Termon House

The Alexanders of Termon were kinsmen of the Alexanders, Earls of Caledon.

THE REV SAMUEL ALEXANDER (1808-89), Rector of Termonmaguirc, County Tyrone, 1851-56, married, in 1839, Charlotte Frances, daughter of the Rev Charles Cobbe Beresford (son of the Rt Hon John de la Poer Beresford), and had issue,

John Adam (1854-1907);

CHARLES MURRAY, of whom we treat;

Henry George Samuel;

Amelia Henrietta; Charlotte Frances Selina; Frances Sophia.

The second son,

CHARLES MURRAY ALEXANDER JP (1845-1902), of Termon House, Carrickmore, County Tyrone, and Enagh, County Londonderry, Colonel, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, wedded, in 1888, Mary Anna Catherine, daughter of Robert William Lowry, of Pomeroy House, County Tyrone, and had issue,

CHARLES ADAM MURRAY, his heir;

Charlotte Frances; Mary Anna Catherine Letitia; Emily Geale Hester Lowry.

Colonel Alexander's son and heir,

CHARLES ADAM MURRAY ALEXANDER MC JP DL (1889-1958), of Termon House, and Pomeroy House, both in County Tyrone, married, in 1918, Gladys Sylvia MacGregor, daughter of Major Thomas MacGregor Greer, and had issue,

Evelyn Ruth Dorinda Mary;

Margaret Sylvia Daphne.

Termon House (Image: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society)

TERMON HOUSE, Carrickmore, County Tyrone, is a late-Georgian mansion of 1815.

It comprises three storeys, and was built as a glebe house for the Rev Charles Cobbe Beresford.

Termon: rear elevation (Image: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society)

This glebe house, which served as the rectory and vicarage for the parish of Termonmaguirc, was in the diocese of Armagh, and in the patronage of the Marquess of Waterford.

It cost £3,293 to build in 1815, equivalent to about £243,000 in 2024.

Termon House's entrance front comprises three bays, with a projecting porch; while the rear elevation has four bays, with two large windows on the ground floor.

Termon ca 1900 (Image: historic OS map).  Click to enlarge.

Following the disestablishment of the Church of Ireland in 1869, Termon was inherited by the Rector's youngest daughter, Charlotte Frances Beresford (1812-90), wife of the Rev Samuel Alexander. 

The Alexanders sold Termon in the mid-1980s.

Is Termon House vacant or derelict today and when was it last inhabited?

First published in 2024.  Alexander arms courtesy of the NLI.

Russborough House

THE EARLS OF MILLTOWN OWNED 427 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY WICKLOW, 1,898 ACRES IN THE QUEEN'S COUNTY, 300 ACRES IN COUNTY DUBLIN, AND 287 ACRES IN THE KING'S COUNTY

This family was anciently seated at Whitfield, Northamptonshire, from whom descended

HUGH LEESON (1620-1700), son of William Leesone, of Culworth, Northamptonshire, who, having been engaged as a military officer in Ireland, 1680, settled there during the reign of CHARLES I.

Mr Leeson made an advantageous marriage to the daughter of one of Dublin's leading aldermen, marrying, in 1673, Rebecca, daughter of Alderman Richard Tighe, Mayor of Dublin.

Having retired from the army, he acquired Lot Five, South St Stephen’s Green (Leeson’s Walk).

Mr Leeson became an eminent brewer and property developer.

He was buried about 1700, and was succeeded in his commercial pursuits by his second son,

JOSEPH LEESON (1660-1741), of Dublin, who wedded, in 1695, Margaret, daughter and co-heir of Alderman Andrew Brice, Sheriff of Dublin, and left (with four other daughters),

JOSEPH, his heir;
Anne, m to Hugh Henry;
Martha, m to Richard Cooke;
Joyce, m to Sir Robert Blackwood, 1st Baronet. 

Mr Leeson left a very considerable inheritance to his son, estimated at £50,000 (£100 million in 2014) plus £6,000 per annum (£1.2 million in 2014).

