Franklin Maxims: IV

THE ROTTEN APPLE SPOILS HIS COMPANION.

First published in April, 2020.

Killymoon Castle

Early in the reign of JAMES VI and I,

JAMES STEWART (1595-1679) moved from Scotland, and purchasing Cookstown, County Tyrone, and the adjacent lands from Dr Allen Cooke, settled himself at Ballymenagh; while his brother, Andrew Stewart (ancestor of SIR JOHN STEWART, of Athenree, created a baronet, 1803), settled at Gortigal in the same county.

He married Barbara Lindsey, of Leith, and dying at Derryloran, County Tyrone, left a son,

WILLIAM STEWART (1625-1706), who moved to Killymoon, County Tyrone, which his father had purchased in 1634, and wedded Margaret, eldest daughter of John Shaw, of BALLYGALLY, County Antrim, by whom he had issue,

JAMES;
Alexander;
Henry, High Sheriff of County Tyrone, 1711;
John, drowned in the river Killymoon whilst yet a boy;
Margaret; Mary.

The eldest son,

JAMES STEWART (1665-1726), of Killymoon, married, in 1709, Helen, daughter of Patrick Agnew, of KILWAUGHTER, County Antrim, and had issue,

WILLIAM, his heir;
Patrick;
Margaret, m William Agnew, of Kilwaughter.

The eldest son,

WILLIAM STEWART (1710-97), of Killymoon and Ballymenagh, High Sheriff of County Tyrone, 1738, MP for County Tyrone, 1747-68, espoused, in 1740, Eleanor, eldest daughter of Sir Henry King Bt, of Rockingham, and had issue,

JAMES, of Killymoon, MP;
HENRY, of whom presently;
Edward, of London;
Isabella; Frances.

William Stewart (Image: the National Trust)

The eldest son,

JAMES STEWART (1742-1821), of Killymoon, MP for County Tyrone, 1768, married, in 1774, Elizabeth, daughter and eventually co-heir (with Lady Ponsonby, wife of 1st Lord Ponsonby, and Mrs Staples, wife of the Rt Hon John Staples, of Lissan) of Richard, 3rd Viscount Molesworth, had, with other issue,

WILLIAM (1780-1850), at whose death Killymoon was sold;
Louisa, m H J Clements MP, of Ashfield Lodge.

James Stewart (Image: Ulster Museum)

James Stewart was Colonel of the Strabane Volunteers, 1780, Captain, Cookstown Cavalry, 1796, and served in the Newmills Yeomanry, 1802.

KILLYMOON CASTLE, Cookstown, County Tyrone, was built in 1802-3 for Colonel James Stewart MP, to the designs of John Nash.

Colonel Stewart's family had held the property since 1634.

He had obtained plans for a new house incorporating parts of the old one, which had been destroyed by fire ca 1800, from the Dublin architect, Robert Woodgate; however, in 1802 he was replaced by Nash.

Nash exhibited two drawings for his scheme at the Royal Academy in 1802.

Killymoon was Nash's first castle in Ireland, and reputedly cost £80,000 to build (about £7.4 million today).

It was described in the Irish Penny Journal of 1841 as "one of the most aristocratic residences in the province of Ulster", with state apartments consisting of "a breakfast-parlour, dining room, ante-room and drawing-room, all of which are of noble proportions and their woodwork of polished oak".

When sold in the 1880s the details of the sale referred to the demesne being almost entirely surrounded by a wall of 10 to 12 feet in height, the demesne being entered by four lodges and avenues, containing two stone quarries, a huge quarry and kiln, a gravel pit, labourers' cottages, and two ornamental cottages; a walled garden and kitchen gardens, with lawns and ornamental shrubberies; vineries, peach and fig houses; a conservatory, stove, mushroom and forcing houses, potting sheds, tool houses, two excellent gardeners' dwelling houses, and an ice house.

This park was clearly approved of by Sir Joseph Paxton, who wrote:

I have visited most of the celebrated country seats in the Kingdom and a very large number on the continent, and I have never seen one - for the extent of it - more compact, more perfect in itself, or where the highest natural beauties have been more aided by refined taste and judgment, than Killymoon.

This demesne was, in 1922, nevertheless, decimated and sold off in lots, mostly for its timber.

