Newtownards Priory

NEWTOWNARDS PRIORY was a medieval Dominican priory founded by the Savage family around 1244 in Newtownards, County Down.

Only the lower parts of the nave and two blocked doors in the south wall (leading to a demolished cloister) survive from the period of the priory's foundation.

The upper parts of the nave date from a 14th-century rebuilding.

The western extension and the north aisle arcade were undertaken by the de Burgh family.

The priory was dissolved in 1541, and was sacked and burned.

It was granted to HUGH MONTGOMERY, who built a house within the ruins, rebuilding the north aisle and adding a tower at the entrance.

The Priory was subsequently consecrated for use as a parish church.

The STEWART family vault lies within the Priory, as does the large tomb of Frederick William Robert, 4th Marquess of Londonderry, KP.

The Colville vault also exists within the ruins.

The Colvilles, about whom I have written, were landlords of Newtownards from 1675 until 1744.

The Colville family traces its origins to Scotland in the 1100s, when Philip de Colville settled there following the Norman Conquest.

The first member of the family to settle in Ulster was  Dr Alexander Colville. He had been a professor of divinity at St Andrews University before coming to the Province in 1630.

Dr Colville may have been invited to Ulster by Bishop Robert Echlin, whose mother was Grissel Colville. He was appointed rector of Skerry in 1634 and built Galgorm Castle near Ballymena.

His son, Sir Robert, joined the army and in 1651 was a Captain. He married four times. He was knighted at some period between 1675 and 1679, and bought the Montgomery estates at Newtownards and Comber.

Sir Robert  rebuilt the ruined Montgomery home, Newtown House, which had been accidentally burned down in 1664. He also built a private chapel at Movilla cemetery.

A relative, Alexander Colville, was brought from Scotland to become Minister at the Presbyterian Church in Newtownards in 1696.

Sir Robert Colville died in 1697, with a memorial at the Priory in Newtownards. His third wife, Rose, died in 1693 and was buried at the Priory.

Their son Hugh died in 1701 aged 25, with a similar memorial.

By 1744, the memorial inscriptions had been removed from the family tomb, described as “...A large Tomb of the Colville Family (to a descendant of which the town now belongs), stands in the North Isle, raised five or six feet above the Floor, but naked of any inscription...”

Hugh Colville's daughter, Alicia Colville (1700-62), sold the estates to Alexander Stewart in 1744 for £42,000.

First published in September, 2013. 

Ocean Buildings

Ocean Buildings (Timothy Ferres, 2024). Click to enlarge.

Ocean Buildings, once known as Pearl Assurance House, is located at numbers 1-3, Donegall Square East, Belfast, on a corner site adjoining Chichester Street.

There were originally three terraced houses here, one of which operated as the Prince George Hotel.

The Ocean Buildings were completed in 1902 at a cost of approximately £27,000, about £2.7 million in today's money.

Marcus Patton, OBE, writing in 1993, described the building as “…splendid asymmetrical … building in red Ballochmoyle sandstone.” 

Ocean Buildings in 1910 (Hogg Collection/NMNI)

The building was designed by Robert Young in Scottish-Baronial Gothic style.

The principal entrance, at the corner, is corbelled out over a miniature rib-vaulted soffit, with three carved heads of Queen Victoria, King Edward VII, and Queen Alexandra fronting the principal brackets.

Queen Victoria's nose appears to be in need of some attention (!).

The Ocean Buildings were restored in 2025.

King's Castle

THE RUSSELLS OWNED 417 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY DOWN

The family of RUSSELL was seated very early in Ireland, in the counties of Cork, Limerick, Tipperary, and Waterford; and also in counties Dublin, Kildare, Louth, and Meath. The Russells of Killough, County Down, said to be living at Kingston Russell in Dorset, came to Ulster with John De Courcy. It appears by the records that in all these places they held their lands by noble tenure, and occupied the highest rank in society. 

The Ulster branch of the family always bore arms similar to those of the noble house of Bedford; and although the precise connection cannot now be ascertained, there can be no doubt of their having a common origin with that family.

