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.

The Hermitage

THE BARONS MASSY WERE THE GREATEST LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY LEITRIM, WITH 24,571 ACRES

The first of this noble family that settled in Ireland was GENERAL HUGH MASSY, who had a military command to repress the rebellion of 1641. General Massy was descended from Hamon de Massey, one of the companions in arms of WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR, who obtained large grants in the counties of Durham and Cheshire, and was created Baron of Dunham Massy.

General Massy wedded Margaret Percy, and had a son,

HUGH MASSY, of Duntrileague, who espoused Amy, daughter of John Benson, and had issue,

HUGH, his heir;
John, of Knockaneevan, County Limerick;
William, of Stoneville, County Limerick;
Charles (Very Rev), Dean of Limerick, ancestor of the Massy Baronets;
Margaret, m William Baker.

The eldest son,

COLONEL HUGH MASSY (1685-1757), of Duntrileague, married Elizabeth, daughter of the Rt Hon George Evans, and had issue,

HUGH, his successor;
George (Ven), Archdeacon of Ardfert;
John, killed in a duel;
Godfrey, in holy orders;
William; 
EYRE, 1st LORD CLARINA;
Charles;
Amy; Elizabeth; Catharine.

Colonel Massy was succeeded by his eldest son,

HUGH MASSY (1700-88), of Duntrileague, who, having represented County Limerick in several parliaments, was raised to the peerage, 1776, in the dignity of BARON MASSY, of Duntrileague, County Limerick.

His lordship espoused firstly, Mary, daughter and heir of James Dawson, of Ballinacourty, County Tipperary, and had issue,

HUGH, his successor;
James;
John;
Elizabeth.

He married secondly, Rebecca, daughter of Francis Dunlap, of Antigua, and had further issue,

Francis Hugh;
Eyre;
George;
Margaret; Rebecca Frances; Caroline; Amy.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

HUGH, 2nd Baron (1733-90), who wedded, in 1760, Catherine, eldest daughter and co-heir (with her sister Sarah, Countess of Carrick) of Edward Taylor, of Ballymore, County Limerick, and had issue,

HUGH, his successor;
Edward;
George Eyre;
John;
Catherine; Mary Anne; Jane; Sarah.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

HUGH, 3rd Baron (1761-1812), who married, in 1792, Margaret, youngest daughter of William Barton, of Grove, County Tipperary, and had issue,

HUGH HAMON, his successor;
George William;
John;
Dawson, in holy orders;
Grace Elizabeth; Catherine; Susan Maria; Margaret Everina; Elizabeth Jane Sarah Anne.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

HUGH HAMON, 4th Baron (1793-1836), who wedded, in 1826, Matilda, daughter of LUKE WHITE, of Luttrellstown Castle, County Dublin, and had issue,

HUGH HAMON INGOLDSBY, his successor;
John George Hugh.

The 5th Baron died young, and the 6th Baron, a young man of 19, inherited up to 38,000 acres.

He was said to have an affluent lifestyle with little regard to pecuniary matters.

Grand parties took place at Killakee, and numerous hunting expeditions both there and in Limerick. 

His great-grandson, the 6th Baron, sat in the House of Lords from 1876 to 1915.

As of 2010, the title is held by the latter's great-great-grandson, the 10th Baron, who succeeded his father in 1995.
 

THE HERMITAGE, Castleconnell, County Limerick, was an imposing Georgian house built about 1800 for George Evans Bruce, a disgraced banker.

It was situated in a spectacular location overlooking the Falls of Doonass on the River Shannon.

The Hermitage had a five bay entrance front with a pediment supported by paired huge Corinthian pilasters which framed the centre bay.

The Hermitage (Image: Dr Paul O'Brien)

There was a balustraded roof parapet.

The garden front consisted of five bays, the end bays having quoins. 

There was a modest, though richly decorated hall with statue niches.

The Hermitage is now demolished.

Seemingly only the foundations now remain of the once beautiful house; broken steps, old kitchen garden walls and the dilapidated fountain all indicating that this was once a very wealthy estate.

During the 18th century, Duntrileague was the seat of the Massys, but in the 19th century their main residence was The Hermitage, close to Limerick city.

In the 1870s Lord Massy owned 8,568 acres in County Limerick and 1,120 acres in County Tipperary; however, his largest estate was in County Leitrim, amounting to over 24,000 acres in 1878.

The Massy family had property in north County Leitrim following the bequest of the White estate at Lareen to John, 6th Lord Massy.

In the 1830s, the Massy estate also comprised property in the parish of Killora, County Galway, where the agent was George Falkner.

This property seems to have been leased by Richard Rathbourne, of Ballymore.

It was offered for sale in the Encumbered Estates court in 1852.

Most of the Massy lands were sold in the last two decades of the 19th century; followed by the family residences in the early years of the 20th century.

There is a good article about the Massy family here.

First published in May, 2011.  Massy arms courtesy of European Heraldry.
^[update

Franklin Maxims: IV

THE ROTTEN APPLE SPOILS HIS COMPANION.

First published in April, 2020.