Part of it is now used as a golf course.

The gate lodges and the two gardeners' houses no longer stand; the conservatory is ruinous; though substantial 18th century outbuildings, for farm use, and an 18th century saw mill remain intact, close to the castle.

Colonel James Stewart was an absentee client for Nash and much of the supervision of the new castle fell to his wife.

She is known, through surviving correspondence, to have been discussing the design of two cottages with Nash as late as 1805.

For his part, Colonel Stewart is notorious for having 'lost' his new castle in a night's gambling, but the next day the winner, the Prince Regent (later GEORGE IV), told him he could keep his "little cabin" in Ireland.

In 1850 the property was sold, following the decease of William Stewart, who was a bachelor, and was bought by the Moutray family.

The present owner's family bought it at the break-up of the estate in 1922.

*****

TODAY'S CASTLE has a romantic silhouette in a splendid location above the Ballinderry River with a back-drop of sweeping woodland and parkland.

The principal front is dominated by an almost central battlemented, machicolated round tower and turret; at one end, an octagonal tower with similar features; and at the other end the profile of the square tower in the adjoining front, the base of which is arched to form a porte-cochére.

The latter tower has slender, octagonal corner turrets with cupolas.

The windows are pointed, grouped together under segmental hood mouldings, which Nash and his ilk regarded as being Saxon.

There is good interior planning with square, circular and octagonal rooms fitted together.

The hall has a double staircase and is lit by a Gothic lantern on a plaster, fan-vaulted ceiling.

The Library is in the form of a Gothic chapel, with stained-glass windows.

Extensive stables, out-houses and labourers cottages were built on the demesne, and on completion of the residential quarters Colonel Stewart had the 585 acres of the Killymoon demesne enclosed by a wall 10 to 12 feet high.

Entrance to the demesne was by way of four stone lodges and avenues at various points along the boundary wall.

The Killymoon estate remained the property of the Stewart family for six generations; however, their extravagant lifestyle caused the Stewart family to fall on hard times, especially during the years of the Irish famine.

The Killymoon estate was sold in 1852 for £100,000.

In 1857, the castle had again been sold to the Cooper family; and, in 1865, Colonel Bolton, an English gentleman, purchased the castle.

A mere ten years later, Mervyn Stuart Thomas Moutray JP,  became the owner of Killymoon Castle until 1916, when Gerald Macura bought the castle and town of Cookstown for almost £100,000.

By 1918, Macura was also in financial difficulties and was compelled to sell off his assets.

Hence, in 1922, John Coulter bought the castle and grounds for the merely £100.

Today the castle remains the home of the Coulter family.

In addition, situated on what was previously some of the castle’s estate lands, is an 18-hole golf course.

Shortly before embarking on his long parliamentary career, the young James Stewart did the Grand Tour in Europe. A splendid portrait of him (now in the Ulster Museum) was painted in Italy some time in 1767 by Pompeo Batoni.

Stewart succeeded his father as one of the MPs for County Tyrone in 1768, retaining the seat continuously and without a contest for the next thirty-two years in Dublin and a further twelve after 1800 at Westminster. 

The Stewart of Killymoon Papers are held at the Public Record Office of NI.

From Killymoon Castle there are views across the parkland, where few trees remain.

The grounds were possibly designed by W S Gilpin for the present house.

Grass terraces to the south of the house descend to the river and are enlivened by yew trees.

Rowan quotes Paxton,

"I have visited most of the celebrated country seats in the kingdom and a very large number on the continent, and I have never seen one – for the extent of it - more compact, more perfect in itself, or where the highest natural beauties have been more aided by refined taste and judgement, than Killymoon."

Unfortunately the demesne is not as it once was: Ornamental garden buildings are lost; the vistas are over bare farmland to distant woods.

Extensive walled gardens, with some glass, are partially kept up.

The gardener’s house is ruinous; 18th century offices that pre-date the present house are extensive; one of three gate lodges survives; the northern part of the estate is now a golf course.

First published in November, 2010. 

Franklin Maxims: III

• "HE THAT SPEAKS MUCH IS MUCH MISTAKEN."

First published in April, 2020.

