Delamont Park

THE GORDONS OWNED 4,768 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY DOWN

THE MANOR OF FLORIDA WAS GRANTED BY KING CHARLES I, WITH MANORIAL RIGHTS AND ROYALTIES

This family, a branch of the ancient and ennobled line of the same name in Scotland, is stated to have gone from Berwickshire to Ulster during the period of the civil wars in Scotland. Following the destruction of the family papers, the lineage cannot be traced accurately.

Nevertheless, it is known that many years after the period of the Scottish settlement, General Lord Adam Gordon, fourth son of Alexander, 2nd Duke of Gordon, during a visit to Ulster, resided with his cousin, John Gordon, of Florida Manor, County Down.

At a subsequent epoch, in 1783, the intercourse was renewed upon the occasion of some members of the Gordon family visiting Scotland, when they were received with much kindness by Alexander, 4th Duke of Gordon, who fully recognized the relationship.

The representative of the Ulster branch at the close of the 17th century,

ROBERT GORDON, of Ballintaggart, County Down, married, in 1689, a daughter of George Ross, of Portabo, and sister of Robert Ross, of Rostrevor, in the same county, ancestor of GENERAL ROSS, who fell at the battle of Bladensburg, and had issue,

JOHN, his heir;
Robert (Rev).

Mr Gordon died in 1720, and was succeeded by his elder son,

JOHN GORDON (1690-1771), of Ballintaggart, who wedded, in 1720, his cousin Jane, daughter of Hugh Hamilton, of Ballybrannagh, County Down, and had issue,

ROBERT, his heir;
Jane, m David Johnston.

Mr Gordon espoused secondly, Grace, daughter of Thomas Knox, of Dungannon, County Tyrone, and had further issue,

Thomas Knox;
John;
Margery; Elizabeth.

He bequeathed his estate at Ballintaggart to Thomas Knox Gordon, the eldest son by his second marriage.

The eldest son by his first wife,

ROBERT GORDON (1722-93), of Florida Manor, married, in 1755, Alice, widow of Thomas Whyte, and only daughter of James Arbuckle and his wife Anne, daughter of John Crawford, and niece and heir-at-law of David Crawford, of Florida Manor, and had issue,

JOHN CRAWFORD, his heir;
David, of Delamont, successor to his brother;
Robert;
Alexander, of Castle Place, Belfast, father of ROBERT FRANCIS GORDON;
Alice; Anne.

Mr Gordon was succeeded by his eldest son,

JOHN CRAWFORD GORDON JP (1757-97), of Florida Manor, Captain, 50th Regiment, who died unmarried, and was succeeded by his brother,

DAVID GORDON JP DL (1759-1837), of Florida Manor and Delamont, High Sheriff of County Down, 1812, who married, in 1789, Mary, youngest daughter of JAMES CRAWFORD, of Crawfordsburn, and sister of Anne, 1st Countess of Caledon, and had issue,

ROBERT, his heir to Florida Manor;
JAMES CRAWFORD, succeeded to Delamont;
Jane Maria.

Mr Gordon was succeeded by his elder son,

ROBERT GORDON JP DL (1791-1864), of Florida Manor, High Sheriff of County Down, 1833, County Tyrone, 1843, who wedded, in 1825, Mary, daughter of William Crawford, of Lakelands, County Cork; though dsp 1864, and was succeeded by his brother,

THE REV JAMES CRAWFORD GORDON (1796-1867), of Florida Manor and Delamont House, Precentor of Down Cathedral, 1828-41, who espoused Geraldine, daughter of James Penrose, of Woodhill, County Cork; though dsp 1867, and was succeeded by his cousin, 

ROBERT FRANCIS GORDON JP DL (1802-83), of Florida Manor and Delamont, High Sheriff of County Down, 1873, who dsp, and was succeeded at Delamont by his nephew, ALEXANDER HAMILTON MILLER HAVEN, and at Florida Manor by his nephew,

ALEXANDER FREDERICK ST JOHN GORDON JP (1852-86), of Florida Manor; who dsp, and was succeeded by his cousin,

ALEXANDER MILLER HAVEN GORDON JP DL (1842-1910), of Florida Manor and Delamont, who wedded, in 1881, Ada Austen, eldest daughter of John Edward Eyre, Governor of Jamaica, of The Grange, Staple Aston, Oxfordshire, and had issue,

ALEXANDER ROBERT GISBORNE, his heir;
Eyre, CSI CIE;
John de la Hay;
Edward Ormond;
Henry Gisborne;
Eldred Pottinger;
Ivy Dorothy Catherine; Margerie Frances; Honor; Marion Alice.

Mr Gordon was succeeded by his eldest son,

THE RT HON  SIR ALEXANDER ROBERT GISBORNE GORDON GBE DSO (1882-1967), of Delamont, who married, in 1914, his first cousin, Alice Mary Dorothea, daughter of Robert Francis Gordon, though the marriage was without issue.