Joseph Leeson (1660-1741) Image: National Library of Ireland

The only son,

JOSEPH LEESON (1701-83), MP for Rathcormack, 1743-56, who, was elevated to the peerage, in 1756, in the dignity of Baron Russborough.

His lordship was advanced to a viscountcy, in 1760, as Viscount Russborough, of Russellstown, County Wicklow.

Joseph, 1st Earl of Milltown

He was further advanced to the dignity of an earldom, in 1763, as EARL OF MILLTOWN.

His lordship married firstly, in 1729, Cecilia, daughter of Francis Leigh, and had issue,

JOSEPH, his successor;
BRICE, succeeded his brother;
Mary, m the 2nd Earl of Mayo.

He wedded secondly, in 1738, Anne, daughter of Nathaniel Preston, by whom he had a daughter,

Anne.

The 1st Earl espoused thirdly, in 1768, Elizabeth, daughter of the Very Rev William French, Dean of Armagh, and had further issue,

William;
Robert;
Cecilia; Florence Arabella.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son

Joseph, 2nd Earl of Milltown

JOSEPH, 2nd Earl (1730-1801), MP for Thomastown, 1757-61, who died unmarried, when the family honours devolved upon his brother,

BRICE, 3rd Earl (1735-1807), who wedded, in 1765, Maria, daughter of John Graydon, of Dublin, and had issue,

Joseph (1766-1800), father of JOSEPH, 4th Earl;
John;
Robert.

His lordship was succeeded by his grandson,

JOSEPH, 4th Earl (1799-1866), KP, 1841, who married, in 1828, Barbara, second daughter and co-heir of Sir Joshua Colles Meredyth Bt, of Greenhills, County Kildare, and had issue,

JOSEPH HENRY, his successor;
EDWARD NUGENT, succeeded his brother;
HENRY, succeeded his brother;
Barbara Emily Maria; Cecilia Mary.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

JOSEPH HENRY, 5th Earl (1829-71), ensign, 68th Regiment of Foot, 1848-51, Aide-de-Camp to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, who was succeeded by his next brother,

EDWARD NUGENT, 6th Earl (1835-90), KP PC, who wedded, in 1871, the Lady Geraldine Evelyn Stanhope, second daughter of the 5th Earl of Harrington, in a childless marriage.

His lordship was succeeded by his brother,

HENRY, 7th and last Earl (1837-91), Barrister, Kings Inn, Dublin, 1860, Vice-Chamberlain, 1859-62, Chamberlain, 1862-74, to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

Following the death of the 7th Earl, a grandson of the Hon John Leeson (2nd son of the 3rd Earl), claimed the succession to the earldom. He died without male issue in 1905.

The earldom of Milltown was then claimed by his 2nd cousin, Robert William Frederick Leeson, a grandson of Captain the Hon Robert Leeson (3rd son of the 3rd Earl).

He died unmarried in 1908, and since that date no further claimants have come forward.

It is possible that there are living male line descendants of the Hon Robert Leeson, 4th son of the 1st Earl, in which case the earldom of Milltown should be regarded as being dormant rather than extinct.

RUSSBOROUGH HOUSE, County Wicklow, is one of the finest and grandest stately homes in Ireland.

Is situated near the Blessington Lakes, between the towns of Blessington and Ballymore Eustace, and is reputed to be the longest house in Ireland, with a frontage measuring 700 feet.

Russborough is an example of Palladian architecture, designed by Richard Cassels for Joseph Leeson, 1st Earl of Milltown and built between 1741-55.

It comprises seven bays and two storeys over a basement; Palladian style, with quadrant Doric colonnades linking to seven-bay two-storey pavilion wings, themselves linked to outbuildings by walls with rusticated arches topped with cupolas.

The walls are of dressed granite, with a central feature to the main block consisting of a pediment supported by four three-quarter Corinthian columns with swag mouldings between the capitals, whilst the wings have three-bay breakfront centres with Ionic pilasters.