Beech Hill House

THE KENNEDY-SKIPTONS OWNED 1,169 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY LONDONDERRY

CORNET (or Second Lieutenant) JOHN KENNEDY (1615-80), of Ballymagowan, near Clogher, County Tyrone, of the house of Ochtrelure, founded by James, seventh son of Gilbert, 2nd Earl of Cassilis, went to Ulster in 1641 with the Scottish Army and acquired considerable church lands near Clogher.

He married Janet, daughter of Thomas Stewart, of Galston, and had issue,

HORACE, his heir;
James, of Ballymagowan.

Mr Kennedy died in 1680, aged 65, and was buried opposite the great door of Clogher Cathedral.

His elder son,

CAPTAIN HORACE KENNEDY (1648-1714), settled in Derry, 1667, was High Sheriff during the celebrated siege, attainted by JAMES II's parliament; and twice, by act of Parliament, appointed one of the commissioners of the poll tax for the county.

He wedded Katherine, daughter of Captain Gervais Squire, of Donoughmore, Commissioner for the Peace for Derry, 1677, and had issue, an eldest son,

GERVAIS KENNEDY (1675-1721), who espoused Jane, granddaughter of Thomas Maxwell, of Strabane and Kirkminster, High Sheriff of County Tyrone, 1681, and daughter of William Maxwell, and Jane, heiress of John Moderall, High Sheriff of County Tyrone, 1678, by Katherine Lecky.

By this marriage the Kennedys acquired the lands of Knockroe, County Tyrone.

Mr Kennedy died in 1721; his wife died the following year, leaving to the guardianship of her aunt, Mrs Tomkins, of PREHEN, two daughters and one son,

WILLIAM KENNEDY (1713-83), who married Easter, daughter and heir of George Crookshank, and had issue,

Maxwell Kennedy (Rev), dsp 1782;
GEORGE CROOKSHANK, his heir;
William;
John Pitt (Rev), Rector of Donagh;
Easter.

The second son,

GEORGE CROOKSHANK KENNEDY (1752-1819), assumed by sign manual the name of SKIPTON in 1801, and succeeded his cousin and brother-in-law in the Beechhill estate.

Mr Kennedy-Skipton, a Deputy Governor of County Londonderry, married Sarah, third daughter of CONOLLY McCAUSLAND, of Fruit Hill (Drenagh), and had issue (with five daughters),

CONOLLY McCAUSLAND (1778-1854), dsp;
William;
GEORGE, his successor;
Thomas;
Alexander;
Pitt;
Marcus.

The third son,

DR GEORGE KENNEDY-SKIPTON (1782-1847), married firstly, in 1814, Mary, daughter of the Rev Dr Henry Stacy, and had issue (with two daughters),

George Henry (1815-47);
HENRY STACY, his heir;
Thomas Kennedy (1820-24);
Conolly (1822-23);
Daniel Pitt.

The eldest surviving son,

HENRY STACY KENNEDY-SKIPTON, of Beech Hill, married Elizabeth, daughter of C Stewart, and had issue,

DR ALEXANDER KENNEDY-SKIPTON, of the Casino, the fifth son, who married Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of James McCrea, of Derry, by Frances, his wife, daughter of William Law, of Dunmore.

Dr Skipton died in 1858, leaving two sons, the younger of whom,

GEORGE ALEXANDER KENNEDY-SKIPTON JP, of The Casino, County Londonderry, was High Sheriff in 1863.

About 1784 the Earl-Bishop, the Rt Rev Frederick Hervey, had a two-storey summer residence (known as The Casino) built next to his gardens on the site of the future Lumen Christi College's buildings. 

The Casino was purportedly designed by the Milanese architect Placido Columbani, who had supervised the construction of contemporary structures on the Earl-Bishop’s estate at Downhill. 

Calley remarks that The Casino (now demolished) was ‘a stuccoed building 50 feet in length of Ionic temple form with matching bows on its north east and south west elevations.’ 

The Earl Bishop made little use of The Casino on Bishop Street and by the mid-19th century it formed the centrepiece of a small park that was owned by the Skipton family. The Roman Catholic Bishop of Derry, Francis Kelly (1812-89), acquired the plot of land and The Casino from the Skipton family in 1869.

Mr Kennedy-Skipton sold Beech Hill in 1875 and died unmarried in 1906.

