The Alexander Vault

The Alexander Vault (Timothy Ferres, 2024)

On Sunday, April 7th, 2024, I paid my first visit to Pomeroy forest park, County Tyrone, the former estate or demesne of the Lowry family.

The forest park, which is on the edge of the village, is currently in the process of an impressive new development, including a large visitor centre on the site of Pomeroy House and the former Forest School; adventure playgrounds, magical miniature wooden forts and castles, carved figures and fairytale characters.

Pomeroy Demesne, including the fine mansion house on top of the hill, was acquired in 1959-60 from Mrs Alexander, the widow of Major Charles Alexander MC JP DL.

The big house must have been in a reasonably fair condition, because it was used by the forestry service for a few years as a training centre or school:-

"The location was central and two-thirds of the estate had been planted over the years with various tree species. Some of the arable land was found to be ideal for conversion into a Nursery where tree seeds could be sown and young trees transplanted. The House was sufficiently large and had the facilities to accommodate a resident course of fifteen members. The School was opened in October, 1961, and since then has been fully used."

A new, purpose-built forest school was built beside Pomeroy House in 1963; and it is thought that the Georgian mansion house was demolished ca 1970.

I parked my car in a former farmyard - currently the main car-park -  beside the remaining outbuildings.

Having enjoyed about four hours wandering around the former demesne, discovering the crumbling walls of the old walled garden at the bottom of the hill, I returned to my car and drove to the main entrance of the park.

This is no grand entrance today; instead we have pebble-dashed or white-washed walls, perhaps three feet in height; whereas there was once a gate lodge within these walls.

Memorial to R W Lowry (Timothy Ferres, 2024)

Across the main road, standing desolate in a bare grassy field, is the vault of Robert William Lowry, JP, DL (1787-1869), whose grandfather had built Pomeroy House.

Vault of R W Lowry (Timothy Ferres, 2024)

I name only Robert W Lowry because there is only one memorial plaque on the north side of the vault to his memory.

Vault with main entrance to the park in distance (Timothy Ferres, 2024)

The vault is today known as the Alexander Vault because the Alexanders were the last owners and inhabitants of Pomeroy Demesne, Major Charles Alexander's mother being Mary Lowry, sister of Robert Thomas Graves Lowry.

Lowry coat-of-arms on the west side (Timothy Ferres, 2024)

Historic OS map of ca 1900.  Click to enlarge

The Stone Database describes the vault thus:-

Classical style single storey rectangular vault. North side has central metal door with slim attached fluted columns and lintel plus cornice. Flanked by rounded arch and pointed arch window, both blind with slate inserts. Face rendered. West side has coat of arms and regular coursed ashlar contrasting with rubble walls of other two walls.

The Historic Buildings Register remarks:-

"The precise date of building is not recorded but it appears on the OS map of 1906 and stylistically may be supposed to date from the mid-Victorian era, probably around 1870, which would accord with the date of death of the only person commemorated by an inscription, Robert Lowry who died in 1869."

"Robert Lowry was a member of the family who lived in Pomeroy House and who had been responsible for the formalised layout of the village of Pomeroy begun in 1770. The grounds around this vault appear to have originally lain within their estate. In 1971 the setting, which is now completely open, was described as “a carefully planted avenue of monkey-puzzles and yews leading to a path planted with deciduous trees.” 

"There was no mention of the vault in this reference which suggests that at that time it was not visible or as easily visible from the public road as it is now."

I counted one solitary monkey-puzzle tree remaining. I gather that monkey-puzzle and yew trees have a very long life-span. What became of them?

Lisgoole Abbey

THE JONESES OWNED 743 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY FERMANAGH

MICHAEL JONES, of Lisgoole Abbey, County Fermanagh, was father of

MICHAEL OBINS SEELEY JONES (c1829-78), who wedded, in 1846, Kate Elizabeth Anne, daughter of Travers Homan, and had issue, an only child,

KATE MARY BARRETT JONES (1847-1929), who espoused, in 1871, Edward Willoughby Fowler, son of the Rev Luke Fowler, and had issue,

Willoughby Jones, Lieutenant-Colonel in the army;
Cecil Arthur;
Edward Gardiner, CBE, Lieutenant-Colonel in the army;
Charles Knox;
Mildred Eleanor. 