Each of the three blocks and the colonnades has a parapet surmounted with urns, and behind each parapet is a slated hipped roof with broad granite chimneystacks to the main blocks.

Within the colonnades are arched niches with Classical statues.

Russborough ca 1824, from an Engraving by John Preston Neale 

The entrance consists of a largely glazed timber door with semi-circular fanlight-like eyebrow window above, and is reached by a grand flight of stone steps with the piers of the balustrade topped with urns and heraldic lions.

The windows are generally flat-headed and filled with three over three and six over six timber sash frames. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

The house is surrounded by an extensive, but largely unadorned, demesne and approached at a right angle from the main avenue to the north-east.

The interior of the house contains some ornate plasterwork on the ceilings by the Lafranchini brothers, who also collaborated with Cassels on Carton House.

Russborough has housed two fine art collections, begun with the Milltown estate, whose collection was donated to the National Gallery of Ireland by the widow of the 6th Earl.

Sir Alfred Beit Bt bought the house in 1952 where he housed his own family's collection, comprising works by many great artists, including Goya, Vermeer, Peter Paul Rubens and Thomas Gainsborough.

This collection was since robbed four times, in 1974 by an IRA gang including the heiress Rose Dugdale, in 1986 by Martin Cahill, in 2001; and in 2002 by Martin Cahill's old associate Martin Foley.

Two paintings, Gainsborough's Madame Bacelli and Vermeer's Lady writing a Letter with her Maid, the latter probably the most valuable painting of the collection, were stolen twice across the thefts, although each was subsequently recovered.

The Beit collection has donated many of its works to the Irish state but a substantial proportion of the paintings have been returned and been made available to view by the owners, the Alfred Beit Foundation.

Russborough remained in the possession of the Earls of Milltown until the 6th Earl's decease.

On the death of Lady Milltown in 1914, it passed to a nephew, Sir Edmund Turton, who rarely stayed there.

On Turton's death in 1928, his widow sold the house to Captain Denis Bowes Daly in 1931.

Sir Alfred Beit Bt bought Russborough in 1952 from Captain Daly to house his art collection and in 1976 established the Alfred Beit Foundation to manage the property.

The foundation opened the historic mansion and its collections to the Irish public in 1978.

Sir Alfred died in 1994 but Lady Beit remained in residence until her own death in 2005.

In 2010, a fire severely damaged the west wing and caused part of the roof to collapse.

No art was damaged, being removed along with furniture to allow for restorations to the west wing.

Initial examinations of the damage suggested an electrical fault from wiring in the roof may have sparked the fire.

In recent years, farmers' markets have been held on a regular basis in the grounds of the house.

Leeson Street in Dublin is named after the Earls of Milltown.

Former Dublin residence ~ 17 St Stephen's Green (now the Kildare Street Club).

First published in August, 2013. 

Victoria Park

During the pandemic lockdown in 2020 I paid a visit to Victoria Park in east Belfast.

There's a footbridge at the Sydenham railway halt, which is particularly useful for pedestrian access to Belfast City Airport and the Park.

I occasionally manhandle my bike over the footbridge if I'm going to the airport for a flight.

Though its official address is given as Park Avenue, Victoria Park stands directly beside the Sydenham by-pass and Belfast City Airport.

East Belfast Yacht Club, renowned for its concrete boats, is at the north-east of the Park.

According to my 1974 street directory, the Park comprises sixty-three acres, and was formed from land reclaimed from the eastern shores of Belfast Lough.

In 1974 it contained a salt-water boating lake some twenty acres in extent.

Click to Enlarge

A bowling green and football pitches - seven within the inner island -  remain, though there was also a putting green.

There were formerly cricket pitches, tennis courts, and an open-air swimming-pool at the north-western end.

An open-air theatre was added in 1969, though has recently been demolished.

Victoria Park also has a cycling and BMX track, and two walking trails that surround the lake.

The Sam Thompson Bridge, which links the Park to Belfast Harbour Estate (at Shorts' head office) was officially opened in 2014, and a splendid feature it is.