Family of Skipton

In CLIFFE'S History of Ireland, it is mentioned, that in the reign of ELIZABETH I, Captain Skipton was sent to Ulster to command a fort in County Donegal.

He afterwards purchased considerable property in the neighbouring county of Londonderry.

ALEXANDER SKIPTON was appointed one of the Corporation, in the new charter given by CHARLES II to the city of Londonderry.

He purchased, about 1617, the lands of Ballyshasky, of the Ballymullins, now Learmount and others, in County Londonderry, and built a mansion house on the first named.

Mr Skipton was murdered by the O'Cahans in 1624, and left, with two daughters, a son and heir,

CAPTAIN THOMAS SKIPTON, Mayor of Londonderry, 1670, who styled himself, in his will, "of Skipton Hall," who married Charity, daughter of Sir Thomas Staples Bt, of Lissan, and died in 1685, leaving two sons and a daughter.

The second son,

THOMAS SKIPTON, married, in 1638, Charity, daughter of Sir Thomas Staples Bt, of Lissan, County Tyrone, and was father of

CAPTAIN ALEXANDER SKIPTON (1642-1704), attainted by JAMES II's parliament, married Jane, daughter of Edward Cary, of Dungiven, by Sarah, his wife, daughter of Sir Tristram Beresford Bt, and was father of

CAPTAIN THOMAS SKIPTON, who built the mansion of Beech Hill in 1717.

He wedded, in 1712, Eleanor, daughter of Colonel John Forward, of Castle Forward, grandfather to the Earl of Wicklow, and was father of

THE REV ALEXANDER SKIPTON, Rector successively of Magilligan and Bovagh, who espoused, in 1745, Isabella, sister to William Kennedy, Alderman of Londonderry, and died in 1793, having had but one son,

THOMAS SKIPTON, of Beech Hill, who married, in 1776, Elizabeth, second daughter of Conolly McCausland, of Fruit Hill, by the heiress of the Gages of Alagilligan; but dsp 1802, bequeathed his property to his cousin and brother-in-law,

GEORGE CROOKSHANK KENNEDY, son of William Kennedy, by Easter his wife, daughter of Alderman George Crookshank, by Elizabeth Pitt his wife, and grandson of Gervaise Kennedy.

Mr Kennedy, on succeeding to the estate of his cousin, assumed, in compliance with the latter's will, the surname and arms of SKIPTON, in 1802.

He married, in 1777, Sarah, another daughter of Conolly McCausland, if Fruit Hill, and sister of Elizabeth, wife of his cousin Thomas, and had issue,

CONOLLY McCAUSLAND;
William;
GEORGE, succeeded his brother;
Thomas;
Alexander;
Pitt;
Easter; Elizabeth; Sarah; Theodosia.

Mr Kennedy died in 1819, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

CONOLLY McCAUSLAND SKIPTON DL (1778-), of Beech Hill, Captain, Derry Militia, High Sheriff of Londondery, 1814, Mayor of Londonderry, 1828-9, who wedded, in 1812, Catherine, only child on John Spotswood, of Bellaghy, County Londonderry, who dsp and was succeeded by his brother, GEORGE.

The first house to stand on the richly-wooded Ardmore site was built in 1622 and was known as Ballyshaskey.

It was commissioned by Alexander Skipton, who was killed in a land ownership dispute with a local family.

His son, Captain Thomas Skipton, took up residence in 1638.

However, in a period of rebellion three years later, Thomas and his wife Charity were forced to flee under cover of darkness, narrowly escaping with their lives.

Their home was burned to the ground.

Seemingly undeterred by these disasters, in 1661 Captain Skipton built a new house which he called Skipton Hall.

It stood on the opposite side of the brook to the original building.

The family remained there until the siege of Derry, when a retreating army reduced Skipton Hall to ashes. 

Thomas’s son and heir, Captain Alexander Skipton, continued to live on the estate, in an out-house, until his death in 1704.

Captain Thomas Skipton built the present mansion house in 1739 and, because of the large number of surrounding trees, named it Beechhill.

Two generations later, Thomas Skipton added a wing stretching out towards the brook and made some significant changes to the gardens.

When he died the estate passed on to his cousin, George Crookshank Kennedy, who immediately changed his name to Kennedy-Skipton and continued a programme of improvements.

