The Crossley Baronets

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

William, of Lisburn, born in 1745;

JOHN, of whom presently.

The younger son,

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

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

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

WILLIAM JOHN, of whom we treat;

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

Emmeline.

The second son,

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

KENNETH IRWIN, his heir;

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

Brian;

Lettice; Cicely.

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

Sir William was succeeded by his eldest son,

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

ANTHONY CROMMELIN, his heir;

Fidelia Josephine; Ruth Irwin; Catherine Pamela Field.

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

Sir Kenneth's only son and heir,

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

FRANCIS PATRICK IRWIN;

Penelope Georgina; Virginia Charlotte Theresa.

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

His only son and heir,

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

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

NICHOLAS JOHN;

JULIAN CHARLES.

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

Sir Christopher was succeeded by his elder son,

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

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

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

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

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

Owners and Tenants of Glenburn

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

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

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

Glenburn House: west elevation (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

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

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

Entrance portico with paired columns (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

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

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

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

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

Glenburn: east elevation  (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

George Richardson occupied the house in 1893.

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

Former Crossley residence ~ Combermere Abbey, Whitechurch, Shropshire.

First published in July, 2022.

Bush House, Bushmills

Bush House (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

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

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

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

Eroded stone figure (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

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

Bush House, pebble-dashed (Tripadvisor, 2017)

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

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

Front signage (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

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

Dinsmore vacated the premises about 1863.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

First published in May, 2022.

Belfast Castle: II

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

High Street, Belfast, in the 17th Century

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

First published in July, 2012.

Drumbeg

EDITED EXTRACTS FROM THE TOPOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY OF IRELAND, 1837

DRUMBEG, a parish, partly in the barony of Upper Belfast, County Antrim, but chiefly in that of Upper Castlereagh, County Down, ¾ of a mile from Lisburn, on the road to Belfast.

The River Lagan traces the boundary line between the counties, bisects the parish, and is rich in those features of landscape which possess beauty without grandeur; picturesqueness without power.

The industrious prosecution of the linen trade, and the comparatively skilful practice of agriculture, combine with groves, and gardens, and undulated surface, to render large tracts of the parish a fine foreground to the view of Divis mountain, and the general range of heights on the southern frontier of the great trappean tableau of County Antrim.

The soil differs greatly in quality, from a sandy loam to a stiff clay, but is very fertile.

The Lagan Canal from Belfast to Lough Neagh passes through the parish.

The principal seats are Glenburn, the residence of Francis William Crossley; WILMONT; FINAGHY HOUSE; Larkfield, residence of Henderson Black; Drumbeg rectory; Drum House, W H Smyth; and Belvedere Cottage, a neat and commodious residence, built on the property of A Durham.

BALLYDRAIN, the beautiful demesne of Hugh Montgomery, though not in this parish, is within 200 yards of the church, and with the adjoining grounds of Lakefield, the residence of Miss Richardson, and Lismoyne, of Mrs Callwell, presents one of the finest landscapes in the neighbourhood of Belfast.

Drumbeg parish church (Image: W A Green/NMNI)

The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Down, and in the gift of the Bishop; a part of the rectorial tithes is impropriate in C CHARLEY, A Durham, and NARCISSUS BATT, as lessees under the MARQUESS OF DONEGALL.

The glebe house was built in 1826.

Drumbeg parish church (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

The church was rebuilt by subscription in 1795: it has a tower surmounted by a spire, which having been blown down in 1831, was rebuilt at the expense of J Charley.

About 300 children are educated in five public schools, two of which are on Erasmus Smith's foundation.

First published in July, 2022.

Moyne House

THE HAMILTON-STUBBERS WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN THE QUEEN'S COUNTY, WITH 7,388 ACRES

HUGH HAMILTON settled at Lisbane, County Down, during the reign of JAMES I, and was made a denizen of Ireland in 1616.

He died in 1655 and was buried at Bangor, County Down, leaving issue,

John, of Ballymenoch;
ALEXANDER, of whom presently;
Robert.