Delamont was subsequently held in trust by his niece, Patricia Lillas, for her son, Archibald Arundel Pugh, who assumed the additional surname of GORDON in 1968.

When they took up residence at Delamont in 1968, they altered and modernised the house to the designs of the architect Arthur Jury.

The remaining buildings around the back yard were removed, and water mains and electricity were installed.

To keep maintenance costs down, they ceased using the front avenue and approached the house via the back.

The farm and land were let and, when their son came into his inheritance he, too, continued to let the land.

In 1978, Mr Gordon-Pugh applied for, and obtained, outline planning permission for a hotel, marina and associated development along the shore, together with additional approval for a leisure park and golf course over the rest of the estate.

The proposals were not implemented though the house was, for a period, used as a restaurant and hired out for private parties and functions.

Delamont was sold by Mr Gordon-Pugh in 1985.

DELAMONT HOUSE (above), near Killyleagh, County Down, is a mildly Tudor-Revival 19th century mansion of two storeys with an attic and dormer gables.

Its front has a central, polygonal bow, raised above the skyline to provide the effect of a tower flanked by two narrow oriels and topped by dormer gables.

There is a rather irregular, gabled side elevation, notably longer than the front. A slender, polygonal turret with cupola is at the back of the house.

By the late 16th, early 17th centuries, much of County Down had been acquired by Scottish and English Landlords such as the Hamiltons and Montgomerys.

They, in turn, settled the area with tenant farmers, Scots in the north east and English in the rest; while the native Irish were relegated to the less fertile areas.

These early settlers were required to build fortified dwelling houses or bawns and, in the Thomas Raven maps of 1625, there appears a substantial one-and-a-half storey stone house with a wall around it on approximately the same site as the present Delamont House.

This house was approached by a long, tree-lined avenue, which does not correspond with the line of the present avenue.

The house was also on a hilltop, appearing to lie surrounded by a deer-park.

The land at the time was in the ownership of Lord Claneboye, so his tenants must have been quite prosperous farmers to have afforded such a large house.

This early Victorian period saw most of the major developments and improvements to the estate.

In 1841, the Rev James Crawford substantially extended the farm buildings and planted a second avenue to service the farm, orchard and walled garden.

A second gate lodge was built and is known as the “Gardners Cottage” [sic]. He also improved the main entrance to the estate.

Much of the planting of Delamont was carried out in the years between David Gordon’s death and 1859, most notably Kinnegar Wood and the two wooded hilltops, the “Corbally Planting” and the “Ringwood Planting”.

Gibbs Island was also planted and the wooded area round the house extended.

It would appear that the form of the present house also dates form this period.

The formal terraced gardens were laid out at the same time and provide an integral link between the house and the landscape beyond, carefully leading the eye down through the various levels and making full use of the superb natural setting.

The main terrace directly in front of the house was gravelled, with the others kept as lawn.

The flower beds at the front of house and to the side would have been planted with seasonal bedding plants. There was formerly a rose garden.

The demesne was considerably larger than at the present day, extending west of the Downpatrick Road and Island Road and, in Griffiths Valuation of 1863, the Rev James Crawford Gordon held the land in the townland of Tullykin as well as Mullagh.

He also held the right of collecting and taking seaweed from the shore.

The Rev James Crawford Gordon died in 1867 and, having no children, the estates of Florida Manor and Delamont passed to his first cousin, Robert Francis Gordon (1802-83), son of Alexander Gordon and Dorothea Gisborne.

He apparently altered the house in 1875. He remained unmarried.

Robert Francis Gordon never married and following his death, in 1883, the two estates were divided: Florida Manor was left to a nephew, Alexander Frederick St John Gordon (1852-86); and Delamont to another nephew, Alexander Hamilton Miller Haven Gordon (1842-1910).

However, the nephew who inherited Florida Manor died without issue, thence Florida passed back to Alexander Hamilton Miller Haven Gordon.

Thus the two estates were again united in the Gordon family.

This late Victorian period at Delamont was when the Long Avenue was planted, as it does not appear on the 1856 Estate Map, but it features on the Ordnance Survey Map of 1903.

Alexander Gordon appears to have taken an active interest in his estate, and his obituary in 1910 describes him as a man

naturally attracted to the necessity for cultivating the soil in an agricultural country like Ireland. He was foremost in promoting any effort to introduce modern improvements and was himself an extensive farmer, both at Delamont and Florida Manor.

The Delamont estate is now run as a country park for the use of the general public.

Up until the time of the 2nd World War, the estate seems to have flourished: Sir Alexander's land steward, Mr Carlisle, developed the farm and improved the land; fruit and vegetables from the walled garden were sold; and Mr Moreland, who was employed as gardener in the 1920s, remembers half an acre devoted purely to rhubarb.