He planted a substantial number of new trees and much  improved the layout and appearance of the grounds which he believed  would give people much pleasure.

An impressive porch was added to the  front of the house and also the big room that is situated over it and which is known as The Library.

A change in ownership came in 1872, when Beech Hill was bought by the  wealthy Nicholsons of Newbuildings.

At this time, the estate comprised 1,169 acres.

The Nicholsons made a number of internal changes to the house during their tenancy but, in general, it remained  their simple family home.

In 1942, the United States Marines occupied Beech Hill.

They had been sent to protect Derry's war-time military installations.

In 1989, Beech Hill was bought by present owners, Patricia (Patsy) O’Kane, MBE, and her brother, Seamus Donnelly.

They undertook two years of refurbishment.

Beech Hill country house hotel opened for the first time in 1991. 

In 1998, the former US President, Bill Clinton, arrived.

By 2000, Beech Hill had become so popular that twenty-two bedrooms were inadequate, hence a new wing created ten more rooms and suites.

In 2011, restoration work costing almost £500,000 was completed.

It included new sash windows, extensive re-roofing and external and interior redecoration.

Atkinson wrote of Beech Hill in 1833:

‘… full grown timber, richly planted glen, an excellent garden, walled in and in full bearing, and sanded walks for the accommodation of the passenger through its richly
wooded lawns …’

The house is still surrounded by mature trees, with a lime and beech avenue and woodland walks. The raised portion to the north-west of the house.

The shape of the demesne has changed little: There are terraced lawns near the house and a series of ponds on descending ground, controlled by sluices.

Overflow car parks are amongst trees.

First published in July, 2012. Kennedy-Skipton arms courtesy of the NLI.

The Crossley Baronets

This family is descended from CROSSLEY of Scaitcliffe, Lancashire, which is said to have been settled at  Todmorden, Yorkshire, during the reign of EDWARD III.

JOHN CROSSELEY, of Stansfield in Rochdale, born 1474; living in 1524, was succeeded by his son,

RICHARD CROSSLEY, of Scaitcliffe, who died in 1548, leaving, by his wife Alice, a second son,

RICHARD CROSSLEY (1537-88), of Scaitcliffe, who left, by Elizabeth his wife,

ANTHONY CROSSLEY, of Scaitcliffe, who purchased Hollinrake Holme in 1586; he died in 1624, leaving, with other issue by Mary his wife, an eldest son,

JOHN CROSSLEY, of Scaitcliffe, who married, in 1615, Dorothea, daughter of Richard Lorde, of Hundersfield, and had, with other issue,

JOHN CROSSLEY (1620-46),  of Frailcroft in Todmorden, who wedded, in 1640, Mary, daughter of Cæsar Jackson, of Worsthorne, Lancashire, and dvp 1646, having had, with other issue,

ANTHONY CROSSLEY, of Scaitcliffe, Lancashire, married firstly, in 1664, Anne Eastwood; and secondly, in 1702, Grace _______.

He died in 1707, and by his first wife he had issue,

ANTHONY CROSSLEY (-1757), of Further Scaitcliffe, and of Dromore, County Down, the first of the family to move to Ulster, who fought at the battle of the Boyne, 1690, and was father of

ANTHONY CROSSLEY, who married the daughter of  _______ Brown, and had issue,

William, of Lisburn, born in 1745;

JOHN, of whom presently.

The younger son,

JOHN CROSSLEY (1746-1830), of Lisburn, County Antrim, wedded Elizabeth Alcott, and had a younger son,

FRANCIS CROSSLEY (1787-1846), of Glenburn, Dunmurry, County Antrim, a Major in the East India Company, Governor of the Andaman Islands, who espoused firstly, Miss Stewart, of Lisburn; and secondly, in 1837, Elizabeth Helen, daughter of William Irwin, of Mount Irwin, County Armagh, by whom he had issue,

Francis William, of Annagola, near Middletown, Co Armagh;

WILLIAM JOHN, of whom we treat;

Thomas Hastings Henry (1846-1926), Professor of Greek, QUB;

Emmeline.

The second son,

WILLIAM JOHN CROSSLEY JP (1844-1911), MP for Altrincham, 1906-10, married, in 1876, Mabel Gordon, daughter of Francis Anderson, and had issue,

KENNETH IRWIN, his heir;

Eric, OBE; grandfather of the 3rd and 6th Baronets;

Brian;

Lettice; Cicely.