The second son,

ALEXANDER HAMILTON, of Killyleagh, County Down, married Jean, daughter of John Hamilton, of Belfast, and had issue,

HUGH, his heir;
Jane, m William Sloane, of Chelsea.

Mr Hamilton died in 1676, and was succeeded by his son,

HUGH HAMILTON, of Ballybrenagh, who wedded Mary, sister of Robert Ross, of Rostrevor, and daughter of George Ross, of Portavo, by Ursula his wife, daughter of Captain Hans Hamilton, of Carnesure, and had issue,

ALEXANDER, his heir;
George, of Tyrella;
Jane.

Mr Hamilton died in 1728, and was succeeded by his elder son,

ALEXANDER HAMILTON, of Knock, County Dublin, and of Newtownhamilton, County Armagh, MP for Killyleagh, 1730-61, who espoused Isabella, daughter of Robert Maxwell, of Finnebrogue, County Down, by Jane, daughter of the Rev Simon Chichester, Vicar of Belfast (eldest son of Henry Chichester, of Marwood, by Jane, daughter of the Rt Rev Robert Maxwell, Lord Bishop of Kilmore).

He died in 1768, leaving four sons and three daughters, viz.

HUGH (Rt Rev), Lord Bishop of Ossory;
ROBERT, of whom we treat;
George;
Charles;
Isabella; Anne; Elizabeth.

The second son,

ROBERT HAMILTON, of Gloucester Street, Dublin, married Hester, daughter of Crewe Chetwood, of Woodbrook, Queen's County, and had issue,

ALEXANDER CHETWOOD, his heir;
Robert.

Mr Hamilton died in 1790, and was succeeded by his elder son,

THE REV ALEXANDER CHETWOOD HAMILTON, Rector of Thomastown, County Kilkenny, who married, in 1801, Eleanor, daughter and co-heir of the REV SEWELL STUBBER, and assumed, in 1824, the surname of STUBBER in lieu of Hamilton, and the arms of Stubber only.

By her he had issue,

ROBERT, his heir;
Sewell (Rev);
William, of Roundwood, father of CHARLES PAULET HAMILTON;
Alexander Chetwood;
Richard Hugh (Rev);
Hester Maria; Harriet Anne; Sophia Elizabeth; Anne Matilda.

The Rev Alexander Chetwood Hamilton died in 1830, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

ROBERT HAMILTON STUBBER JP DL (1803-63), of Moyne, High Sheriff of Queen's County, 1831, who married, in 1840, Olivia, daughter of the Rev Edward Lucas, of the Castleshane family, and widow of Henry Smyth, of Mount Henry, Queen’s County, and had issue,

ROBERT HAMILTON, his heir;
Olivia Harriet Florence Hamilton; Eleanor Frances Beatrice Hamilton.

Mr Hamilton-Stubber was succeeded by his son and heir,

ROBERT HAMILTON HAMILTON-STUBBER JP DL (1844-1916), of Moyne and Castle Fleming, Queen’s County, High Sheriff of Queen's County, 1873, Lieutenant, Royal Dragoons, who espoused firstly, in 1877, Adèle Grainger, daughter of Alexander Duncan, of Knossington Grange, Leicestershire, and had issue,

ROBERT;
Olive.

He wedded secondly, in 1885, Georgina Alice Mary, youngest daughter of George Power, sixth son of Sir John Power Bt, of Kilfane, County Kilkenny, and had issue, a daughter, Margery.

Mr Hamilton-Stubber sold the Moyne estate to his cousin,

CHARLES PAULET HAMILTON (1834-1907), grandson of the Rev A C Hamilton, who wedded, in 1878, Emily Louise, daughter of William Smyth-King, and had issue,

Maurice William Chetwode (1882-1955);
HUBERT CHARLES;
Elinor Frances; Kathleen Elizabeth; Alice Maude; Mary Beatrice.