At that time, the estate employed five indoor servants plus a chauffeur, whose duties included carrying drinking water twice a day from a well by Kinnegar Wood up the hill to the house.

Eventually water was pumped up the hill and stored in a reservoir built on top of the rath.

Delamont appears to have been quite self-sufficient in those days, even generating its own electricity.

Sir Alexander made alterations to the house at the rear, by demolishing some of the sixteen servants' rooms which were no longer needed.

He also altered the porch ca 1938.

Whether Delamont was actually purchased by the Gordons or acquired by marriage is unclear, but their other estate in County Down, Florida Manor at Killinchy, was acquired through the fortuitous marriage or Robert Gordon to Alice Arbuckle in 1755, who was niece and heiress-in-law to David Crawford of Florida Manor.

It is thought that their son, David Gordon (1759-1837), first came into Delamont in 1793.

David Gordon purchased Delamont for £8,360 in 1793 (about £1 million in today's money) from Lord Northland and Matthew Forde, who were acting as executors for Mrs Margery Delahay.

Thomas Delahay acquired the property from Lord Limerick in 1733 for £1,117.

He had married in 1721, Margery, the sister of the Rt Hon Thomas Knox MP and predeceased her in 1747. The name "Delamont" obviously derives from the surname.

Unlike his father and grandfather, who were wine and general merchants, David Gordon entered the legal profession and also established the banking house of Gordon and Company in 1808, which later became the Belfast Banking Company.

He married Mary Crawford, of Crawfordsburn, in 1789 who was, by all accounts, a very wealthy lady.

The Delamont demesne dates from the 17th century. Raven’s picture map of 1625 shows a straight avenue leading to a previous house apparently on top of a drumlin, with mature trees and deer.

The present house was built in the mid-19th century on high ground with extensive views over Strangford Lough.

The ground undulates and the site is very attractive.

There are fine parkland trees, woodland belts and stone enclosed clumps on the hill tops.

The tree-lined ‘Long Walk’ was laid out post-1860 and has recently been shortened by a road-widening scheme. There is a narrow ornamental garden at the house which is not kept up and the conservatories are gone.

To the south of the house there is an enclosure, which has been adapted as a garden feature with encircling, tree-lined walks.

There are farm buildings of 1841, a walled garden and walled orchard. The walled garden is cultivated as a nursery.

There are two gate lodges built ca 1855. Delamont Country Park owned by Down District Council and is open to the public, as is the nursery garden.

Delamont House is presently owned by the Belfast Education & Library Board.

Florida Manor

FLORIDA MANOR comprised the townlands of Ballybunden, Drumreagh and part of the townland of Kilmood.

In 1791, the estate was described as containing 1,300 acres of arable land and 400 acres of bog and it was let for £1,000 per annum.

In 1867, when Robert Francis Gordon took possession of the Florida Manor estate, it was valued at £4,634.

However, the bulk of Florida Manor, including the townlands of Ballygraffan, Ballyminstragh, Kilmood, Lisbarnet, Raffrey, Ravara and Tullynagee, formed part of the Londonderry Estates.

There is very little information relating directly to Florida Manor, though it is possible to draw together some information about the building of the house or, at least, to establish an approximate date of when the house was completed.

A bill of complaint declares that, when John Crawford Gordon died in 1797, his brother, David, succeeded to the estate which included the mansion-house called Florida Manor and demesne.

Moreover, a survey of 1794 for the Florida demesne of John Crawford recorded that it comprised just over 100 acres.

A memorandum of agreement between Robert Gordon and Hugh Agnew, a brick-maker, for 'fifty thousand bricks or any greater number...' is dated 1775.

First published in July, 2010.

Glengarriff Castle

THE WHITES WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY CORK, WITH 16,175 ACRES

The family of WHITE claimed to derive its descent from a brother of the Rt Rev John White, Bishop of Winchester, in 1557. The immediate ancestor of this noble family came to Ireland during the English civil war which commenced in 1641.

This brother's descendant in the fourth degree, 

RICHARD WHITE, of Bantry, County Cork, son of Richard White, of Bantry, married, in 1734, Martha, daughter of the Very Rev Rowland Davies, of Dawston, County Cork, Dean of Cork and Ross, and had issue,

SIMON, his heir;
Margaret, m Richard, Viscount Longueville.

The only son,

SIMON WHITE, of Bantry, wedded, in 1760, Frances Jane, daughter of Richard Hedges Eyre, of Mount Hedges, County Cork, by Helena his wife, daughter of Thomas Herbert, of Muckross Abbey, County Kerry, and dsp, having had issue,

RICHARD, of whom presently;
Simon;
Hamilton;
Helen; Martha; Frances.