Mr Crossley was created a baronet in 1909, designated of Glenfield, Dunham Massey, Cheshire.

Sir William was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR KENNETH IRWIN CROSSLEY, 2nd Baronet (1877-1957), JP, High Sheriff of Cheshire, 1919, who wedded firstly, in 1901, Florence Josephine, daughter of Joseph Nash Field, and had issue,

ANTHONY CROMMELIN, his heir;

Fidelia Josephine; Ruth Irwin; Catherine Pamela Field.

He espoused secondly, in 1954, Elizabeth Joyce, daughter of Enoch Shenton, without further issue.

Sir Kenneth's only son and heir,

ANTHONY CROMMELIN CROSSLEY (1903-39), MP for Oldham, 1931-35, Stretford, 1935-39, married, in 1927, Clare, daughter of Brigadier A F Thomson, and had issue,

FRANCIS PATRICK IRWIN;

Penelope Georgina; Virginia Charlotte Theresa.

Mr Crossley was accidentally killed in an air crash on the 15th August, 1939.

His only son and heir,

FRANCIS PATRICK IRWIN CROSSLEY (1929-53), Lieutenant, Grenadier Guards, died unmarried, when the title reverted to his cousin,

SIR CHRISTOPHER JOHN CROSSLEY, 3rd Baronet (1931-89), grandson of Eric Crossley OBE (see above), Lieutenant-Commander RN, who wedded firstly, in 1959, Carolyne Louise, daughter of Lesoie Grey Sykes, and had issue,

NICHOLAS JOHN;

JULIAN CHARLES.

He married secondly, in 1977, Lesley, daughter of Dr K A J Chamberlain.

Sir Christopher was succeeded by his elder son,

SIR NICHOLAS JOHN CROSSLEY, 4th Baronet (1962-2000), who died unmarried, when the title devolved upon his brother,

SIR JULIAN CHARLES CROSSLEY, 5th Baronet (1964-2003), who died unmarried, when the baronetcy reverted to his cousin,

SIR SLOAN NICHOLAS CROSSLEY, 6th Baronet (1958-), grandson of Eric Crossley OBE (see above), who wedded, in 1999, Jane Elizabeth, daughter of Harold Tyycross.

Glenburn House: entrance front to the south (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

GLENBURN HOUSE, Dunmurry, Belfast, is a two-storey, five-bay Georgian house of ca 1745.

Owners and Tenants of Glenburn

• Wolfenden
• Hogg
• Darby
• Curtis
• Crossley
• McConnell
• Murphy
• Clarke
• Richardson
• Belfast Bible College

The Glenburn demesne, including the house and bleach green, was established by John Wolfenden; and subsequently Mr Hogg; followed by Mr Darby.

Glenburn House was thereafter extended by Mr Darby, and is thought to have been further enlarged by Edward Curtis about 1811.

Glenburn House: west elevation (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

It became Major Francis Crossley's residence in 1835, and his son, Sir William John Crossley, 1st Baronet, appears to have been born at Glenburn.

The house was occupied in the early 1850s by James McConnell, of McConnell & Kennedy, Flax and Tow Spinners. 

Entrance portico with paired columns (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

In an auction sales brochure of 1861 Glenburn House and demesne was described thus:

"Being suitable in every respect for a gentleman's country seat, having a demesne of 75 acres, and a tastefully laid-out garden which was well stocked with fruit trees. On the south side of the house was a water damn which had been ornamented by the planting of shrubs and nearby a tea house surrounded by a garden.”

Between 1862-65 the owner is recorded as being the Liverpool Borough Bank, with Issac J Murphy, of John Murphy & Co, flax spinners, residing at Glenburn.

Glenburn became vacant in 1884, and five years later, in 1889, it was purchased by the Northern Banking Company, and a Major-General Clarke lived there until 1889.

Glenburn: east elevation  (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

George Richardson occupied the house in 1893.

In 1983 the Belfast Bible College moved to Glenburn, and the original Georgian mansion serves as administrative offices.

Former Crossley residence ~ Combermere Abbey, Whitechurch, Shropshire.

First published in July, 2022.

