his estate being much burdened, his disposition to live high and aim to purchase great things, occasioned many to think (as a gent, of his neighbourhood and great acquaintance once said) that.

Sir Hans Hamilton was never so honest as Hans Hamilton by half. He was unfortunate in that his daughter married contrary to his disposition, and the measures he had proposed to himself.

He fell at last in great variance with his nearest friends, and affliction by the death of his lady and daughter; went to Dublin, with design, as it is believed, to do something that was great for his family against his friends, but failed of it, and died in the enterprise, but did not perform it.

THE FORMER army barracks at Hamiltonsbawn, County Armagh, were built in 1731 on the site of a 60-square foot defensive bawn.

This bawn was built with walls twelve feet in height and used lime and stone, with two flankers which had been built as part of the plantation of Ulster by the Scottish settler John Hamilton in 1619.

It is recorded that, by 1622, the bawn was 90 feet in length and 63 feet wide.

Hamilton was responsible for a few dozen families in the area, and was able to arm thirty men as required by his undertaking as part of the Plantation.

The area had been known variously as Monela, Monella, Monilla or Moynellan.

Hamilton's bawn was almost completely destroyed during the 1641 uprising in Ulster, but following the Restoration of CHARLES II in 1660, Sir Hans Hamilton, 1st Baronet, built a three, or possibly five, chimney mansion or manor house on the ruins of the bawn.

The manor house was known colloquially as "the Castle".

Owing to substantial family debts, the land on which the bawn and house had stood was sold by Sir Hans Hamilton, 2nd Baronet, of Mount Hamilton, in the early 18th century (ca 1704).

By the 1720s it had come into the possession of Sir Arthur Acheson, of Markethill.

First published in April, 2011.

Belle Isle: I

Ross arms

REMINISCENCES FROM JULIAN BROWN, WHOSE FAMILY ONCE HAD CLOSE TIES WITH BELLE ISLE ESTATE, COUNTY FERMANAGH

By the 1950s, the Belle Isle Castle household had abandoned the elegant Georgian bay-windowed formal dining-room, except for special occasions.

Dinner was taken in the original old kitchen, which was part of a suite of sculleries, pantries and store rooms on the west side of the castle, whose windows looked out onto the road to the West Island. 

The repast was still conducted in some style: A huge, white damask tablecloth was spread on one of the wooden kitchen tables; and this was laid with the Belle Isle silver, beautiful salts, Georgian cutlery and antique silver napkin rings.

Mr Henry Porter sat at one end of the table; and, on most evenings, Mr Dick Hermon, of Necarne Castle, sat at the other.

Mrs Mary Brunt and her daughters Vida Leigh and Hilda Brunt (Tiggy) sat at the sides of the table, as did any guests (Mr Hermon often stayed at Belle Isle: he had his own room, the blue dressing room, and he had been married to Mr Porter’s sister.

Miss Tiggy would have been be in charge of ‘service’ and was assisted by the Belle Isle cook, Miss Ellen McDougal (of whom more another time); and often my mother, Pearl Brown, helped as well.

On one occasion my sister Audrey, who was about four, and myself, aged nine, were sitting near the Aga watching.

Seen, but not heard!

Miss McDougal was the most wonderful cook: she could produce anything.

However, on the occasion in question, the main course was roast swan – don’t know where it came from or the legalities of it!

Notwithstanding Miss McDougal's skills, the ‘old bird’ was very tough: Mr Hermon chewed manfully but dislodged a tooth in the attempt!

Out came the meat and the tooth. 

Audrey and I got fits of the giggles, which was unfortunate because, while the household generally were very fond of us, Mr Hermon was not. 

He did not take to children.

Our mother had to remove us speedily!

This was one of my father Esmond’s favourite stories.

He was an excellent mimic, and Mr Hermon’s predicament was recounted many times.

Miss Lavinia Baird moved the kitchens to what had been the Servants Hall in the 1970s (now Hamilton wing?); and I understand that the kitchen has been moved again, into what was the old Housekeeper's Room in the main body of the castle. 

The photograph shows Mrs Brunt; her daughter, Mrs Vida Leigh; and Julian as an infant on the steps of the french windows into the Drawing Room at Belle Isle Castle in 1949.

First published in February, 2012.    Ross arms courtesy of European Heraldry.

Drum Manor

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

DRUM MANOR, near Cookstown, County Tyrone, originally called Oaklands, was built in 1829.

It was remodelled and extended in 1869 to the designs of the architect William Hastings, and renamed Drum Manor.