Thomas Russell, feudal baron of Killough, 1316, is supposed to have been fifth in descent from the companion of De Courcy.

GEORGE RUSSELL, of Ballystrew, County Down, wedded, in 1749, Elizabeth Norris, and had issue,

CHARLES RUSSELL (1759-1828), of Killough, County Down, a merchant at Quay Lane, Killough, who married firstly, in 1784, Rose McCoy, and had numerous issue, of whom

ARTHUR, his heir.

He wedded secondly, in 1799, Anne, daughter of Thomas McEvoy, of Drogheda, and had issue.

Mr Russell was succeeded by his son and heir,

ARTHUR RUSSELL (1785-1845), of Seafield House, Killowen, County Down, and of Newry, who espoused, in 1825, Margaret, widow of John Hamill, of Belfast.

His elder son,

Baron Russell of Killowen (Government Art Collection)

THE RT HON CHARLES ARTHUR, BARON RUSSELL OF KILLOWEN (1832-1900), GCMG KB PC QC DL, MP for Dundalk, 1880-85, and for Hackney, 1885-95, who married, in 1858, Ellen, daughter of Dr Joseph Stevenson Mulholland, of Belfast, and had issue,

Arthur Joseph (1859-64);
Charles (Sir), 1st Baronet, designated of Littleworth Corner;
Cyril;
Francis Xavier Joseph, cr. Baron Russell of Killowen;
Bertrand Joseph;
Lilian Frances; Eileen Mary; Mary Gertrude; Lilian; Margaret.

KING'S CASTLE, Ardglass, County Down, is an imposing, early 19th century castellated house, built on a commanding situation in the middle of Ardglass.

The house was possibly erected on the site of an earlier building, though this is today indiscernible.

King's Castle must have been abandoned shortly thereafter, because it was occupied as "a temporary barrack".

By 1845, it was "much dilapidated, and rapidly loosening towards extinction".

The house itself is square and uses black stone in its composition.

One corner has a square tower; while another is octagonal.

The Castle was for sale in 1973, with offers invited in the region of £65,000 (about £750,000 in today's money).

It was then owned by Mr and Mrs Louis Gilmore bought the Castle about 1967, and it has been their intention to convert it into a hotel.

Mr Gilmore, a retired building and civil engineering contractor, had plans drawn up and given planning approval, bit his failing health has prompted him to give up development of the property.

The castle stands in more than six acres of elevated grounds on the highest part of Ardglass and looks across the harbour and out to sea.

During the 19th century it was the home of the Russell family.

The Russells had substantial property in the Ardglass and Killough area and one of them, Charles William Russell (1812-80), became president of St Patrick's College, Maynooth; whose nephew Charles, 1st Baron Russell of Killowen, became Lord Chief Justice of England.

It is believed that the Russells sold King's Castle prior to the First World War.

Since then it has functioned as a hotel, a residence, and a monastery.

The castle contains three reception rooms, ten bedrooms and three bathrooms.

Today the castle operates as a private nursing home.

*****

Charles Russell (1838-91), of King’s Castle, Ardglass, married, in 1876, Frances de Palatiano.

Their third son, Henry Russell, added his maternal grandfather’s surname to become Henry Hartley Russell in the 1920s.

First published in February, 2018. Russell arms courtesy of the NLI.

The Brooke Baronets (1822)

SIR BASIL BROOKE (1567-1633) was one of the Captains of the English Army selected to take reinforcements to Ireland in 1598. He served in Munster and under Lord Docwra in the conquest of Ulster; was a servitor in the Plantation and one of the Commissioners for the settlement of the Irish Church.

He was Governor of Donegal County and therein received large grants of land, including the Borough and Castle of Donegal, both of which he rebuilt, and in the banqueting hall of the latter are still to be seen the arms of the Brookes of Leighton impaling Leycester of Toft, Cheshire.

He was knighted in 1616; died 1633, and was interred in St Werburgh's, Dublin.

Sir Basil married Anne, daughter of Laurence Leycester, of Chester, and granddaughter of Sir Ralph Leycester (c1518-72), of Toft, Cheshire, by whom he had issue,

HENRY, his heir;

Anne; Elizabeth.