I use it quite regularly to cycle into the city centre.

2020 Map of Victoria Park

Belfast City Council explains that the idea of creating a public park near the river Connswater was first suggested by the Harbour Commissioners in 1854.

Progress was slow because the land was very marshy, inaccessible to the public and generally unsuitable for a public park.

After many meetings, surveyors' reports and drainage schemes, the idea was approved and Victoria Park opened in 1906.

It was landscaped by Charles McKimm, who also built the Tropical Ravine in Botanic Gardens.

First published in April, 2020.

1st Viscount Bangor

THE VISCOUNTS BANGOR WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY DOWN, WITH 9,861 ACRES 

The family of WARD is of Norman origin, and was seated at Capesthorne, in Cheshire, which Daniel King, in his book Vale Royal, calls "a great lordship and demesne, giving name to the ancient seat of the Wards."

WE FIND in the roll of Battle Abbey, that the family of WARD attended WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR into England, where, after some centuries, it appeared in three respectable branches; of which the Wards of Capesthorne, Cheshire.

For several centuries, having possessed many extensive lordships, descended the family of WARD, of Bangor, in the person of

BERNARD WARD, who married a daughter of the ancient family of Leigh, of High Leigh, Cheshire, and settled in Ulster about 1570.

Mr Ward acquired the lands known as Carrickshannagh from the Earl of Kildare, and renamed it CASTLE WARD.

His son and heir,

NICHOLAS WARD, born ca 1580, High Sheriff of County Down, 1620 and 1624, married Joan, daughter of Ralph Leycester, of Toft Hall, Cheshire, and had issue (with several daughters, one of whom, Eleanor, wedded Thomas Russell, of Lecale),

BERNARD, his heir;
Robert (Sir), created a Baronet, designated of Killough;
Thomas, colonel in the army, died at the battle of Worcester, 1651;
Nicholas.

The eldest son,

BERNARD WARD, born in 1606, High Sheriff of County Down, 1656, who married Anne, daughter of Richard West, and had issue,

NICHOLAS WARD, born in 1630, High Sheriff of County Down, 1662, MP for Downpatrick, 1661-66, who married Sarah, daughter of the Rt Rev Theophilius Buckworth, and had issue,

Charles (Rev);
BERNARD, of whom hereafter.

The younger son,

BERNARD WARD (1654-90), wedded Mary, sister of Michael Ward, Provost of Trinity College, Dublin, and afterwards Lord Bishop of Derry, by whom he had four sons and three daughters.

Mr Ward was killed in a duel, 1690, whilst Sheriff of Down, by Jocelyn Hamilton, of the Clanbrassil family (who was mortally wounded at the same time), and was succeeded by his second, but eldest surviving son,

MICHAEL WARD (1683-1759), MP for County Down, 1713-27, who espoused, in 1709, Anne Catherine, daughter and co-heir of James Hamilton, of Bangor, County Down, and had issue,

BERNARD, his heir;
Anne; Sophia.

Judge Ward, Photo Credit: The National Trust

Judge Ward was succeeded by his only son,

BERNARD WARD (1719-81), MP for County Down, 1745-70, who married, in 1747, Anne, daughter of John, 1st Earl of Darnley, and relict of Robert Hawkins Magill, of Gill Hall, County Down, and had issue,

NICHOLAS, his successor;
John, died young;
Edward, father of EDWARD SOUTHWELL WARD;
Robert (Rt Hon);
Anne Catharine; Sophia; Amelia; Harriet.

Colonel Ward was elevated to the peerage, in 1770, in the dignity of Baron Bangor, of Castle Ward, County Down.