The eldest son,

RICHARD, 1ST EARL OF BANTRY (1767-1851), espoused, in 1799, the Lady Margaret Anne Hare, daughter of William, 1st Earl of Listowel, and had issue,

Richard, 2nd Earl;
William Henry Hare, 3rd Earl;
SIMON, of whom we treat;
Robert Hedges;
Mary.

The third son,

COLONEL THE HON SIMON WHITE, wedded, in 1801, Sarah, daughter of John Newenham, of Maryborough, and had issue,

ROBERT HEDGES EYRE, his heir;
Edward Richard;
Fanny Rosa Maria; Harriet.

Colonel White died in 1838, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

ROBERT HEDGES EYRE WHITE (1809-), of Glengarriff Castle, County Cork, who married, in 1834, Charlotte Mary, only daughter and heir of Thomas Dorman, of Raffeen House, County Cork, and had issue,

ROBERT HEDGES EYRE WHITE (1836-), of Raffeen House, who espoused, in 1860, Mary Anne d'Esterre, daughter of John Roberts, of Ardmore, County Waterford, and had issue,

Robert Hedges Eyre, b 1862;
Simon, b 1863;
Edward, b 1869;
Anna Mary; Frances Dorothy.

GLENGARRIFF CASTLE, County Cork, is a partially castellated house overlooking Glengarriff harbour.

It has a long, two-storey range with shallow, curved bows and ogee-headed windows.

At one end there is a square tower; the other end having a considerably loftier, battlemented round tower.

The round tower joins the main block to a battlemented wing at an obtuse angle to its end.

The Castle was built in the 1790s by Colonel Simon White, brother of the 1st Earl of Bantry.

It was built in the Gothic style, with a panoramic view of Glengarriff Bay.

The woodlands of the estate encompass a wide variety of trees including Oak, Beech, Japanese Red Cedar, European Larch, Chilean Pine and a variety of shrub and flora species.

Wildlife to be seen include red squirrel, sika deer, seals, fox and pine marten.

Over the years, Glengarriff has extended hospitality to royalty, artists and writers, such as Thackeray, Synge and Yeats; and, when living in the area, George Bernard Shaw is said to have written his play St Joan here.

The actress Maureen O'Hara, who starred with John Wayne in The Quiet Man, for many years kept a holiday home adjacent to Glengarriff Castle.

The castle operated as a resort until the late 1970s, when it became derelict.

In 2020 the Castle was purchased by Peter McGill, of Holywood, County Down, who is restoring the property.

First published in May, 2013.

Ballydugan House

THE KEOWN-BOYDS OWNED 4,191 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY DOWN

This family descended maternally from BOYD, of Glastry, County Down, who claimed to be a branch of the Kilmarnock family.

RICHARD KEOWN, of Downpatrick, County Down (son of Richard and Margaret Keown, m 1768), married Mary (who assumed the name of BOYD, as heiress of the Boyds of Glastry and Portavogie), daughter of Henry Keown, and had issue,

John, JP, barrister;
Henry, a military officer;
WILLIAM, of whom hereafter;
Mary, m WILLIAM BEERS;
Margaret;
Anne, m George Gulliver;
Isabella, m Dr R Boyd.

The third son,

WILLIAM KEOWN JP (1816-77), of Ballydugan House, County Down, High Sheriff of County Down, 1849, MP for Downpatrick, 1867-74, wedded, in 1845, Mary, eldest daughter of the Rev Robert Alexander, Prebendary of Aghadowey, County Londonderry, and had issue,

RICHARD, his heir;
Robert;
William;
John Maxwell;
Alfred Henry;
Edmund Walter;
Mary; Matilda Catherine; Hilda Margaret.

Mr Keown assumed the surname of BOYD in 1873, under the will of his grand-uncle, Major David Hamilton Boyd, of Glastry.

The eldest son,

RICHARD KEOWN-BOYD (1850-), of Ballydugan and Glastry, Lieutenant, Royal Navy, married, in 1875, Florence, fourth daughter of Charles Manners Lushington MP, and had a daughter,

SYLVIA IRONSIDE KEOWN-BOYD, who espoused, in 1927, Sir Denys Henry Harrington Grayson, 2nd Baronet.

They divorced in 1937.

BALLYDUGAN HOUSE, near Downpatrick, County Down, is a three storey, five bay, Georgian house of ca 1770.

The estate lies close to BALLYDUGAN LAKE and flour mill, and the disused railway line, one of my favourite places in the county.

A two-storey, bow-fronted wing was added about 1815.

The estate today comprises about 750 acres.

Ballydugan has changed ownership on a number of occasions: from its origins in the early 17th century when Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Ardglass, granted the lands to the Wests; to 1819, when ownership changed to the Keowns.

Richard Keown was a shrewd solicitor from Downpatrick, who purchased most of the property between 1790 and his decease in 1829.