The house of 1829 was built for Major William Stewart Richardson-Brady, DL, and comprised a triple-gabled east front, of which only the ground floor blind walling, rectangular bay windows and polygonal south-east bay remain.

The extensions of 1869 were built for Lord Stuart, and were described at the time as the "tower and main building" of which only the four-storey tower survives intact.

(Image: Ashley McLean)

Of Hastings' original main building the remaining north front, including the main entrance porch, the south front, and probably also the porch on the east side may be identified.

In addition, the south terrace balustrading and steps, and the screen wall and gateway of 1876, may be attributed to Hastings.

Hastings' other works here included the two gate lodges, also of the 1870s.

The manor house was semi-derelict by 1970, with slated roofs, though the roofs were later removed, gables taken down, and the entire interior space, apart from the tower, cleared away to form an open garden within mainly ground floor perimeter walls. 

It owes its origins to the marriage in 1868 of Henry James Stuart-Richardson, Viscount Stuart (later 5th Earl Castle Stewart) to Augusta Liviscount Richardson-Brady, heiress to the Oaklands estate.

Lord Stuart's armorial bearings (top) adorn the manor house.

(Image: Ashley McLean)

Augusta Richardson-Brady was Major Richardson-Brady's daughter.

Her second marriage was to Lord Stuart in 1866. 

She died in 1908 at Drum Manor, without male issue.

In 1865, her name was legally changed to Augusta Liviscount Richardson-Brady by Royal Licence; and, from 1867, her married name became Stuart-Richardson. 

As a result of her marriage, she became the Countess Castle Stewart in 1874.

Immediately upon marriage, Lord Stuart set about reconstructing Oaklands into the Tudor-Revival edifice known as Drum Manor. 

This battlemented sandstone structure once had a tall tower to the east, near the entrance front which was dominated by a huge entrance portal; surmounted by a large tracery window which contained Victorian armorial stained-glass.

Lord Stuart was also responsible for setting out the formal gardens and demesne which survive to this day.

TODAY, Drum Manor Forest Park is one of Cookstown's largest tourist attractions, though only the ground floor outer walls of the manor house survive.

The Northern Ireland Forest Service acquired the estate from the Close family in 1964, and opened it as a forest park in 1970.

The tower and the ground floor walls of the early Victorian manor-house remain intact. 

The balustrade terrace is worth visiting, as the pleasure-grounds and backdrop were specifically designed to provide an impressive vista from this single vantage point.

The pleasure grounds and ponds were developed during a major alteration of the house in the 1870s.

They contain a number of interesting tree species, and the layout of the plantings was carried out deliberately to create a special atmosphere.

Drum Manor Forest Park has many facilities available for educational visits including nature trails, guided tours, picnic areas, seasonal cafe, disabled access toilets and commercially managed forest. 

The forest plots were established from 1965 onwards and include both native and exotic tree species.

The demesne (then known as Oaklands) was established in the 18th century. 

The present house of 1829 exists as a shell.

This serves the purpose of retaining the main building within the landscape but it is unfortunate that it no longer exists as usable. 

In an attempt to avoid incurring rates liability, the Forest Service demolished the mansion.


The manor house was partially demolished in 1975 and a ‘Japanese’ garden was created within the ruins.

A tower, from which there are fine views and additions of 1896, is notable.

There are many excellent ornamental attributes within the site and good planting.

There are mature stands of beech, including a beech shelter belt on the southern perimeter, with a walk inside and a now disused beech avenue leading from a former entrance on the northern side.

The terracing on the south (garden) front of the manor-house survives, complete with a little stone summer house.

This leads to lawns, with trees and shrubs and on to a series of large artificial ponds or lakes, the western of which is silted up.

There are pleasant walks round the lake via bridges.

The walled garden is divided into two parts, formerly laid out in box edges beds in a geometric pattern.

These were grubbed out in favour of a 1970s layout and planting, which is maintained.

Part of the walled garden is designated as a butterfly garden.

The Gardener’s House lies between the walled gardens and is in good repair. 

The stable yard, farm yard and haggard are now car parks.

There are two listed lodges of ca 1870, of which the Cookstown Gate has an impressive entrance archway.

Changes in road alignment have altered the shape of the demesne, which is now 227 acres. 

It was taken over for forestry in 1964 and designated a Forest Park in 1970; the site is a well maintained public amenity with good facilities. 

First published in March, 2011.   I am grateful to the Countess Castle Stewart for information.  Stuart-Richardson arms courtesy of the NLI.