 

 AT THE TURN of the 19th century Lisgoole was acquired by the Johnston family:-

ANDREW JOHNSTON, of Derrylin, County Fermanagh, married M Johnston, and had issue,

Andrew, of Beech Hill, Derrylin;
HUGH, of whom presently;
Robert, of Lisgoole Abbey, d 1913.

The second son,

HUGH JOHNSTON (1825-1912), of Beech Hill, Derrylin, wedded, in 1877, Caroline Henrietta, daughter of Richard Arnold, of New York, and Babylon, Long Island, USA, and had issue,

ROBERT WILLIAM, of whom we treat;
Alfred Andrew, of St Angelo, County Fermanagh (1883-1918);
Teresa, b 1885.

The eldest son,

ROBERT WILLIAM JOHNSTON JP DL  (1882-1971), of Lisgoole Abbey, High Sheriff of County Fermanagh, 1920, married, in 1911, Jane Thallon, daughter of William Teele JP, of Dunbar, Enniskillen.

LISGOOLE ABBEY, near Killyhevlin, County Fermanagh, has quite a lengthy, not to say interesting, history.

An entire chapter is devoted to it in W Copeland Trimble's History of Enniskillen, published in 1919.

During the late 18th century Lisgoole was inhabited by the Armstrongs.

John Armstrong, a junior officer in the Fermanagh Militia, sold Lisgoole to Michael Jones, of Cherrymount, County Donegal, in 1819 for £12,300 (about £1 million today).

Captain Michael Jones was an officer of the parliamentary army in Ireland.

The Armstrongs and Joneses might have been connected though intermarriage, because Mrs Isabella Diana Jones, who died in 1892 aged 72, declared in her will that Lisgoole be sold for the benefit of certain charities, including the Fermanagh Protestant Orphan Society.

It was subsequently purchased by Robert Johnston, of Stuttgart and New York, a descendant of the Johnstons of Derrylin.

Do the Johnstons still reside at Lisgoole?

The present house is an early 19th century Gothic villa comprising two-storeys and three-bays, with a battlemented tower at one end.

The tower, with perhaps some of the range of buildings extending behind it, is said to be all that remains of the abbey, all re-worked.

It contains one large square room lit by an enormous tripartite window on the main front.

There is a fan-lighted doorway, with a large window inserted later in the bay to the right of the doorway.

A substantial Wyatt window is in the base of the tower.

The interior is a surprise, for the house was decorated about 1910 by Waring & Gillow, who provided elaborate plasterwork, a curving main stair, and an Elizabethan-style fireplace.

at the same time battlements to match the tower were added across the front of the house, making it even prettier.

Lisgoole was once a monastic site.

There are references to a garden belonging to the first owner after the dissolution of the monasteries in the 16th century, but no evidence of this remains.

The present demesne plan is much as it appears on the 1830s OS map, together with early 19th century Gothic-style house at the lough shore.

*****

THE PARKLAND undulates and the house is approached by a winding avenue.

There is mature planting in the shelter-belt and some parkland trees, including exotics, though the area is intensively farmed and many parkland trees had gone by the beginning of the 20th century.

A maintained ornamental garden at the house has a rose-garden, originally developed in 1905 and replanted with 400 new roses in 1982; and a pergola.

An area of specimen trees and shrubs set in grass lies to the north of the house.

These plantings date from the early 20th century, with later reinforcements.

The part-walled garden is maintained with box hedges, fruit, vegetables and flowers but not to the original layout.

The mid-19th century gate lodge has a modern extension.

The Farm Museum contains old farm machinery and gardening equipment used on the estate in the past.

Other demesne buildings are in good order.

First published in September, 2010.    Photograph courtesy of Udo Vogel.

The De Burgo Baronetcy

THE DE BURGO BARONETS OWNED 4,216 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY LIMERICK    

This is one of the families that settled in Ireland under the banner of Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, nicknamed Strongbow, and is supposed to have branched from the parent stock of the illustrious house of CLANRICARDE.

It may not be irrelevant to observe that all the French families of the name continued to write it De Bourg, and in Latin, De Burgo; and that after the De Burghs removed from Normandy into England, they also wrote De Burgo, and sometimes De Burgh, in order to accommodate the word to the English or Saxon accent.

However, in process of time, they wrote Bourk, Bourke, and Burke; but the King, by letters patent, in 1752, granted to the Earl of Clanricarde, to Ulick Bourke, of London, and to Thomas Bourke, of Ireland, and their descendants, full authority to resume the original surname of De Burgh.