Mr Keown bequeathed Ballydugan to his second son, John.

 Following Richard Keown, two more generations of Keowns occupied the house till 1906.

In 1844 it was let to Major Stephen Percival-Maxwell, and in 1906, following Richard Keown-Boyd's bankruptcy, Stephen Percival-Maxwell took the opportunity to purchase Ballydugan House and demesne. 

Mr Perceval-Maxwell died in 1935, and as his only son Nigel was killed in action in France, his wife Henrietta ‘Mabel’ (nee Richardson) was given her life in the house before their nephew Gerald Henry Aubrey Percival-Maxwell moved in.

Major Percival-Maxwell was High Sheriff for County Down in 1957.

The Percival-Maxwells remained on the estate until 1965.

Captain James Christy Brownlow (1922-2006), High Sheriff of County Down, 1971, purchased Ballydugan circa 1963 and remained there for the next fifteen years.

Captain Brownlow was the younger brother of Colonel William Brownlow, of BALLYWHITE HOUSE.

The estate was sold in 1978 to Sven and Simone Mackie, who had come from Snipe Island, a ruined beetling mill in Dunadry that they had restored.

Sven had been a sales director in the family business, James Mackie & Sons, travelled extensively, and spoke fluently in French, German and two dialects of Italian.

After Sven’s death in 1986, Simone later married their long-time friend John Beach who had been land agent to the O’Neills at Shane’s Castle and previously worked for the Vestey family in East Anglia. 

Simone now manages the estate with her grandson, Edward Manningham-Buller.

Stuart Blakley has written a piece about Ballydugan here.

The demesne was established in the 18th century.

There are mature shelter trees and woodland.

The walled garden is not cultivated but there is a very large English yew flourishing in the centre.

A maintained ornamental and productive garden is near the house.

The gate lodges have gone.

This site lies to the south of a much larger demesne, Hollymount, which has completely gone.

There are remnants of a fine oak wood on the east side, amongst forest planting.

The Keown-Boyd mausoleum of ca 1825 remains in very good condition.

First published in March, 2016.

Dromoland Castle

THE BARONS INCHIQUIN WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY CLARE, WITH 20,321 ACRES

This very ancient family claims royal descent, and deduces its pedigree from the celebrated Irish monarch, Brian Boru, who ascended the throne in 1002, and fell at the memorable battle of Clontarf, in 1014.

From this prince descended the Kings of Thomond; of which TURLOGH, King of Munster and principal High King of Ireland, had, with other issue, Dermot, King of Munster, from whom descended, in 1528, 

CONOR O'BRIEN, King of Thomond, eldest son of TORLOGH DONN, King of Thomond, who died in 1528,  who married firstly, Annabella, youngest daughter of Ulick De Burgh, 1st Earl of Clanricarde, by whom he had a son,

1. DONOGH, Earl of Thomond, in succession to his uncle, Morrogh, BARON OF IBRACHAN, by creation, 1543, and EARL OF THOMOND, 1551.

His male issue became extinct on the death, in 1774, of CHARLES O'BRIEN, the last heir male of his line, and, who, but for the attainder, would have been 9th Earl of Thomond. 

Conor O'Brien wedded secondly, Ellice, daughter of 10th Earl of Desmond, and by her had issue five sons, of whom,

2. Donald.

3. Teige.

4. Morrough.

Conor O'Brien died in 1539, and was succeeded in his principality, according to the laws of Tanistry, by his brother, the Tanist of Thomond,

MURROUGH O'BRIEN, who, repairing to England by the advice of the Lord Deputy of Ireland, in 1543, surrendered his royalty to HENRY VIII, and was, in recompense, created Earl of Thomond for life, and BARON INCHIQUIN to his own heirs male.

His lordship wedded Eleanor, daughter of Sir Thomas FitzGerald, Knight of Glyn, and dying in 1551, left issue,

DERMOD, his successor;
Teige;

DONOGH;

Torlogh.

His lordship died in 1551, when the Earldom of Thomond devolved upon his nephew Donogh, and the Barony of Inchiquin was inherited by his son and heir,

DERMOD, 2nd Baron, to whom his father devised the castle and lands of Inchiquin, and other extensive territorial possessions.

His lordship espoused, before 1550, his cousin, Margaret, eldest daughter of Donogh, Earl of Thomond; and died in 1557, when he was succeeded by his only son,

MORROGH McDERMOT, 3rd Baron (c1550-73), who wedded Margaret, daughter of Sir Thomas Cusack, Lord Chancellor and Lord Justice of Ireland,

MORROUGH, his successor;
Slaney.

His lordship was slain by Dermot Reagh O'Shaughnessy in 1574, and was succeeded by his son,

MORROGH, 4th Baron (1562-97), who wedded Mabel, sister of 1st Earl of Westmeath.