His lordship was advanced to a viscountcy, in 1781, as VISCOUNT BANGOR, of Castle Ward, County Down.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

NICHOLAS, 2nd Viscount (1750-1827), who died unmarried, in 1827, when the family honours reverted to his nephew,

EDWARD SOUTHWELL, 3rd Viscount (1790-1837), who wedded, in 1826, Harriet Margaret, daughter of Henry, 6th Baron Farnham, and had issue,

EDWARD, his successor;
Henry William Crosbie;
William John;
Bernard Matthew, Lieutenant-General;
Somerset;
Crosbie Richard Maxwell.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

EDWARD, 4th Viscount (1827-81), who died unmarried, when the family honours devolved upon his brother,

HENRY WILLIAM, 5th Viscount (1828-1911), JP DL, who espoused firstly, in 1854, Mary, daughter of the Rev Henry King, and had issue,

Henry Somerset Andrew (1857-60);
Edward William Henry (1863-87);
MAXWELL RICHARD CROSBIE, of whom hereafter;
Harriette Mary; Kathleen Annette Norah; Bertha Jane; Henrietta; Emily Georgiana.

Following his first wife's untimely death in 1869, his lordship married secondly, in 1874, Elizabeth, only daughter of Major Hugh Eccles, of Cronroe, County Wicklow.

He was succeeded by his youngest and only surviving son,

MAXWELL RICHARD CROSBIE, 6th Viscount (1868-1950), OBE PC, who married, in 1905, Agnes Elizabeth, daughter of Dacre Mervyn Archdale Hamilton, and had issue,

EDWARD HENRY HAROLD, his successor;
Mary Helen Kathleen; Helen Elizabeth; Margaret Bertha.

His lordship was succeeded by his son,

 EDWARD HENRY HAROLD, 7th Viscount (1905-93), of London, who married firstly, in 1933, Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Balfour; secondly, in 1937, May Kathleen, daughter of William B O Middleton; and thirdly, in 1947, Leila Mary, daughter of David Rimington Heaton, by whom he had issue,

WILLIAM MAXWELL DAVID, his successor.

His lordship wedded fourthly, in 1951, Marjorie Alice, daughter of Peter Banks, and had further issue,

Edward Nicholas, heir presumptive to the titles;

Sarah.

His lordship was succeeded by his elder son,

WILLIAM MAXWELL, 8th Viscount (1948-), of London, who married, in 1976, Sarah Mary Malet (Sarah Bradford), daughter of Brigadier Hilary Anthony Hayes, without issue.

The heir presumptive is Lord Bangor's half-brother, the Hon Edward Nicholas Ward (b 1953). 

The 8th and present Viscount lives in London with his wife, the celebrated royal biographer Sarah Bradford, the Viscountess Bangor.

Lord Bangor is thought to be an antiquarian book-seller.

His family's ancestral seat is CASTLE WARD, near Downpatrick, County Down.

When the 6th Viscount died in 1950, Castle Ward was accepted by the Northern Ireland Government in part payment of death duties, and presented by the Government with an endowment to the National Trust.



There is an apartment at Castle Ward House for the use of Lord and Lady Bangor which, it is thought, is used by them mostly during the summer.

About twenty years ago, when we stayed on the Estate, we were in the local butcher's shop in Strangford for some fillet steak. Young Duffy grimaced and told us that he was sold out; not surprising since the previous customers who had been right in front of us and had literally just left the shop, the then Hon William and Mrs Ward, who had collected a whole fillet of beef!

A former estate worker who is now, sadly, deceased, Ernest Swail, once told us that he was the last boatman to Lord Bangor. 

First published October, 2009. 

Snow Hill

THE JOHNSTONES OWNED 482 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY FERMANAGH

WILLIAM JOHNSTONE settled in Ulster about 1660, and married Prudence, daughter of William Goodfellow, of County Londonderry, by whom he had one son,

JAMES JOHNSTONE (born 1683), of County Fermanagh, who wedded Joanna Gunnis, County Donegal, and (with a younger son, Christopher, Surgeon of the 17th Lancers, who was father of Christopher Johnstone, Colonel of the 8th Hussars)had an elder son and heir,

JAMES JOHNSTONE (1738-1808), of Snow Hill, County Fermanagh, who espoused Anne, daughter of John Johnstone, of Adragoole House, County Leitrim, and had issue,

JOHN DOUGLAS, his heir;

Andrew, Lieutenant, 8th Hussars, died unmarried at Calcutta, 1810;

Margaret; Mary.