RICHARD BOURKE, of Dromsally, County Limerick, died in 1764, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

RICHARD BOURKE, of Dromsally, who was succeeded by his eldest son,

RICHARD BOURKE, of Castle Connell, who assumed the original name of De Burgo, and was created a baronet in 1785, designated of Castle Conel [sic].

Sir Richard, High Sheriff of County Limerick, 1758, married firstly, in 1755, Frances, eldest daughter of David Webb, of Meadstown, County Limerick, and had issue, two daughters,

Frances; Maria Theresa.

He wedded secondly, in 1781, Elizabeth, daughter of Anthony Dwyer, of Singleton, County Limerick, by whom he left two sons; and dying in 1790, was succeeded by the elder,

SIR RICHARD DE BURGO, 2nd Baronet (c1783-c1808), at whose decease unmarried the title devolved upon his only brother,

SIR JOHN ALLEN DE BURGO, 3rd Baronet, of Castle Connell, who espoused firstly Miss Hall, sister of General Gage John Hall, but by her had no issue; and secondly, in 1820, Anna Matilda, daughter of Richard Waller, of Castle Waller, County Tipperary, and had issue,

RICHARD DONELLAN, his successor;

William Henry Frederick Waller, dsp.

Sir John died in 1839, and was succeeded by his elder son,

SIR RICHARD DONELLAN DE BURGO, 4th Baronet (1821-73), of Castle Connell, who married, in 1844, Catherine, youngest daughter of Brooke Brasier, of Rivers, County Limerick, and Mitchell's Fort, County Cork.

Sir Richard died without issue, when the baronetcy expired.

Castle Connell (Robert French/NLI)

Castle Connell, picturesquely situated on a rock overlooking the River Shannon, about six miles north of Limerick, became the principal castle of the Bourkes in West Clanwilliam.

The ruinous castle, erected on a rocky outcrop overlooking the bend on the River Shannon, was besieged and destroyed by General Ginkel’s army during the Jacobite and Williamite wars at the end of the 17th century.

Island House (Image: The Irish Times, 2022)

Island House, Cloon Island, near Castleconnell, was built ca 1840 by Sir John Allen De Burgo, 3rd Baronet.

Island House, Cloon Island (The Irish Times, 2022)

The Rev Patrick Comerford wrote an article about Island House in 2017.

De Burgo arms courtesy of European Heraldry.

House of Docwra

EDMUND DOCWRA, of Chamberhouse Castle, Crookham, Berkshire, was a younger son of Martin Dockwra, of Chamberhouse, by his wife Isabel, daughter of William Danvers.

This gentleman, MP for Aylesbury, 1571, New Windsor, 1572, had a son,

SIR HENRY DOCWRA (1564-1631), Knight,

A distinguished soldier in the Irish wars during the reign of ELIZABETH I, who landed with a force of 4,000 foot and 200 horse troops at Culmore, County Londonderry, on the 16th May, 1600. 

His mission was to quell the rumblings of discontent in Ulster and, on the 22nd May, he marched into Derry without resistance and occupied and fortified the town. From this base Sir Henry was able to harass the Irish clans in such as a way as to make them sue for peace with him.

He married Anne, daughter of Frances Vaughan, of Sutton-upon-Derwent, and had issue,

THEODORE, his successor;

Henry;

Frances; Anne; Elizabeth, m Sir Henry Brooke, governor of Donegal.

Sir Henry was elevated to the peerage, in 1621, in the dignity of BARON DOCWRA, of Culmore, County Londonderry.

His lordship, Treasurer at War, Privy Counsellor, Governor of Lough Foyle, received a grant  of 2,000 acres of land in County Wicklow in 1628.

He was succeeded by his elder son, 

THEODORE, 2nd Baron (1606-47), who died unmarried, whereupon the title became extinct.

First published in February, 2012.  Docwra arms courtesy of European Heraldry.

Lissadell House

THE GORE-BOOTH BARONETS WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY SLIGO, WITH 31,774 ACRES

SIR FRANCIS GORE, Knight, of Artarman, County Sligo (fourth son of SIR PAUL GORE, 1st Baronet, of Manor Gore, and brother of Sir Arthur Gore, 1st Baronet, of Newtown, ancestor of the Earls of Arran), married Anne, daughter and heiress of Robert Parke, of Newtown, County Leitrim, died in 1713, leaving by her, with other issue, an eldest son,

SIR ROBERT GORE, Knight, of Newtown, who wedded, in 1678, Frances, eldest daughter of Sir Thomas Newcomen, Knight, of Sutton, County Dublin, had, with seven sons, four daughters.