His lordship fell from his horse and drowned, in 1597, when fording the River Erne, near Sligo, during the Nine Years War.

He was succeeded by his son,

DERMOD, 5th Baron (1594-1624), who wedded Ellen, eldest daughter of Sir Edmund FitzJohn FitzGerald, and had issue,

Henry;
Christopher;
MURROUGH, of whom we treat;
Honora; Mary; Ann.

His lordship was succeeded by his youngest son,

MURROUGH (1618-74), 6th Baron, who was created, in 1654, EARL OF INCHIQUN.

Murrough, 1st Earl of Inchiquin (Image: Manchester Art Gallery)

MURROUGH (1726-1808), 10th Baron, was created, in 1808, MARQUESS OF THOMOND.

• Murrough O'Brien, 1st Marquess and 10th Baron (1726–1808)
• William O'Brien, 2nd Marquess and 11th Baron (1765–1846)
• James O'Brien, 3rd Marquess and 12th Baron (1768–1855)

Barons Inchiquin (1543; Reverted)

• Lucius O'Brien, 13th Baron (1800–72)
• Edward Donough O'Brien, 14th Baron (1839–1900)
• Lucius William O'Brien, 15th Baron (1864–1929)
• Donough Edward Foster O'Brien, 16th Baron (1897–1968)
• Pádraig Lucius Ambrose O'Brien, 17th Baron (1900–82)
• Conor Myles John O'Brien, 18th Baron (1943-2023) 

The 18th Baron's second cousin, Conor John Anthony O'Brien (born 1952), is the present 19th Baron.

DROMOLAND CASTLE, Newmarket-on-Fergus, County Clare, is considered one of the finest examples of a baronial style castle in Ireland.

According to history, the original castle on the site is said to have dated back to the 11th century, and was more rustic in nature than the existing castle of today, similar in style to Bunratty castle.

Like other castles of the times, it served as a defensive stronghold.

From the time of Morrough O’Brien (the original owner of Dromoland) until the 16th Baron Inchiquin - who still owned the castle in the 1960s - the Inchiquins lived at Dromoland for more than 500 years.

In 1736, a second castle was built in the design of the Queen Anne period with a wing enclosing a central courtyard.

This wing of the castle remains today and is almost a century older than the other sections of the castle.

The present castle was completed in 1826 by the 4th O'Brien Baronet in Gothic style, with four large towers made of a dark blue limestone that was cut from a nearby quarry, and built at great expense for the times.

The Castle is dominated by a tall, round corner tower and a square tower, both of heavily crenellated. There are also smaller towers and a turreted porch.

The windows on the main fronts are rectangular with Gothic tracery.

Inside, a square entrance hall opens into a long, inner hall similar to a gallery, the staircase being at one end; while the main reception rooms are at one side of it.

The rooms have quite austere ceilings with Gothic Tudor-Revival cornices.

The drawing-room was formerly called the Keightley Room since it contained many of the 17th century portraits which were acquired by the O'Brien family through the marriage of Lucius O'Brien MP to Catherine Keightley (whose grandfather was the Earl of Clarendon).

Part of the 18th century garden layout survives, including a gazebo and Doric rotunda.

During the latter portion of the 19th century, the Inchiquin family wealth dwindled due to a series of Land Acts, until Ireland seceded from the United Kingdom in 1921.

Landlords during this time were forced to sell their farmlands, and so the Inchiquins lost their main source of income.

However, they were able to still hold onto Dromoland.

Although the loss of income suffered by the Inchiquins made the Castle difficult to keep, they managed to do so, and the castle was maintained by the personal wealth of the 15th Baron's wife, and afterwards her son, the 16th Baron, until 1948, when they began to take in tourists as paying guests.

Finally, in 1962, the Castle was sold to an American industrialist, Bernard McDonough, whose family were of Irish descent.

Over a period of six months, the castle underwent major renovations and was eventually re-opened as a luxury hotel.

The original style and atmosphere of the castle are said to have been preserved, and the rooms including its stately, baronial country house atmosphere “look very much today, like they did when the Inchiquin family lived there... "

The original wing is very elegant inside: Guests enter into a two-storey stone lobby (made from the dark blue limestone) that is complete with suits of armour, a large dark wood carved table, elegant rose tapestry covered chairs, and dark red drapes.

On one side, a stone passage and hallway lead to the large, main drawing room of the castle.

The hallway and drawing-room have a high ceiling, deep red and gold wallpapered walls, and is lined with baronial portraits of the barons and former members of the Inchiquin family.

It is said that O'Brien family portraits (on loan) remain on display at the Castle today.

Former London residence ~ 9, Avery Row, Brook Street.

First published in April, 2011. 

Florence Court: My Irish Home

My dear mother gave me a wonderful hardback book when we were in County Fermanagh in 1979.

It is entitled Florence Court: My Irish Home, and written lovingly by Nancy, Countess of Enniskillen.