Mr Hamilton's younger son,

HUBERT CHARLES HAMILTON DSO (1887-1946), of Moyne, Barrister, wedded, in 1912, Honoria Eliza Sylvia Vera, daughter of Major Travers Robert Blackley, and had issue, an only child,

HUBERT CHARLES PAULET HAMILTON (1915-2007), of Moyne, Captain, Royal Irish Fusiliers, who married firstly, in 1941, Margaret Helen, daughter of Sir Owen Watkin Williams-Wynn Bt, and had issue,

ANDREW PAULET.

He espoused secondly, in 1950, Katharine Frances, daughter of William Evelyn Joseph Dobbs, and had further issue,

Hubert Kildare, b 1953;
Dominick Charles, b 1954;
Sophia Elinor, b 1960.

MOYNE HOUSE, near Durrow, County Laois, is a five-bay two-storey house with dormer attic, built ca 1730.

It has a pedimented central bay with a projecting porch.

Moyne was renovated and extended about 1880, with two-bay, two-storey wings and a dormer attic.

The house has a double-pitched and hipped slate roof, with rolled lead ridge tiles and limestone ashlar chimney-stacks.

The roof is gabled; rubble limestone walls; a Venetian-style window opening to entrance bay and oculus to pediment.

The house is set back from the main road in its own landscaped grounds.

It has a stable complex, including two-storey rubble stone ranges, one of which was renovated about 1970 to accommodate residential use.

Of its interior, the drawing-room is notable for its Adam-Revival ceiling; while the dining-room has a frieze of plasterwork in late 18th century style; and a carved wood chimney-piece in Elizabethan style. 

Moyne Polo Club, established in 1996, is affiliated to the Hurlingham Polo Association.

A Midsummer Ball and one-day tournament is held in June; a two-day tournament on the penultimate weekend in July; and a tournament in August with the emphasis on junior polo.

Moyne House became the Hamilton family home in the early part of the 19th century, when Robert Hamilton-Stubber (1803-63) moved there from Kilkenny.

The house then descended via Robert Hamilton-Stubber (1846-1916) to Major Robert Hamilton-Stubber DSO (d 1963), who sold Moyne to his cousin, Hubert Charles Hamilton, in the 1920s; from whom the present branch of the family is descended.

The Hamilton family still live at Moyne.

First published in December, 2012.

Dunmurry

EDITED EXTRACTS FROM THE TOPOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY OF IRELAND, 1837

DUNMURRY, parish of Drumbeg, barony of Upper Belfast, County Antrim, on the river Glenwater, and road from Belfast to Lisburn, nearly midway between these two towns.

Dunmurry ca 1830 (Image: historic OS map)

This place, which takes its name from two Danish forts, or raths, in its immediate vicinity, was formerly the parish of Ballygosh, which soon after the Reformation was annexed to that of Drumbeg.

Its ancient name has been superseded by that of the village which has been erected, and which is beautifully situated in a sequestered and fertile vale, and remarkably neat.

Dunmurry (Image: W A Green/NMNI)

On the Glenwater are two bridges, one at the village, an ancient structure, and the other, over which the Dublin road passes, a noble pile of two arches of freestone, quarried on the spot.

The surrounding hills being richly planted add greatly to the beauty of the scenery, which is also embellished with several handsome seats, of which the principal are SEYMOUR HILL;

Woodbourne (Image: eBay)

 WOODBOURNE; Dunmurry House [demolished]; Suffolk [demolished]; Glenville; and Collin House [demolished].

Dunmurry (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

In the village are some extensive flour mills, worked partly by water and partly by steam, and ttached to them are large stores for grain and malt kilns.

THE church of Ballygosh has long since disappeared, and the rectorial tithes of the two townlands which constituted the parish were granted by JAMES I to Sir Arthur Chichester, and the vicarial tithes to the incumbent of Drumbeg.

There is a place of worship for Presbyterians, formerly in connection with the General, but now with the Remonstrant, Synod of Ulster.

On Collin mountain, to the north-west of the village, is a very conspicuous cairn of considerable extent; it consists of small stones piled together in a conical form, and is now almost covered with green sward.