Sir Robert was succeeded at his decease, in 1705, by his eldest surviving son,

NATHANIEL GORE (1692-1737), of Artarman, and of Newtown Gore, who wedded, in 1711, Lettice, only daughter and heiress of Humphrey Booth, of Dublin, by whom he had two sons and three daughters, of whom the elder son,

SIR BOOTH GORE, 1st Baronet (1712-73), of Lissadell, County Sligo, who was created a baronet in 1760, designated of Artarman, County Sligo.

Sir Booth married, in 1743, Emily, daughter of Brabazon Newcomen, of County Carlow, by whom he had two sons and a daughter.

He was succeeded by his elder son,

SIR BOOTH GORE, 2nd Baronet, of Lissadell, and of Huntercombe House, Buckinghamshire; at whose decease, unmarried, in 1804, the title devolved upon his only brother,

SIR ROBERT NEWCOMEN GORE-BOOTH, 3rd Baronet, who assumed, by sign manual, in 1804, the additional surname and arms of BOOTH.

Sir Robert married, in 1804, Hannah, daughter of Henry Irwin, of Streamstown, County Sligo, and had issue,

ROBERT, his heir;
Henry;
Anne.

He died in 1814, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR ROBERT GORE-BOOTH, 4th Baronet (1805-76), of Lissadell, MP and Lord-Lieutenant of County Sligo, who espoused, in 1827, Caroline, second daughter of Robert, 1st Viscount Lorton, by whom he had no issue.

He married secondly, in 1830, Caroline Susan, second daughter of Thomas Goold, of Dublin, a master in Chancery.

• Sir Booth Gore, 2nd Baronet (d 1804);
• Sir Robert Newcomen Gore-Booth, 3rd Baronet (d 1814);
• Sir Robert Gore-Booth, 4th Baronet (1805-76);
• Sir Henry William Gore-Booth, 5th Baronet (1843-1900);
• Sir Josslyn Augustus Richard Gore-Booth, 6th Baronet (1869–1944);

• Sir Michael Savile Gore-Booth, 7th Baronet (1908-87);
• Sir Angus Josslyn Gore-Booth, 8th Baronet (1920-96);
• Sir Josslyn Henry Robert Gore-Booth, 9th Baronet (b 1950); sold Lissadell House.

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

LISSADELL HOUSE, near Ballinful, County Sligo, was built in 1836, in the Neo-Classical Greek Revival style.

It stands grey and austere on an eminence overlooking Sligo Bay, and at the foot of the magnificent Ben Bulben.

There are no outbuildings to mar the simple, classical lines, and likewise no attics.

The outbuildings are connected to the house by a service tunnel which runs from a sunken courtyard to the avenue and stable yard, and staff quarters are in the basement.

The limestone was quarried locally at Ballisodare (location of Yeats’ Salley Gardens).

Francis Goodwin was so proud of his design that it featured in his book Domestic Architecture (on display in the Gallery), the only private residence to do so.

The entrance to the house is by the Porte Cochère, through which Ben Bulben is framed.

The house faces Knocknarea, “That cairn heaped grassy hill where passionate Maeve is stony still”, and has magnificent views over Sligo Bay.

Inside, the house is full of light and brightness – in the gallery, the bow-room, on the Great Staircase, and in the drawing-room.

The drawing-room has stunning views of Ben Bulben, Knocknarea and Sligo Bay, and is now home to a remarkable series of AE paintings, and paintings by Paul Henry, Jack B. Yeats, Sir John Lavery, Walter Osborne, John Butler Yeats, Percy French and Humbert Craig.

The bow-room has a wonderful collection of Regency books, reflecting the tastes of Caroline Susan Goold, who married Sir Robert in 1830.

The bow-room, and a small suite of rooms behind, later served as the main living and sleeping rooms of the family of Gore-Booth siblings living in near poverty in the 1960s and 70s, when the remainder of the house was uninhabited.

The gallery, formerly the music-room, has remarkable acoustics.

It is oval in shape, lit by a clerestory and skylights and is 65 feet in length.

It still has its original Gothic Chamber Organ made by Hull of Dublin in 1812, and also a walnut full size 1820 Grand Piano.