Mr Johnstone was succeeded by his son,

JOHN DOUGLAS JOHNSTONE (1769-1842), of Snow Hill, who married, in 1798, Samina, youngest daughter of Samuel Yates, of Moone Abbey, County Kildare, by his second wife, Catherine, daughter of Sir Richard Johnston Bt, of Gilford, County Down, by whom he had issue,

JAMES DOUGLAS, father of JOHN DOUGLAS JOHNSTONE;

Richard Gosford (1807-40), died in Upper Canada;

John Douglas, CB, Major-General;

Fairholme;

SAMUEL YATES, of whom hereafter;

William;

Catherine; Anna Douglas, Samina.

The fifth son,

SAMUEL YATES JOHNSTONE JP DL (1815-95), of Snow Hill, a barrister, succeeded his nephew, John Douglas Johnstone, 1862; and died unmarried, 1895.

Mr Johnstone was succeeded by his nephew,

COLONEL JOHN DOUGLAS JOHNSTONE JP DL (1836-1906), of Snow Hill, High Sheriff of County Fermanagh, 1899, Colonel, Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment, Royal Sussex Regiment, and 101st Regimental District, who wedded, in 1869, the Hon Augusta Anna Margaretta Plunkett, daughter of Thomas Oliver, 12th Baron Louth, and had issue,

JOHN DOUGLAS, his heir;

Anna Maria; Randalina Augusta Caroline.

The son and heir,

JOHN DOUGLAS JOHNSTONE (1874-), of Snow Hill, espoused, in 1903, May, youngest daughter of Patrick Murphy, of St Andrew's, Milltown.

He served with the Mashonaland, 1897, with the British South African Company, also during the South African War with the RSA Field Force.

Snowhill (Image: A Postcard from County Fermanagh)

SNOWHILL, near Lisbellaw, County Fermanagh, is a handsome Georgian country house of ca 1740-50, comprising two storeys over a basement.

The front door is pedimented; and the house is gabled, with prominent quoins.

Snowhill ca 1830 (historic OS map)

The land where the house stands belonged to a family called Crawford at the beginning of the 18th century.

James Johnstone acquired Snowhill demesne in the 1780s, and the Johnstones occupied the house until 1921.

Ir was subsequently owned by the Eadies and John Judd, who sold the property in 1985.

Newtownbarry House

THE HALL-DARES WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY WEXFORD, WITH 5,627 ACRES

ELIZABETH EATON, eldest daughter and co-heir of Henry Eaton, of North Lodge, Essex, by Elizabeth, his wife, last surviving child of George Mildmay, of Corbett's Stye, Essex, married firstly, in 1779, JOHN DARE, of Bentry Heath, Essex, and by him she had an only child, JOHN HOPKINS DARE, of Theydon Bois, Essex, who died unmarried in 1805.

Mrs Dare married secondly, in 1791, JOHN MARMADUKE GRAFTON, of Cranbrook House (only son of John Marmaduke Grafton, of Romford), who took the surname of DARE in addition to that of GRAFTON, in 1805, and died in 1810.

Mrs Dare died in 1823, leaving by her second husband an only child,

ELIZABETH GRAFTON GRAFTON-DARE (1793-), who wedded, in 1815, ROBERT WESTLEY HALL, of Wyefield, and of Cranbrook, High Sheriff of Essex, 1821, MP for South Essex, who took the surname and arms of DARE, 1823, in addition to those of HALL.

Mr Hall-Dare and his sister, Elizabeth Catherine, were the offspring of Robert Westley Hall, of Ilford Lodge and FitzWalters, Essex, by Maria Elizabeth his wife, widow of Abraham de Codyn, of Demerara, and daughter of Cornelius Brower, of the same place and grandchildren of the Rev Westley Hall, who died in London ca 1770.