First Dunmurry Presbyterian Church (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

FIRST DUNMURRY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,  (described as "Meeting-house" on the historic map above) is almost certainly the oldest building in Dunmurry.

Circa 1906 (Image: Ebay)

The congregation of Dunmurry's first Presbyterian church was established in 1676, and a meeting-house was erected on a nearby site, of which no trace remains.

A second place of worship was built in 1714, and a date stone at the back of the building, inscribed with “Anno Christi, 1714, R Georgy RJ,” could be from the original meeting house.

The mural plaque over the left entrance door declares that it was built in 1719, presumed to be a painter's error, given that the present building was erected in 1779.

The architect of the present church is uncertain, though it's thought to have been Roger Mulholland, architect of First Presbyterian Church, Rosemary Street, Belfast, in 1783.

Rev James Stouppe, Minister from 1772-80 (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

A stained-glass window in the front elevation, in memory of John McCance JP (1816-63) and his brother Henry McCance JP DL (1829-1900), was erected in 1900.

McCance memorial window

First published in July, 2022.

Scarvagh House

THE REILLYS OWNED 920 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY DOWN

This branch of the ancient Milesian house of REILLY, PRINCES OF EAST BREFFNY, discontinued the prefix 'O'.

TURLOGH O'REILLY, youngest son of Edmund O'Reilly, of Kilnacroft, Prince of East Breffny, had two children,

BRIAN;
John.

The elder son,

BRIAN O'REILLY, had two sons, viz.

JOHN, of Belfast;
Miles, an army captain.

The former was father of

MILES O'REILLY (1661-1735), of Lurgan, County Armagh, who wedded Jane Ackens, and had issue,

John, dsp;
James, dsp;
Charles;
Marlow;
JOHN, of whom hereafter.

Mr Reilly was succeeded by his youngest son,

JOHN REILLY, of Scarvagh, County Down, who espoused, in 1738, Lucy, daughter of Francis Savage, of Ardkeen, County Down, and was father of

JOHN REILLY (1745-1804), of Scarvagh, Chief Commissioner of Public Accounts, MP for Blessington, 1779-1800, High Sheriff of County Down, 1776, County Armagh, 1786, who married, in 1773, Jane, daughter and co-heir of Colonel William Lushington, of Sittingbourne, Kent, and had issue,

JOHN LUSHINGTON, his heir;
William Edmond;
James miles;
Jane Hester; Amelia; Elizabeth.

John Reilly MP (Image: Ulster Museum)

Mr Reilly was succeeded by his eldest son,

JOHN LUSHINGTON REILLY (1775-1840), of Scarvagh, High Sheriff of County Down, 1810, who wedded, in 1807, Louisa, second daughter of Gustavus Handcock Temple, of Watertown, County Westmeath, and had issue,

JOHN TEMPLE, his heir;
Gustavus Handcock, an army officer, 1813-41;
Robert Lushington, captain, East India Company;
William Charles, 1819-45;
Charles Myles Townsend;
Isabella Elizabeth; Jane Lushington; Louisa Mary; Gertrude Harriet;
Mary Amelia; Frances Lucy; Charlotte Moore.

Mr Reilly was succeeded by his eldest son,

JOHN TEMPLE REILLY JP DL (1812-1903), of Scarvagh, High Sheriff of County Down, 1845, who wedded, in 1865, Elizabeth, daughter of James O'Hara, of Lenaboy, County Galway, by his wife Anne, daughter of the Most Rev and Hon Power le Poer Trench, Lord Archbishop of Tuam, and had issue,

John Temple Miles, 1867-68;
GUSTAVUS MILES O'HARA;
John Temple James, died in infancy;
Anne Elizabeth.

GUSTAVUS MILES O'HARA REILLY, of Scarvagh House, 1869-1909.

SCARVAGH HOUSE, Scarva, County Down, was built in the early to mid-18th century and has undergone several phases of addition and renovation since that time.

The House is associated with the Reilly family, founders of Scarva village and original hosts of the annual Scarva "Sham Fight", commemorating the battle of the Boyne.