The Gallery is famous for two superb suites of Grecian gasoliers by William Collins, a chandelier maker of the Regency period.

The gasoliers were lit by a gasometer on the estate and as late as 1846 Lissadell was the only country mansion in Ireland lighted with gas generated locally at its own purpose built gasometer.

The images on the dining-room pilasters were painted in 1908 by Casimir Markievicz, husband to Constance Gore-Booth.

The ante-room was a favourite room of Constance Gore-Booth, and was known as her ‘den’. Indeed she has engraved her name on one of the windowpanes.

This room is now home to many of her artistic works, including her sketch of the painter Sarah Purser, and her drawings of Molly Malone.

The billiards-room contains the memorabilia collected by Sir Henry, 5th Baronet.

The basement includes the servants’ hall, butler's pantry, kitchen and pantries, the bakery, wine-cellars, china room, butler's bedroom, housekeeper's room, and the maids' sleeping quarters.

In 2003, Lissadell House was put up for sale by the then owner, Sir Josslyn Gore-Booth (a grand-nephew of the original Josslyn Gore-Booth), for €3 million.

Despite celebrities showing an interest in the property, it was hoped that it would be purchased by the Irish state.

The Lissadell estate is now the home of Edward Walsh, his wife Constance Cassidy and their seven children.

Writing about Lissadell for the Sunday Times forty years ago the BBC's Anne Robinson ('The Weakest Link') observed that "the garden is overgrown, the greenhouses are shattered and empty, the stables beyond repair, the roof of the main block leaks badly and the paintings show patches of mildew".

After 60 years of neglect an intensive programme of restoration - without any public funding - has taken place in the House, Gardens, Stable Block and grounds since 2004 and Lissadell is once again a place of beauty.

No grants of any kind were made in respect of any part of the restoration, either for the house, the gardens or any part of the grounds.

The new owners' vision was to transform the estate into a flagship for tourism in County Sligo and the north-west of Ireland, whilst providing a secure environment for their children and for visitors.

They have stated that did not wish to exploit Lissadell commercially but to restore the house and gardens to their former glory, make Lissadell self-sustaining and protect this crucible of Ireland's historic and literary heritage.

Other former seats ~ Huntercombe, Buckinghamshire; and Salford, Lancashire.

First published in October, 2013. Select bibliography: LISSADELL HOUSE AND GARDENS WEBSITE.   Gore-Booth arms courtesy of European Heraldry.

Saintfield House

THE PERCEVAL-PRICES OWNED 6,807 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY DOWN

RICHARD PRICE, of Greencastle, County Down, wedded Catherine, daughter of James Hamilton, by whom he had a son,

MAJOR-GENERAL NICHOLAS PRICE (c1665-1734), of Hollymount, MP for Downpatrick, 1692-3, County Down, 1695-1714, who married Dorcas, fourth daughter of Roger West, of The Rock, County Wicklow, and had issue,

JAMES, his heir;
Cromwell, of Hollymount; MP for Downpatrick, 1727-60;
NICHOLAS, succeeded his brother;
Sophia; Margaret; Anne. 

This distinguished soldier was a senior officer in CHARLES I's army, defended Londonderry ca 1692; changed the place-name from Tawnaghneeve to Saintfield; was half-brother of the Lady Elizabeth Cromwell; and leased Hollymount Demesne, 1695.

His eldest son,

JAMES PRICE, wedded Frances, natural daughter of the 1st Baron Herbert of Cherbury, and had issue, two daughters,

Catherine, m 1st J Savage, of Portaferry; and 2ndly, Very Rev E Baillie;
Dorcas, m Dr Whittle, of Lisburn.

Mr Price died without male issue, when the family estates devolved upon his brother,

NICHOLAS PRICE (c1700-42), of Saintfield, MP for Lisburn, 1736-42, who married firstly, Mary, daughter of Francis, 1st Baron Conway, of Ragley, Warwickshire, and had issue, a son,

FRANCIS, his heir.

Mr Price espoused secondly, in 1732, Maria, daughter of Colonel the Hon Alexander Mackenzie, second son of 4th Earl of Seaforth, and had further issue.

He was succeeded by his son, 

FRANCIS PRICE (1728-91), of Saintfield, MP for Lisburn, 1759-76, High Sheriff of County Down, 1753, who espoused, in 1752, Charity, daughter of Mathew Forde, of Seaforde, County Down, and had issue,

NICHOLAS, his heir;
Christian Arabella; Harriet Jane; Mary.