The book was published in 1972 by R & S Printers, The Diamond, Monaghan.

Lady Enniskillen wrote:

On the highest level of The Pleasure Grounds, there used to stand a little "summer house." Here on a warm sunny day ideally without wind and wrinkled only by the wings of birds and insects, on such a day at Florence Court, the Cole family would adjourn to drink their tea and enjoy the tonic view of the valley and the mountain.

On Thursday, the 14th August, 2014, this charming little thatched gazebo was burnt to the ground.

The National Trust has, I'm delighted to say, rebuilt it to the original specifications.

Florence Court: Parterre

THE EARLS OF ENNISKILLEN WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY FERMANAGH, WITH 29,635 ACRES 

The five largest landowners in Fermanagh were the Marquess of Ely, the Earl of Erne, the Earl of Enniskillen, the Viscount Brookeborough (Brooke Baronets), and the Archdales. They all owned circa 30,000 acres.

Nancy, Countess of Enniskillen (1917-98) wrote her chronicles of life at Florence Court, County Fermanagh, in 1972.

My mother bought me the hardback book as a gift while we were staying at Castle Archdale in 1979.

It's entitled Florence Court, My Irish Home.

If my memory serves me correctly, it was purchased in Hall's bookshop, Enniskillen, at the far end of Darling Street, not far from Castle Street.

On page forty-five, Lady Enniskillen describes how the dining-room and drawing-room looked through their western windows to a terrace planted by her husband David, the 6th Earl, with flowering cherry trees around an old parterre.

The Crescent Lawn was (and remains) about seven feet above the back drive and about the same distance below the house.

A reader informs us that the Crescent Lawn

"Actually dated from Victorian times with Cherry trees later planted at the sides by David Enniskillen to replace original large Chestnut trees. These Cherry trees are also now removed. The Parterre was removed by the National Trust for maintenance reasons and the argument that it blocked the view out across the park which of course it didn't as the lawn is much lower than the windows of the Drawing and Dining rooms."

The Register Parks, Gardens, and Demesne of Special Historic Interest in Northern Ireland remarks:-

"Fraser was probably also responsible at this time for some alterations to the west side of the park and for designing a square elaborate flower parterre (now removed) for the raised Crescent Lawn at the back of the house, which was originally flanked each side by chestnut trees."

Sadly the curvilinear row of staff rooms which surrounded the Crescent Lawn were all demolished: including the Boot House, Cook's Larder, Game Larder, Bottles, Hamper House, Hens, Store, and two water closets.

Only the foundations of these outbuildings (which overlooked the Laundry Court) remain.

Each room had its own fireplace.

Nancy Enniskillen tells us in her book that the National Trust removed the rooms and rebuilt the wall without them.

The Laundry Yard was at one side of the Crescent Lawn; while the stable-yard was at the other.

First published in April, 2016.

Virginia Park

THE MARQUESSES OF HEADFORT WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY MEATH, WITH 7,544 ACRES

THEY OWNED 14,220 ACRES IN COUNTY CAVAN AND 12,851 ACRES IN WESTMORLAND

THOMAS TAYLOR, of Ringmer, Sussex, died in 1629, and was succeeded by his son,

JOHN TAYLOR, of Battle, Sussex, who died in 1638, leaving an only son,

THOMAS TAYLOR,

Who removed to Ireland, in 1653, in the train of Sir William Petty, in order to undertake the Down Survey, in which kingdom, he purchased lands in 1660, of which the town and townlands of Kells formed a portion, having disposed of his estates in England. 

After the Restoration, he was appointed one of the sub-commissioners of the court of claims. In 1669-70, he was deputy receiver-general under Sir George Carteret, and immediately before his death he officiated as vice-treasurer and treasurer-at-war.

Mr Taylor married, in 1658, Anne, daughter of William Axtell, of Berkhamstead, Hertfordshire, and had one surviving son, THOMAS, his heir, and one daughter, Anne, married to Sir Nicholas Acheson Bt.

He died in 1682, and was succeeded by his son,

THE RT HON THOMAS TAYLOR (1662-1736), who was created a baronet, 1704, designated of Kells, County Meath, and sworn of the Privy Council in 1726.

Sir Thomas wedded Anne, daughter of Sir Robert Cotton Bt, of Combermere, and had issue,

THOMAS, his heir;
Robert (Very Rev), Dean of Clonfert;
Henry;
James;
Henrietta; Salisbury; Anne.