It comprises two storeys with two-storey wings extending forwards, thus forming a three-sided entrance court.

The present house is thought to have been built ca 1717 by Myles Reilly, originally intended as offices (a house was to be erected in front).

The house was altered in the mid-19th century by John Temple Reilly.

The elevations are plain, excepting a two-storey Jacobean-style porch with a curvilinear gable in the centre range, flanked by two oriels and dormer gables.

The wings terminate with square, battlemented towers.

The porch is of golden stone; the remainder of the house rendered.

The entrance gates and gate lodge at the Scarva end of the property were added between 1834-60, together with a long entrance driveway leading to the house.

*****

A local legend states that, in recognition of his services to the Williamite army in the 1690s, Reilly was given as much land as he could walk and plant with acorns in a day.

Harris wrote in 1744,

North-west of Loughbrickland about two miles is a house and good improvements of Mr John Reilly, standing pleasantly on a rising ground near the new canal and Scarvagh Bridge...Mr Reilly has a view of forming a village near this bridge where coal-yards and store houses are preparing and for this end has obtained a patent for fairs and markets.

There is a salt-works carried on in partnership between Mr Reilly, Mr Cherry and Mr Steers of Liverpool, the latter of whom has the salt rock on his own land and sends the same by water carriage to Scarvagh.

Scarva village had been established by the Reillys by 1746.

John Lushington Reilly is thought to have been responsible for much of the present appearance of Scarvagh House.

The Archaeological Survey of County Down, which carries a plan of additions and alterations to Scarvagh House, suggests that Lushington Reilly built two double-height wings onto the original main block in the early nineteenth century forming a forecourt to the original house.

Interior alterations in a Gothic-Revival style were carried out within the main block and an extension was added to the north west. Between 1834-60, the south facade of the main block was remodelled in a Jacobean style and internal decoration in contemporary style took place.

Dimensions are given for the house, including the new porch, four two-storey outbuildings, one single-storey outbuilding and gate houses.

The 1901 census lists the occupant as

John Temple Reilly JP, DL, who lives with his Galway wife, his daughter, sister, niece and three servants, a cook, a housemaid and a kitchen maid. The house has sixteen rooms, twenty outbuildings and is of the first class.

Subsequent occupiers were Sir John Tuthing [sic], 1905; and Henry Thomson MP, 1906.

In 1911, Mr Thomson was living in the house with his wife, a nurse and three servants.

Henry Thomson died in 1916 while still resident at Scarvagh House, and the house was taken over by a relative, possibly a son, Henry B Thomson, in 1926.

Scarvagh House was acquired by Alfred Buller before the 2nd World War, and Mr Buller was happy to continue opening the grounds each year for the Sham Fight.

William Buller, of Scarva, has been a well-known racing driver.

The most recent historic map dating from 1960s/70s shows that numerous outbuildings have been added to the site in the vicinity of the main house.

Other recent work has included the refurbishment of the east and west wings for rental purposes.

A strong tradition exists that WILLIAM III camped under a tree that later became enclosed by Scarva demesne, on his way to the Boyne in 1659; and due, in part, to this association, Scarva demesne has become the scene of the annual Sham Fight, a mock reconstruction of the battle of the Boyne that takes place on the 13th July every year.

The Sham Fight forms the centrepiece of a Royal Black Preceptory parade, when the villagers of Scarva are joined by tens of thousands of visitors from Ulster and elsewhere.

The mock battle, played out over 30 minutes, ends when the green standard of JAMES II is cornered and lowered by the red-shirted Williamite soldiers.

*****

THE HOUSE lies on a south-facing ridge, with excellent views to Lough Shark and distant hills beyond.

The demesne contains mature avenue, parkland and woodland trees.

There are well-maintained ornamental gardens at the house.

The walled garden was latterly an orchard but is no longer cultivated.

There are grand gate pillars at the village entrance, and a lodge built ca 1870 at the North Gate.

First published in July, 2014.