Mr Price was succeeded by his son,

NICHOLAS PRICE JP DL (1754-1847), of Saintfield House, who married, in 1779, the Lady Sarah Pratt, daughter of Charles, 1st Earl Camden, and had issue, an only daughter,

MISS ELIZABETH ANNE PRICE (1780-1867), who wedded, in 1804, James Blackwood, of Strangford, County Down (a descendant of BLACKWOOD of Clandeboye), who assumed, 1847, the name and arms of PRICE,  and had issue,

Nicholas, 1805-19;
JAMES CHARLES, of whom presently;
William Robert Arthur;
Richard;
Sarah; Mary Georgiana; Sarah Elizabeth; Elizabeth Catherine.

The grandson of Nicholas Price,

JAMES CHARLES PRICE JP DL (1807-94), of Saintfield House, High Sheriff of County Down, 1859, married, in 1840, Anne Margaret, eldest daughter of Patrick Savage, of Portaferry, and had issue,

Nicholas, 1842-89;
JAMES NUGENT, of whom hereafter;
William Charles, died in infancy;
Francis William;
Harriet Anna; Elizabeth Dorcas; Catherine Anne.

Mr Price was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

JAMES NUGENT BLACKWOOD-PRICE JP DL (1844-1927), of Saintfield House, High Sheriff of County Down, 1902, who wedded, in 1869, Alice Louisa, daughter of William Robert Ward, and had issue,

Conway William, b 1872;
Edward Hyde (Rev), b 1875;
ETHELWYN MARY, of whom hereafter.

Mr Blackwood-Price's only daughter,

MISS ETHELWYN MARY BLACKWOOD-PRICE (1871-1933), married, in 1901, Richard Douglas Perceval, of Downpatrick, and had issue,

Richard John Perceval-Price, b 1902;
Michael Charles Perceval-Price, Lt-Col, MC JP DL (1907-2002); High Sheriff, 1951.

SAINTFIELD HOUSE, near Saintfield, County Down, was built ca 1750 by Francis Price.

It is a double gable-ended house of three storeys over a basement.

It has a five-bay front and a three-bay rear.

The house had single storey three-bay wings which ended in two-storey two-bay pavilions with high pyramidal roofs and central chimneys.

One of these has been demolished.

To the west of the house is a large stable-block.

It has been greatly modified but retains a small bell-cot, with bell, over the gateway.

Beside it is a tall cylindrical brick water-tower which is now in need of repair.

This largely walled demesne in drumlin country, approximately one mile north of Saintfield, dates from 1709, when the property was purchased by Nicholas Price of Hollymount.

The site of the original house has not been established, but it most probably lay close to the present stables & farmyard, parts of which belong to this period.

After Francis Price, MP for Lisburn, succeeded his father to the property in 1742, he built the present mansion, a tall five-bay gable-ended double pile house of three storeys over a basement.

The flanking wings, which incorporated high pyramidal roofs, were added by his son Nicholas, former Black Rod in the Irish Parliament, after he sold the family's Dublin residence ca 1800.

The interior has been altered at various times, with the hall being given a ceiling of Adamesque plasterwork ca 1900.

Little trace of the early and mid-18th century formal landscape survives, though some of the woodland planting doubtless has its origin in this period.

The core of the present informal landscape park was created by Nicholas Price from the 1760s, with most of the work probably taking place in the years after his marriage to the Lady Sarah Pratt in 1779.

This landscape process involved building an extensive demesne wall, closing public roads, putting down new winding carriage drives, building a ha-ha in front of the house and making a small lake with island in a glen to the south.

Once used as a fish-pond, this lake was created by damming a stream where it emerged from a marshy hollow.

New woodland blocks were planted, including perimeter belts and screens, and many of the original stone-faced banks built to protect these survive.

To the south, beyond the glen, an oval hillock was specially adapted for training and racing horses.

The large walled garden, located south of yard, was probably built ca 1760-80, but assumed its present form, being divided into three parts, in the 1840s.

The glasshouses, no longer extant, lay against the south facing north wall (by the yard) and overlooked an ornamental garden with curved southern stone wall (lined with brick on south side).

The two enclosed, walled areas to the south were devoted to kitchen and cold frames (in the south- east corner).

The parkland area immediately around the house had largely assumed its present appearance by the time "insurgents" occupied the place for three days in June, 1798.

