Great Londonderry Landowners

Having largely completed my series on counties Armagh, Tyrone and Fermanagh, my attention now focuses on County Londonderry.

The Livery Companies owned much of the land in the county, amounting to about 154,000 acres in 1872. Particularly, the Skinners' Company; the Drapers' Company; the Mercers' Company; the Fishmongers' Company; the Salters' Company; and the Grocers' Company.

The Church owned 13,413 acres.

The Beresford family, scions of the Marquesses of Waterford and Earls of Tyrone, lived at Learmount Castle, near the village of Park. They owned 7,946 acres.

The 1st Baron Garvagh's seat was Garvagh House beside the village of Garvagh; and Lord Garvagh's estate extended to 8,427 acres.

The Ogilbys, a family with a military tradition, had their residence at Ardnargle House, near Limavady. Their estate amounted to 9,735 acres.

The Beresford-Ash family, of Ashbrook House, owned 10,420 acres.

The Drenagh Estate, arguably the finest demesne in County Londonderry, remains the noble residence of the McCausland family; and it extended to 12,886 acres in Victorian times.

The Richardsons and, later, the Torrens family, resided at Somerset House, near Coleraine. I am presently unable to find much information about the Somerset - or Summerseat - Estate; however, it did extend to 18,159 acres and presently encompasses Somerset Forest and Mountsandel Wood.

The Bruce baronets, of Downhill, were the largest private landowners in County Londonderry. They were kinsmen of the Earl Bishop of Derry through his lordship's second cousin, Mrs Frideswide Mussenden, née Bruce. The Downhill demesne, at one time, amounted to 20,801 acres.