His only son,

SIR HENRY BROOKE (c1613-71), Knight, of Brookeborough, County Fermanagh, Governor of Donegal, High Sheriff of County Fermanagh, 1669, MP for Donegal, 1661-6, received, in recompense for his services during the rebellion of 1641, grants of lands in County Fermanagh.

Sir Henry married firstly, Elizabeth, daughter of Captain John Wynter; and secondly, Anne, daughter of Sir George St George Bt, of Carrickdrumrusk, County Leitrim.

For his third wife, Mr Brooke espoused Elizabeth, daughter of Henry, Lord Docwra.

He died in 1671, and was succeeded by the eldest son (by his second wife),

THOMAS BROOKE, of Donegal, Major, Williamite Regiment of Foot, MP for Antrim Borough, 1695-6, who wedded Catherine, daughter of Sir John Cole Bt, of Newlands, County Dublin, and sister of Cole, Lord Ranelagh.

Captain Brooke died in 1696, leaving a son,

HENRY BROOKE (1671-1761), of Colebrooke, MP for Dundalk, 1713-27, County Fermanagh, 1727-60, Governor of County Fermanagh, who married, in 1711, Lettice, daughter of Mr Alderman Benjamin Burton, of the city of Dublin.

Mr Brooke left at his decease, in 1761, four daughters and two sons, of whom

ARTHUR BROOKE, MP for County Fermanagh, 1761-83, Maryborough, 1783-5, was created a baronet, 1764, which honour ceased at his demise in 1785; and

FRANCIS BROOKE, who wedded, in 1765, Hannah, daughter of Henry Prittie, of Dunalley, County Tipperary, and sister of the 1st Baron Dunalley, and had issue,

Arthur (Sir), KCB, lieutenant-general;
Richard Prittie, major-general;
Francis, lieutenant-colonel;
HENRY, of whom presently;
George Frederick;
Caroline; Harriet; Elizabeth.

Mr Brooke died in 1800, and was succeeded by his youngest surviving son,

HENRY BROOKE (1770-1834), of Colebrooke, County Fermanagh, who was created a baronet in 1822, designated of Colebrooke, County Fermanagh.

Sir Henry married, in 1792, Harriet, daughter of the Hon John Butler, and granddaughter of Brinsley, 1st Viscount Lanesborough, and had issue,

Francis, fell at Waterloo;
Henry, died young;
ARTHUR BRINSLEY;
Butler (Rev);
Edward Basil, major-general;
Richard, later HOWARD-BROOKE;
Thomas;
George Augustus Frederick;
Harriett Elizabeth; Maria; Selina.

He was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

SIR ARTHUR BRINSLEY BROOKE, 2nd Baronet (1797-1854), who wedded, in 1841, Julia Henrietta, daughter of Lieutenant-General Sir George Anson, and had issue,

VICTOR ALEXANDER, his successor;
Harry Vesey (Sir);
Arthur Basil;
Constance Henrietta.

Sir Arthur was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR VICTOR ALEXANDER BROOKE, 3rd Baronet (1843-91), who espoused, in 1864, Alice Sophia, daughter of Sir Alan Edward Bellingham Bt, and had issue,

ARTHUR DOUGLAS, his successor;
Ronald George;
Butler;
Victor Reginald;
Alan Francis (Field-Marshal), cr Viscount Alanbrooke;
Alice Mildred; Hylda Henrietta.

Sir Victor was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR ARTHUR DOUGLAS BROOKE, 4th Baronet (1865-1907), JP, DL, High Sheriff of County Fermanagh, 1896, who married, in 1887, Gertrude Isabella, daughter of Stanlake Batson, and had issue,

BASIL STANLAKE, his successor;
Victor Mervyn;
Arthur Francis;
Sylvia Henrietta; Sheelah.

Sir Arthur was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR BASIL STANLAKE BROOKE, 5th Baronet (1888-1973), KG CBE MC, who was elevated to the peerage, in 1952, in the dignity of VISCOUNT BROOKEBOROUGH, of Colebrooke, County Fermanagh.

