Burton Hall

THE  BURTONS WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY CARLOW, WITH 5,964 ACRES

SIR EDWARD BURTON, Knight, of Longner, Shropshire, representative of the family, was with EDWARD IV, successful in fourteen set battles between the Houses of York and Lancaster; and for his great loyalty and services, he was made knight-bannaret, under the royal standard in the field, in 1460.

Sir Edward was succeeded by his son,

SIR ROBERT BURTON, of Longner, who was knighted by EDWARD IV in 1478.

This gentleman received a grant of arms from John Writhe, Norroy King of Arms, in the same year, and was father of

SIR EDWARD BURTON, Knight, of Longner, Master of the Robes to HENRY VII. who wedded Jocosa, daughter of Thomas Cressett, of Upton Cressett, Shropshire.

He died in 1524, leaving, with a younger son, Thomas, an elder son, his successor,

JOHN BURTON, of Longner, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Poyner, of Boston, Shrophire, and had issue,

EDWARD, his successor;
Jane; Eleanor; Ankekoka; Ann; Ankred; Mary.

Sir Edward died in 1543, and was succeeded by his only son,

EDWARD BURTON (1510-58), of Longner, who wedded Ann, daughter and heir of Nicholas Madocks, of Wem and Coton, Shrophire, and had issue,

THOMAS, his heir (ancestor of BURTON of Longner);
EDWARD, of whom we treat;
Humphrey;
Timothy;
Mary; Dorothy; Katherine.

Mr Burton's second son,

EDWARD BURTON, had issue, two sons, who both settled in Ireland in 1610,

Francis, dsp;
THOMAS, of whom hereafter.

The younger son,

THOMAS BURTON, of Buncraggy, County Clare, whose will was proved in 1666, married Ann, daughter of _____ Shepherd, of Baycote, Herefordshire, and had issue (with two daughters), an only son,

SAMUEL BURTON, of Buncraggy, who married Margery Harris, and died in 1712, leaving issue,

Francis, of Buncraggy, MP;
Charles;
BENJAMIN, of whom hereafter;
Dorothea.

The third son,

BENJAMIN BURTON (c1665-1728), becoming an eminent banker in Dublin, was Lord Mayor of that city, 1706, MP for Dublin City, 1703-27, and High Sheriff of County Carlow, 1724.

He espoused, in 1686, Grace, elder daughter of Robert Stratford, of Belan, County Kildare, and had six sons, with as many daughters,

SAMUEL;
Robert;
Benjamin;
Edward;
Charles (Sir), MP for Dublin; cr a BARONET;
Francis;
Mary; Grace; Elizabeth; Lettice; Abigail; Jane.

Mr Burton was succeeded by his eldest son,

SAMUEL BURTON (c1708-67), of Burton Hall, MP for Knocktopher, 1741-60, County Carlow, 1761-7, High Sheriff of County Carlow, 1724, espoused firstly, in 1708, Anne, daughter of Charles Campbell, of Dublin, and by her (who was killed by the fall of a scaffold at the coronation of GEORGE I in 1714) had issue,

BENJAMIN, his heir;
Hughes;
Samuel;
Katherine; Mary.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

THE RT HON BENJAMIN BURTON (1736-63), of Burton Hall, MP for County Sligo, 1757-60, Boyle, 1761-3, High Sheriff of County Carlow, 1736,  a distinguished politician and statesman, who wedded, in 1734, the Lady Anne Ponsonby, daughter of Brabazon, 1st Earl of Bessborough, and had issue,

Benjamin, High Sheriff, 1760; MP for Sligo, 1757; d unm, 1763;
WILLIAM, succeeded to the estates;
Campbell;
Ponsonby;
Sarah; Anna. 

His second but eldest surviving son, 

WILLIAM HENRY BURTON (1739-1818), of Burton Hall, MP for Carlow County, 1768-1800, High Sheriff of County Carlow, 1760, married, in 1765, Mary, only child of Henry Aston, County Wicklow, and had issue,

BENJAMIN, his heir;
William Henry;
Martha.

Mr Burton's eldest son, 

BENJAMIN BURTON, of Walcot House, Stamford, Lincolnshire, born in 1766, married and was father of

WILLIAM FITZWILLIAM BURTON JP (1796-1844), of Burton Hall, High Sheriff of County Carlow, 1822, who wedded twice and had a numerous family.

His eldest son, 

WILLIAM FITZWILLIAM BURTON JP (1826-1909), of Burton Hall, High Sheriff of County Carlow, 1849, 4th Light Dragoons, married twice and was succeeded by his eldest son,

WILLIAM FITZWILLIAM BURTON (1849-1927), of Burton Hall, County Carlow, and Goltho Hall, Wragby, Lincolnshire, who married, in 1877, Georgiana Spencer, fourth daughter of Captain the Hon William Henry George Wellesley RN, and granddaughter of Henry, 1st Lord Cowley.

Mr Burton, High Sheriff of County Carlow, 1910, sold Goltho Hall in 1918.

His children assumed the additional surname of Mainwaring.

He was succeeded by his eldest son, 

MAJOR WILLIAM MAINWARING-BURTON (1881-1964), of Marsham Lodge, Gerrard's Cross, Buckinghamshire, who married and had issue.

• Arthur William Mainwaring-Burton b 1914;
• Captain Frederick Henry Beresford Mainwaring-Burton b 1916;
• Georgiana Elizabeth Mainwaring-Burton b 1917;
• Major Anthony Benjamin Mainwaring-Burton b 1921;
• Allison Anne Mainwaring-Burton 1928-32.

BURTON HALL, near Carlow, County Carlow, a house of considerable significance, was begun in 1712.

It contained three storeys on a lofty plinth and nine bays, with a three-bay breakfront centre.

The doorway was rusticated, with many steps; bold quoins; a solid roof parapet.

A bow window was added to the garden front ca 1840, and the top storey was removed.

Burton Hall was sold by William Fitzwilliam Burton in 1927 (who died in the same year) and demolished five years later.

All that remains of Burton Hall's former existence is a three-bay, single-storey (over basement) granite building, originally a wing of the house, with carved stone dressings.

First published in May, 2012.