After the Union, possibly around 1810, gate lodges were built at the town gate and the west gate, the latter being placed opposite the entrance; both lodges, which have been sold, are in a Regency-Gothic style with hipped roofs, distinctive canted bays and naive, Y-tracery lancet windows; both may be the work of George Dance, the Younger.

In 1847, a new Saintfield-Belfast road was laid down on the east side of the demesne and this work was followed by additional landscaping on the east side of the park.

This included the planting of a large woodland block, laying down a new main avenue approach though this wood and building a highly ornate Tudor-Picturesque-style gate lodge, possibly designed by James Sands, since demolished.

A more modest gate lodge, now sold, was also built facing the new road on the north side of the demesne, giving access to the kennels and yard.

Venerable trees were lost and damage caused to the woods by the Big Wind of January, 1839.

During later Victorian times, exotics were planted in the pleasure grounds to the south of the house and some of these survive.

The demesne woodlands are managed, rhododendron ponticum is being cleared and trees planted.

First published in July, 2010.

Rockingham House

THE KING-HARMANS WERE THE SECOND LARGEST LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY ROSCOMMON, WITH 29,242 ACRES

NICHOLAS HARMAN, of Carlow, settled in Ireland during the reign of JAMES I.

He was one of the first burgesses of Carlow, named in the charter granted to that borough by JAMES I in 1614, and was High Sheriff of County Carlow in 1619.

By Mary his wife he was father of 

HENRY HARMAN, of Dublin, who had by Marie his wife, five sons and as many daughters, viz.

Edward, of Derrymoyle;
Anthony, dsp before 1684;
THOMAS, of whom hereafter;
William;
Henry, ancestor of HARMAN OF PALACE;
Anne; Mary; Jane; Margaret; Mabel.

Mr Harman died before 1649, and was succeeded by his third son, 

SIR THOMAS HARMAN, Knight, of Athy, knighted by the Lord Deputy of Ireland, Thomas, Earl of Ossory, in 1664, Major in the army, 1661, MP for counties Carlow and Kildare.

Sir Thomas obtained a grant of considerable estates in County Longford, under the Act of Settlement, dated 1607.

He married Anne Jones.

Sir Thomas died in 1667, and they were both buried in Christ Church, Dublin, having had issue, with a daughter, Mary, a son,

WENTWORTH HARMAN, of Castle Roe, County Carlow, Captain of the Battleaxe Guards, 1683, who wedded firstly, in 1679, Margaret, daughter of Garrett Wellesley, of Dangan, and had issue, with one daughter, two sons, namely,

Thomas, b 1681, dsp;
WENTWORTH, of whom hereafter.

Mr Harman married secondly, in 1691, Frances, sister and heir of Anthony Sheppard, of Newcastle, County Longford, and had further issue,

ROBERT, successor to his nephew;
Francis, died 1714;
Anthony;
William;
CUTTS (Very Rev), successor to his brother;
ANNE, m Sir Anthony Parsons Bt, of Birr Castle.

Mr Harman died in 1714, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

WENTWORTH HARMAN, of Moyne, County Carlow, who espoused, in 1714, Lucy, daughter of Audley Mervyn, of Trillick, County Tyrone (and sister and heir of Henry Mervyn, of same place), and had issue,

WESLEY, his heir;
Thomas.

Mr Harman died in 1757, when was succeeded by his eldest son,

WESLEY HARMAN, of Moyle, who wedded Mary, daughter of the Rev Dr Nicholas Milley, Prebendary of Ullard, Diocese of Leighlin, by whom he had an only son,

Wentworth, who dsp in his father's lifetime.

Mr Harman died in 1758, and was succeeded by his uncle,

ROBERT HARMAN (1699-1765), of Newcastle, County Longford, and Millicent, County Kildare, MP for County Kildare, 1755, County Longford, 1761, who married Ann, daughter of John Warburton, third son of George Warburton, of Garryhinch, in the King's County.

Mr Harman dsp, and was succeeded by his only surviving brother,

THE VERY REV CUTTS HARMAN (1706-84), of Newcastle, Dean of Waterford, who wedded , in 1751, Bridget, daughter of George Gore,of Tenelick, County Longford, Justice of the Court of Common Pleas in Ireland, and sister of John, Lord Annaly, by whom he had no issue.

The Dean presented to his cathedral the very fine organ which it possesses.