*****

The Brookes of Colebrooke remain one of the oldest landed families in Ulster.

The Brookeborough Papers are deposited at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.

The Rt Hon Sir Basil, 5th Baronet, was the third Prime Minister of Northern Ireland.

His second but eldest surviving son, John, 2nd Viscount, and 6th Baronet, was also a notable politician.

Alan, 3rd and present Viscount, and 7th Brooke Baronet, succeeded in 1987.

Lord Brookeborough, a Knight of the Garter, is Lord-Lieutenant of County Fermanagh.

First published in November, 2010.

Dunleckney Manor

THE NEWTONS WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY CARLOW, WITH 5,134 ACRES

This family, originally from Lancashire or Cheshire, accompanied WILLIAM III to Ireland in 1688.

The first settler was Bartholomew Newtown, whose son,

JOHN NEWTOWN, wedded, in 1730, Elizabeth, daughter of Francis Lodge, of County Kilkenny and the city of Dublin, and founded the family residence at Bennekerry, a short distance from the town of Carlow, which, though still in the family's possession, was not then the family seat.

He died in 1748, leaving an eldest son,

BARTHOLOMEW NEWTOWN (d 1780), of Busherstown, County Carlow, who married, in 1767, Anne, daughter of Philip Bernard (by whom he acquired considerable property in the town of Carlow), and had issue (with a daughter, Catherine) two sons,

JOHN, Colonel, Carlow Militia, High Sheriff of Co Carlow, 1797; d unm;
PHILIP, of whom we treat.

The second son, 

PHILIP NEWTON (1770-1833), married, in 1785, Sarah, daughter of Beauchamp Bagenal, of Dunleckney, and had issue,

WALTER, his heir;

John;

Henry;

Philip;

Beauchamp Bartholomew. 

Sir Nicholas Bagenal came to Ulster as Marshal of ELIZABETH I's army, settled in County Carlow and founded Bagenalstown.

The family's first house at Dunleckney was built ca 1610, but a new house was built for Walter Newton, who inherited the estate from his mother, the Bagenal heiress, about 1850.

Mr Newton was succeeded by his son,

WALTER NEWTON (1790-1853), of Dunleckney, County Carlow, High Sheriff of County Carlow, 1827, who married, in 1817, Anne, fifth daughter of the Hon George Jocelyn (second son of Robert, 1st Earl of Roden), and had issue,

PHILIP JOCELYN, his heir;
Thomasina Jocelyn.

Mr Newton was succeeded by his only son,

PHILIP JOCELYN NEWTON JP DL (1818-95), of Dunleckney Manor, High Sheriff of County Carlow, 1846, who married, in 1841, Henrietta Maria, daughter of John Kennedy, of Dunbrody, County Wexford, and Cultra, County Down, and had issue,

Maria Charlotte;
ANNE HENRIETTA, of whom hereafter;
Adeline Sarah.

Mr Newton died without male issue, and was succeeded by his second daughter,

ANNE HENRIETTA, MRS W M VESEY (d 1927), of Dunleckney Manor, whose elder son,

SYDNEY PHILIP CHARLES VESEY CBE JP (1873-1932), Captain, King's Royal Rifle Corps, married, in 1902, Edith Blanch Power.

Dunleckney was sold in 1942.

It was subsequently owned by Mr Thomas Donnelly, who re-sold in 1958.

DUNLECKNEY MANOR, Bagenalstown, County Carlow, is a 19th century Tudor-Gothic house by Daniel Robertson of Kilkenny.

An early Irish example of the Tudor-Gothic style, the manor house, built about 1850, incorporates parts of an earlier house.

Robertson was a talented architect with a large country house practise, who worked comfortably in a variety of styles, from Classical to Gothic. His major buildings are at All Souls, Oxford, Johnstown Castle and Castle Boro, both in County Wexford.

Robinson's work at Dunleckney is certainly of a very high order.

The smooth ashlar surfaces make a superb foil to the crisp, delicately carved tracery details of the tower, door-case and oriel windows.