Sir Thomas was succeeded by his eldest son,

THE RT HON SIR THOMAS TAYLOR (1657-96), 2nd Baronet, MP for Maidstone, 1689-96, Privy Counsellor, who married Mary, daughter of John Graham, of Platten, County Meath, and left, with a daughter, Henrietta, an only son, 

THE RT HON SIR THOMAS TAYLOR, 3rd Baronet (1724-95), KP, MP for Kells, 1747-60, who wedded, in 1754, Jane, eldest daughter of the Rt Hon Hercules Langford Rowley, by Elizabeth, Viscountess Langford, and had issue,

THOMAS, his successor;
Robert, a general in the army;
Clotworthy, created Baron Langford;
Henry Edward, in holy orders;
Henrietta.

Sir Thomas was elevated to the peerage, in 1760, in the dignity of Baron Headfort; and advanced to a viscountcy, in 1762, as Viscount Headfort.

His lordship was further advanced, in 1766, to the dignity of an earldom, as Earl of Bective.

In 1783 he was installed as a Founder Knight of St Patrick (KP), and sworn of the Privy Council of Ireland.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

THOMAS, 2nd Earl (1757-1829), who espoused, in 1778, Mary, only daughter and heir of George Quin, of Quinsborough, County Clare, and had issue,

THOMAS, his successor;
George;
Mary; Elizabeth Jane.

His lordship was created, in 1800, MARQUESS OF HEADFORT.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

THOMAS, 2nd Marquess (1787-1870), KP, MP for County Meath, 1812-29, Lord Lieutenant of County Cavan, 1831-70, who wedded firstly, in 1822, Olivia, daughter of Sir John Stevenson, and had issue,

THOMAS, his successor;
Robert;
John Henry;
Olivia; Mary Juliana; Virginia Frances Zerlina.

His lordship espoused secondly, in 1853, Frances, daughter of John Livingstone Martyn.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

THOMAS, 3rd Marquess, KP PC (1822-94), High Sheriff of County Meath, 1844, Cavan, 1846, who espoused firstly, in 1842, Amelia, only child of William Thompson MP, and had issue,

Thomas;
Evelyn Amelia; Madeline Olivia Susan; Adelaide Louisa Jane; Isabel Frances; Florence Jane.

He married secondly, in 1875, Emily Constantia, daughter of the Hon Eustace John Wilson-Patten, and had further issue,

GEOFFREY THOMAS, his successor;
Beatrix.

His lordship was succeeded by his surviving son,

GEOFFREY THOMAS, 4th Marquess (1878-1943), a Senator of the Irish Free State, 1922-28, who wedded, in 1901, Rose, daughter of Charles Boote, and had issue,

TERENCE GEOFFREY THOMAS, his successor;
William Desmond;
Millicent Olivia Mary.

His lordship was succeeded by his elder son,

TERENCE GEOFFREY THOMAS, 5th Marquess (1902-60),

• Geoffrey Thomas Taylour, 4th Marquess (1878–1943);
• Terence Geoffrey Thomas Taylour, 5th Marquess (1902–60);
• Thomas Geoffrey Charles Michael Taylour, 6th Marquess (1932–2005);
• Thomas Michael Ronald Christopher Taylour, 7th Marquess (b 1959).

The heir apparent is the present holder's son, Thomas Rupert Charles Christopher Taylour, styled Earl of Bective (b 1989).

The Taylour family became very much involved in the political life of the locality, and several members of the family served as MPs for Kells and the county of Meath.


They were also a "Patrick Family", the 1st Earl, and 1st, 2nd and 3rd Marquesses all having been appointed Knights of St Patrick.

His seat, Headfort House, in County Meath, was the only Adam house in Ireland.

In 1901 the 4th Marquess, an eminent horticulturist, caused a sensation when he converted to Rome to marry a showgirl called Rosie Boote.

A figure of great dignity, she remained the dominant personality in the family during young Michael's youth and early adult life.

Virginia, in the county of Cavan, was named after ELIZABETH I, "the Virgin Queen".

It owes its origin to the plantation of Ulster in 1609.

The lands eventually passed into the possession of Lucas Plunkett, Earl of Bective, a Roman Catholic, who was later created Earl of Fingall.

It can also be said that Lucas Plunkett, along with his son Christopher, frustrated the plans of the Government to proceed with the development of the town and its incorporation during his tenure.

He was sympathetic to the rebel Irish and sided with them against the planters during the 1641 Rebellion and the Williamite Wars of 1688-91, earning him the label of 'traitor'.

Consequently it fell to Thomas, 1st Marquess of Headfort, and his successors, to fulfil the patent in relation to the development of the town in the second half of the 18th century and 19th century - the patent which was originally granted to Captain Ridgeway in 1612.

Lord Headfort maintained a beautiful park beside Lough Ramor, where he had a hunting lodge (above) in plain, rambling, Picturesque cottage style; a two-storey house with a three-bay centre and single-storey, three-bay wings.

The family often stayed here during the summer or autumn months, between 1750 and 1939.

The former hunting lodge, located on the shore of Lough Ramor, is now a hotel, Virginia Park Lodge.

First published in July, 2011.