He died in 1784, and bequeathed his estates to his nephew, the son of his sister ANNE, who espoused, as above, Sir Lawrence Parsons,

LAWRENCE PARSONS-HARMAN (1749-1807), of Newcastle, MP for County Longford, who assumed the additional surname of HARMAN in 1792, on succeeding to his uncle's estates.

He married, in 1772, the Lady Jane King, daughter of Edward, 1st Earl of Kingston, by which lady he had an only daughter,

FRANCES, of whom hereafter.

Mr Parsons-Harman was elevated to the peerage, in 1792, in the dignity of Baron Oxmantown, County Dublin.

He was advanced to the dignity of an earldom, in 1806, as EARL OF ROSSE, with special remainder, in default of male issue, to his nephew, Sir Lawrence Parsons, 5th Baronet, of Birr Castle.

His lordship died in 1807, when his peerage passed according to the limitation, and his Harman estates devolved upon his only daughter and heir,

THE LADY FRANCES PARSONS-HARMAN, of Newcastle, who married, in 1799, Robert Edward, 1st Viscount Lorton, and had issue,

ROBERT, 2nd Viscount, succeeded as 6th Earl of Kingston;
LAWRENCE HARMAN, succeeded to the Harman estates;
Jane; Caroline; Frances; Louisa.

Her ladyship died in 1841, when was succeeded in her estates by her second son,

THE HON LAWRENCE KING-HARMAN (1816-75), of Newcastle, and of Rockingham, County Roscommon, who assumed the additional surname of HARMAN.

He wedded, in 1837, Mary Cecilia, seventh daughter of James Raymond Johnstone, of Alloa, Clackmannanshire, and had, with other issue, a second son.

On his death, the property passed to his eldest son,

THE RT HON EDWARD ROBERT KING-HARMAN JP MP (1838-88), of Rockingham, County Roscommon,

Lord-Lieutenant of County Sligo, MP for Sligo, 1877-80, and Dublin, 1883-5, and for the Isle of Thanet, 1885-8, Colonel, 5th Battalion, Connaught Rangers, eldest son the the Hon Lawrence Harman King-Harman, of Rockingham.

Mr King-Harman married, in 1861, Emma Frances, daughter of Sir William Worsley, 1st Baronet, and had issue,

Lawrence William (1863-86), died unmarried;
Frances Agnes, mother of EDWARD CHARLES STAFFORD;
Violet Philadelphia.

Mr King-Harman was succeeded by his grandson,

EDWARD CHARLES STAFFORD-KING-HARMAN (1891-1914), who assumed, in 1900, the additional surnames and arms of KING-HARMAN.

He married, in 1914, Olive Pakenham, daughter of Henry Pakenham Mahon, and had issue,

LETTICE MARY STAFFORD-KING-HARMAN, born in 1915.

Captain Stafford-King-Harman was killed in action.

The family was seated at Rockingham, Boyle, County Roscommon, and Taney House, Dundrum, County Dublin.

ROCKINGHAM HOUSE, near Boyle, County Roscommon, the superb demesne of the King-Harmans, Viscounts Lorton, is bounded on the north by beautiful, island-studded waters of Lough Key; and, on the south, by a long line of lofty wall, overhung from within by a bordering estate along the road from Boyle to Dublin.

This was a large, Classical mansion, designed and built in 1810 by John Nash for General Robert King, 1st Viscount Lorton, a younger son of 2nd Earl of Kingston to whom this part of the King estates had passed.

Rockingham was remarkable due to its dome front and 365 windows.

It accidentally burnt down in 1957, as the result of an electrical fault, after which it was taken over by the Irish Land Commission.

The great mansion was declared as unsafe in 1970 and subsequently demolished.

 

The remnants of the house can be seen in the park to this day, such as its two 'tunnels' (which allowed the staff to unload provisions from boats and bring them to the house unseen).

These tunnels are still accessible to this day.

The demesne was magnificent, with a straight beech avenue three-quarters of a mile in length; and 75 miles of drives within the estate.

Sir Cecil William Francis Stafford-King-Harman, 2nd Baronet (1895-1987), considered rebuilding Rockingham after its catastrophic fire of 1957 with its original two storeys and dome; however, it transpired that the expense was prohibitive, so the estate was sold and the Irish forest service demolished the ruin of the once-great mansion.

The Moylurg Tower which provides a spectacular view of the lake, was built on the original foundations of Rockingham House.

First published in June, 2011.  Stafford-King-Harman armscourtesy of the NLI.