The interior has fine plaster fan vaulting in the late Perpendicular-Gothic style, and an elaborate wooden staircase which incorporates number of medieval wooden carvings ‘rescued’ from St Canice's Cathedral in Kilkenny.

Helen and Derek Sheane purchased the house in 1989, and have spent the ensuing years in restoration.

They have carried out considerable works to the garden and parkland though the superb, straight, 18th century lime avenue was a casualty of long neglect.

First published in November, 2012.

Loughanmore House

THE ADAIRS OF LOUGHANMORE OWNED 2,071 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY ANTRIM

This is a scion of the ancient family of ADAIR. Early in the 17th century Captain James Adair settled at Loughanmore, County Antrim.

Captain Adair married Annabel Blair, and dying about 1686, left issue, a son,

BENJAMIN ADAIR (1655-1730), of Loughanmore, who married Anne, daughter of Waterhouse Crymble, of Ballygallagh, County Antrim, was father of

THOMAS BENJAMIN ADAIR (1705-65), of Loughanmore, who wedded Margaret, eldest daughter of Charles Crymble, of Ballygallagh, County Antrim, and had (with two other sons, Benjamin and William Robert, and two daughters, Anne and Elizabeth) an eldest son and successor,

CHARLES ADAIR (1737-1810), of Loughanmore, who espoused, in 1776, Millicent, eldest daughter of Henry Ellis, of Prospect, Carrickfergus, County Antrim, and had issue,

THOMAS BENJAMIN, his heir;
Henry.

The elder son,

THOMAS BENJAMIN ADAIR (1776-1855), of Loughanmore, High Sheriff of County Antrim, 1801, Mayor of Carrickfergus, 1832, married, in 1806, Amelia, second daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Benjamin Adair, Royal Marines, and had issue,

CHARLES, died unmarried;
HENRY, succeeded his brother;
Benjamin Clements, died unmarried;
Thomas Benjamin, in holy orders; died unmarried;
William Robert, died unmarried;
Millicent;
AMELIA SOPHIA, succeeded her brother;
Susanna;
ELEANOR MARGARET, succeeded her sister.

The second son,

HENRY ADAIR JP DL, High Sheriff of County Antrim, 1871, who restored Donegore Parish Church in 1871, died unmarried, and was succeeded by his sister,

MISS AMELIA SOPHIA ADAIR, who, in turn, was succeeded by her sister,

MISS ELEANOR MARGARET ADAIR, who married the Rev James Hunt, Rector of Ahascragh, County Galway (who predeceased her).

Mrs Hunt died on the 13th April, 1909, without having had issue, whereupon the Loughanmore estate (including some property near Ahoghill) devolved upon General Sir William Thompson Adair KCB,  a great-great-grandson of Benjamin Adair (1655-1730).

LOUGHANMORE HOUSE, near Donegore, County Antrim, was built in 1798 by Thomas Benjamin Adair.

It was remodelled following Henry Adair's succession to the estate in 1866, when it was crenellated, towered, and turreted.

A tower was in course of erection in 1870 when flags were hoisted on it to celebrate the visit of Prince Arthur to nearby Castle Upton (as recorded by Peden in 1878).

Further alterations were carried out after the property was bought by Charles MacKean in 1920, designs being prepared for him by Guy Elwes, architect of London, in 1936, for a new dining-room with canted end, new stairs and landings, and the removal of the front tower.

In 1961 more renovations were carried out under the direction of the Belfast architect Arthur Jury, when the top floor was taken down and crenellations were removed.

Finally, in 1988, the house was demolished.

It was described in the first survey in 1972 as

A two-storey, five-bay house with basement, much altered in 19th century, now partly restored to original appearance. 

Windows are plain sashed; on first floor, central window is surmounted by a triangular pediment, side windows by segmental pediments. 

Ground floor windows are in eaved architraves; extensions have splayed ends; keystones on ground floor of main roughcast block have sculptured masks. 

There are modern lamp-holders before this block and a Doric porch front service entrance.

The 1857 Ordnance Survey map shows a gate lodge at that south-west entrance, on the opposite side of the road from it, as well as a lodge and main entrance to the north-east, rebuilt in 1929.