Bush House, Bushmills

Bush House (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

BUSH HOUSE, 72-74 Main Street, Bushmills, County Antrim, has been a public house for most of its existence.

It was built ca 1834, a time when the village was redeveloped by the landlords, the Macnaghtens of DUNDARAVE, a mansion and country estate on the outskirts of Bushmills.

Bush House comprises two storeys and four bays, with a coach archway to the right of the building.

Eroded stone figure (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

The porch and door-way are distinctive, with what appears to be an eroded sandstone surround containing two figures on each side; with a dentil cornice above.

Bush House, pebble-dashed (Tripadvisor, 2017)

The frontage of the house was pebble-dashed until recently, and today the original stone can be seen in all its glory.

A prominent sign, "BUSH HOUSE," graces the wall above the front entrance.

Front signage (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

The first tenant of Bush House was James McKibbin, who used it was a dwelling and shop; followed quite soon thereafter by a local miller called George Dinsmore.

Dinsmore vacated the premises about 1863.

James McNeill (1828-86) opened the first public house in the premises ca 1871, and Bush House continued to operate as a bar until about 1900 under the auspices of Margaret Jane McNeill (1841-1918), described in the census as "grocer and spirit merchant."

At this period Bush House comprised twelve rooms and four stables, a coach house, barn, and store.

Bush House to the right (W A Green/NMNI)

Mrs McNeill left ca 1905, and the "Bush Hotel," as it became known, was thereafter let to several tenants.

Charles Callaghan purchased Bush House from the Macnaghten Estate ca 1930, and continued to run it as a public house and hotel till some time between 1956 and 1972 (likely the 1960s).

The fireplace in the lounge at the back of the bar has a mahogany fire surround which is reputedly from the Arcadia ballroom in Portrush.

Bush House is now self-catering accommodation in addition to operating as a public house.

First published in May, 2022.

Belfast Castle: II

EDDIE'S BOOK EXTRACTS SHALL BE OF INTEREST TO THOSE SEEKING KNOWLEDGE OF BELFAST'S HERITAGE

THE CASTLE GARDENS OF THE JACOBEAN BELFAST CASTLE AND SURROUNDINGS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 18TH CENTURY, FROM DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE, BOTH MAPS AND LEASES, USING, AS A GUIDE, PHILLIPS' MAP OF 1685

"In the foreground is the Farset River, flowing down High Street, with Chads' Bridge opposite the Market House."

"The small houses to the extreme right, or west, are on the site of the present Bank Buildings, where Castle Street terminated as a continuation of High Street."

"The Castle had a north-easterly aspect, and opposite the entrance gates, on the east side of the Corn Market, was the Market-House with its square tower, on the first floor of which, above the market stalls, was the room in which the burgesses met at their assembly meetings."

"The house adjoining on the east side of the corn market was the Castle brew-house, wherein the cider was brewed from the apples gathered in the orchards."

"On the west side of the Corn market, and opposite the brew-house, was the house containing the pleasure boats in the barge-yard, from which in a south-east direction was the castle wharf, joining "The New Cutt River" at the sluice, and entering the Lagan on the south side of the Long Bridge."

High Street, Belfast, in the 17th Century

"The garden path in front of the barge-yard, running in a south-west direction, was the Long Walk, extending the entire length of the Pleasure Garden."

"The Pigeon House was the small house with the pointed roof."

"Proceeding from the Pigeon House, past the back of the Castle are the stables, with their five dormer windows, having a carriage entrance from Castle Street."

"The Ash Walk, as it appears in Phillips' Map of 1685, did not extend the whole length of the gardens."

"It seems, however, to have been extended, at a later date, as in a lease, bearing the date 14th June, 1717, its measurement is given as 530 feet from Castle Street in a southerly direction."

"According to that measurement, it formed the western boundary of the Castle gardens, and was probably planted with ash trees as a shelter to the fruit gardens from the prevailing westerly winds."

"Its frontage to Castle Street was 250 feet, so that we can fix its area as three acres."

"To the east of the Ash Walk was Robin's Orchard, having a frontage to Castle Street; and the garden situated between Robin's Orchard and the Castle was the Melon Garden."

"The small building, with an entrance through the Melon Garden, was originally the Coach House."

First published in July, 2012.