THE EARLS OF DEVON WERE THE LARGEST LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY LIMERICK, WITH 33,026 ACRES
The COURTENAYS, one of the most illustrious races amongst the English nobility, deduce their paternal descent from ATHON DE COURTENAY, who sprang himself from PHARAMOND, founder of the French monarchy in 1420, and common patriarch of all the Kings of France. This ATHON having fortified, during the reign of ROBERT the Wise, the town of COURTENAY, in the Île-de-France, thence assumed his surname.
WILLIAM COURTENAY, de jure 3rd Earl of Devon (1553-1630), High Sheriff of Devon, 1581; who, in 1585, was one of the undertakers to send over settlers for the better planting of Ireland, and thus laid the foundation of the prodigious estate in that kingdom enjoyed by his posterity.
FRANCIS, de jure 4th Earl ((1576-1638), of Powderham Castle, Devon, who was succeeded by his eldest son,
WILLIAM, de jure 5th Earl (1628-1702).
The Castle, Newcastle West, County Limerick, and a large amount of surrounding land, was granted to Sir William Courtenay, de jure 3rd Earl of Devon, of Powderham, Devon, in 1591.
The Courtenays, Earls of Devon, still live at Powderham Castle in Kent.Sir William was a staunch Roman Catholic and suffered persecution for his beliefs.
His son George might even have practised his faith in secret.
Their home was reputed to have had a room in which priests were hidden.
Courtenay was denounced in the House of Commons as a "papist recusant" in 1624.
In December, 1641, disturbances broke out in Newcastle West and the castle was burned down.
It is unlikely that anybody lived in the castle after that time.
The old castle house, which was adjacent to the castle and where the agents for the Courtenays lived, was probably built around 1700.
This house was burnt during the Irish civil war in 1922.
In time the Courtenays were to become the largest landlords in County Limerick, owning up to 85,000 acres in the south-west of the county; the remaining lands of Newcastle West and the surrounding countryside were known as the Devon Estate until the first years of the 20th century.In 1908, under the 1903 Land Act, practically all the lands of the Devon Estate were sold.
The town of Newcastle West itself was sold in 1910.
The last agents on the Courtenays in Newcastle West were the Curling family.
They were agents from 1848 until the decimation and sale of the Estate.
After the break up of the estate, they bought the castle building and some of the surrounding land from Lord Devon.
The last Curling, Richard, died in 1943.
In 1944 his house house and the castle grounds were sold.
It is believed that the Castle, known as the Desmond Banqueting Hall and Castle, is now state-owned.
First published in May, 2011.
5 comments :
Desmond Castle is indeed state-owned, open to the public, and well worth visiting.
The Earl of Devon lives at Powderham Castle, near Exeter, Devon.
Nice to see this post about the Earl of Devon's Irish estate. three generations of my ancestors were land agents: Edward Curling ( my 2x great grandfather); his son Charles Edward Napier Curling ( my great grandfather) and his younger son (from his second marriage) Richbell (not Richard), who oversaw the sale of the property, mostly to its tenants. I have lots more family information for anyone who's interested.
My great grandfather, John Barry, worked for “Captain Curling” and is shown living along with his wife, Mary Collins Barry, son Timothy & daughter Catherine on 1901 Census as Gatekeeper & 1911 Census as Lodge Keeper at Castle Demense Newcastle West. The Richbell Curling Family are on the Census as well. My grandfather Daniel was 18 and living out, as were other children over 18, as a Farm Servant for a Thomas Pierce in Cloonmore, Broadmoar.
I am the individual who published (anonymously) the comments re: Greatgrandfather, Captain Curling and The Castle Demense. I have unsuccessfully attempted to sign in and Comment w Google Account. Dan Flynn danielbflynn@aol.com
Hi Anonymous. Have sent an email (on 10 Oct 24) to the email address above.
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