The Rev Westley Hall was a son of one of the Halls of Hillsborough, Kent, who married the sister of Sir Robert Westley, Lord Mayor of London.

Mr Hall-Dare died in 1836, and by his said wife, Elizabeth Grafton Grafton-Dare, left issue,

ROBERT WESTLEY, his heir;
John Grafton, 1818-19;
Henry;
Arthur Charles; died in infancy;
Francis Marmaduke, b 1830;
Mary Elizabeth; Emma Burton; Anne Mildmay; Agnes; Elizabeth.

The eldest son, 

ROBERT WESTLEY HALL-DARE (1817-66), of FitzWalters, Essex, married, in 1839, Frances Anna Catherine, daughter of Gustavus Lambart, of Beauparc, County Meath, and had issue,

ROBERT WESTLEY, his heir;
Charles;
Olivia Frances Grafton; Mabel Virginia Anna; Frances Maria.

Miss Mabel Hall-Dare married, in 1877, James Theodore Bent.

Mr Robert Westley Hall-Dare was succeeded by his eldest son,

ROBERT WESTLEY HALL-DARE JP DL (1840-76), of Newtownbarry House, County Wexford, and Theydon Bois, Essex, High Sheriff of County Wexford, 1872, who wedded, in 1863, Caroline Susan Henrietta, second daughter of Henry Newton, of Mount Leinster Lodge, County Carlow, and had issue,

John Marmaduke, died in infancy;
ROBERT WESTLEY, his heir;
Arthur Mildmay;
Elizabeth Frances; Hilda Mary; Evelyn Una.

Mr Hall-Dare was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

ROBERT WESTLEY HALL-DARE JP DL (1866-1939), of Newtownbarry House, and East Hall, Wennington, Essex, High Sheriff of County Wexford, 1891, County Carlow, 1896, Captain, 9th Brigade, North Irish Division, RA, who espoused, in 1896, Helen, second daughter of John Taylor Gordon, of Nethermuir, Aberdeenshire, and Blackhouse, Ayrshire, and had issue,

ROBERT WESTLEY, his heir;
Charles Grafton, b 1902;
Audrey; Daphne.

Mr Hall-Dare was succeeded by his eldest son,

ROBERT WESTLEY HALL-DARE (1899-1972), of Newtownbarry House, who married, in 1937, Elizabeth Maria Patricia, daughter of John Brooks Close-Brooks, and had issue, an only child,

CLODY ELIZABETH HALL-DARE (1938-), of Newtownbarry House, educated at Byam Shaw School of the Arts, London, lecturer at City and Guilds College of Art, London, and lived in 1976 at Newtownbarry House.

NEWTOWNBARRY HOUSE, near Bunclody, County Wexford, built between 1883-89, is one of the last country houses designed by Sir Charles Lanyon, assisted by his pupil W H Lynn and his son John.

It is almost entirely a new structure, both extraordinarily austere and Italianate at the same time.

The fenestration of the two adjoining garden fronts reveals a sequence of rooms, expressed with military precision in impeccably detailed granite.

The upstairs windows are framed with a stone surround so that it makes them the same size as the windows below, an idea first used by Lanyon nearly thirty years before at Drenagh, County Londonderry.

Features of the house include a top-lit picture gallery and a richly carved staircase which lets natural light onto the landing, staircase and hall.

There also many finely carved fireplaces.

The library is finely crafted from wood.

Newtownbarry was built by the Hall-Dare family and still remains in the family.

A lot of the information in this script is quoted from an architectural report by Jeremy Williams.

Newtownbarry House is surrounded by beautiful landscapes, gardens and a large pond adjacent to the entrance of the house.

There is an ornamental lake; the Rose Garden; the recently renovated 19th century Sunken Garden.

The prospect from the banks of the River Slaney is to the heights of the Blackstairs Mountains.

The present owner is Clody Norton, the daughter of Robert Westley Hall-Dare, who lives there today with her family.