There is another gate lodge further to the north-east (demolished to make way for the M2 motorway about 1967).

In 1880 the demesne wall was built.

Other structures on the estate include an ice house surmounted by a columnar tower and a garden tower with spire, both of uncertain date.

General Sir William Thompson Adair KCB (1850-1931)

The Adair family connection ceased when General Adair sold the estate to Charles MacKean of Larne in 1920.

*****

The former stable block, coach-houses and outbuildings survive.

The exact date of building is uncertain as the structure evolved over a period of time.

The courtyard layout appeared on a map of 1832, and most of the blocks to the rear may be taken to date from then.

Most of the front block presumably dates from 1866, when Henry Adair succeeded to the estate and is known to have begun alterations and improvements.

The architect for the remodelling of the stable block seems to have been John Boyd of Belfast, who is known to have been involved in re-roofing the stable offices for Henry Adair in 1887.

Incidentally, Boyd was employed by Adair in the virtual rebuilding of Donegore Parish Church in 1871, and was in charge of building the demesne wall for him at Loughanmore in 1880.

Following Henry Adair's death in 1887, a chapel was created out of a coach-house, in the mid-to-late 1890s, to the right of the clock tower.

This chapel was converted to domestic purposes about 1984, when the stained-glass windows were removed to Donegore Parish Church, and the entire front block was renovated to become the main residence on the estate.

The chapel had been built in consequence of the unfriendly conduct of the then clergyman of Donegore Parish Church toward the Adair family, and was instituted as a memorial to the Rev James Hunt, of Loughanmore, who had married a daughter of Colonel Benjamin Adair, and who had died in 1894.

There seems to be no record of its consecration.

The chapel's congregation, which comprised about twenty family and staff, preferred to worship there in severe weather rather than walk up to the parish church.

It had an organ, communion table, reading-desk, chairs, and a communion service of silver.

When General Adair sold the estate to Charles MacKean in 1920 he offered to pass the furnishings to the tenant for life of Loughanmore if the chapel's function was intended to be continued.

The date when the crenellations were removed from the clock tower of the stable block is uncertain, but may have been connected to the renovations to Loughanmore House in 1961.

*****

The setting for the former dwellings is a fine and extensive parkland, with mature shelter belts, clumps, avenue trees and new planting.

Former productive and ornamental gardens that were in a partially walled garden decorated with crenellations, have now gone but a stone tower and weather vane remain.

Three of four gate lodges survive: two of pre-1832 and the Arts-and-Crafts gate lodge of ca 1910.

The lodge of ca 1860 is listed.

First published in February, 2018.

St Patrick's School

ST PATRICK'S NATIONAL SCHOOL, Donegall Street, Belfast, was built in 1828 to the designs of the Newry architect, Timothy Hevey.

It was the first Roman Catholic school to be built in the city of Belfast.

The land was donated by the 2nd Marquess of Donegall, and had been the town dump until the school was built.

Operated by the Christian Brothers for a large portion of its history, the school continued to serve the educational needs of north Belfast until it closed in 1982.

Before then it had been the place of schooling for the comedian Frank Carson; the Lord Fitt, founding Leader of the SDLP; and former World Champion boxer, Rinty Monaghan, as well as countless generations of children from across north Belfast.

Squat and brown bricked, people speak fondly of its pointed Gothic windows and Dutch gable.

After it closed it served briefly as a parish community centre and survived until a fire caused severe damage in late 1995.

The damage so severe that the owners wished to have the building demolished for public safety and to enable expansion of a car park.

The threat to the future of Belfast’s last remaining Neo-Gothic building was the impetus for the foundation of the Belfast Buildings Trust.

With a package of funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Architectural Heritage Fund, various charitable trusts and the Belfast Building Trust's own borrowings, the group ensured a completed project at a cost of £1.2 million.

Reopened in 1999 by the Lord Dubs, Minister for the Environment, St Patrick’s now houses offices, a bookshop and a restored classroom that is used for events ranging from creative writing classes to business seminars.

First published in August, 2011.