First published in August, 2012.  Hall-Dare arms courtesy of the NLI.

Dromore, County Down

Arms of the Bishopric of Dromore

On Sunday, August 7th, 2022, I paid a visit to Dromore, a small town and cathedral city in County Down.

Dromore, in the barony of Lower Iveagh, standing on the River Lagan, is close to Royal Hillsborough in the same county.

An abbey was reputedly established here, in the 6th century, by St Colman, and to have been constituted the cathedral or seat of a bishopric, of which St Colman was made the first bishop.

This abbey had acquired extensive possessions by the 10th century, and was frequently plundered by the Danes; and, moreover, suffered materially from the continued feuds of the powerful septs of the O'Neills, Magennises, and Macartans.

At the Reformation the cathedral was in ruins, and remained thus till 1610, when JAMES I re-founded the see by letters patent, rebuilt the cathedral, and accorded the bishop extensive landed possessions in this and several adjoining parishes.

An episcopal palace was begun by Bishop Buckworth, but previously to its completion the Irish Rebellion of 1641 broke out, and the cathedral, the unfinished palace, and the town were entirely destroyed by the parliamentarian forces. 

Arms of the Bishopric of Down,
Connor, and Dromore

From this time the town was in ruins until the Restoration, when CHARLES II gave the see in commendam to the notable prelate Jeremy Taylor, with Down and Connor, by whom the present church, which is also parochial, was built on the site of the ruined cathedral.

Beneath the communion table in the cathedral is a vault in which Dr Taylor and two of his successors are interred.

Bishop Percy's remains are deposited in a vault in the transept added to the cathedral, as are those of Mrs Percy.

The first Protestant blood of the Revolution was shed in the vicinity of the town; and WILLIAM III marched through on the 24th June, 1690, en route to the field of the Boyne.

Market Square, Dromore (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

Dromore comprises a central square, and radiating streets; and though nominally a city, it's really a rural market town.

Market Square, Dromore (W A Green/NMNI)

The market-house, located in the Square, is a substantial building; while the cathedral and parish church is comparatively small and unpretentious, not cruciform.

The episcopal residence, adjoining the town, was erected in the time of Bishop Bernard; and the woods around it were planted by Bishop Percy, on the model, it is claimed, of those of The Leastowes, seat of William Shenstone.

High Cross of Dromore (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

The High Cross, standing outside the wall of the cathedral today, was formerly in the market square until it was broken up in the 17th century.

High Cross (W A Green/NMNI)

This ancient cross was repaired and removed to its present position in 1887; and an inscription on its shaft reads:

"The ancient historical cross of Dromore. Erected and restored after many years of neglect by public subscription to which the board of public works were contributor under the auspices of the town commissioners of Dromore co. Down 21 D 1887."

During my trip to Dromore I attended divine worship at the Cathedral, where I met the Dean; Sara McCorkell; and other parishioners afterwards.

Memorial to 8th Earl of Clanwilliam (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

The interior has a number of memorials on the walls, including those of the Vaughan family, of Quilly, and the Earls of Clanwilliam, of Gill Hall and Montalto.

Memorial to 3rd Earl of Clanwilliam (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

In the graveyard is the tomb of the Vaughans, just below the High Cross.

Vaughan family tomb (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

NOT far from the cathedral are the ruins of an early 17th century castle built by William Worsley, of Hallan, Nottinghamshire, brother-in-law to Dr John Todd, Lord Bishop of Down, Connor, and Dromore from 1607-12.

Dromore Castle (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

Worsley erected the castle for Bishop Todd's protection, being one of the conditions on which a considerable extent of the see lands was alienated to Worsley, and which led to the Act for restraining bishops from leasing lands beyond a term of twenty-one years.

Dromore Castle interior (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

The castle comprises a square tower, three storeys in height; the first floor being about eight feet above ground floor level.

The Castle, Dromore (W A Green/NMNI)

Narrow slits are on the surviving walls.

First published in August, 2022.