Wednesday 18 May 2022

Eglinton Manor House

JAMES DAVIDSON (1809-81), of Eglinton, County Londonderry, and of Murlingden, Brechin, Angus, married Margaret Jane Walker, daughter of Minchin Lloyd, of Summerhill, Moville, and had issue,
CHARLES JOHN LLOYD, of whom we treat;
James William, of Foyle Park (1860-93);
Margaret Jane (1863-1948).
The eldest son,

CHARLES JOHN LLOYD DAVIDSON DSO
(1858-1941), Colonel, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, wedded firstly, in 1890, Sophia Mary, daughter of Major Burleigh William Henry Fitzgibbon Stuart, of Dergmoney, Omagh, County Tyrone; and secondly, in 1906, Mary Natalie, daughter of Colonel Alexander Bulstrode Cumberlege, Indian Army, and had issue,
CLAUDE JOHN LLOYD;
KENNETH BULSTRODE LLOYD, of whom presently;
Christine Rosemary.
Colonel Davidson's eldest son and heir,

CLAUDE JOHN LLOYD DAVIDSON (1907-29), Lieutenant, East Lancashire Regiment, died unmarried, and was succeeded by his brother,

KENNETH BULSTRODE LLOYD DAVIDSON JP DL (1908-96), of The Manor House, Eglinton, Lieutenant-Colonel, Ulster Defence Regiment, who espoused, in 1937, Elizabeth Maud, daughter of James, 2nd Viscount Younger of Leckie, and had issue,
Charles Kenneth Lloyd;
Andrew James Lloyd;
Claude John Lloyd;
ALASTAIR MICHAEL LLOYD, of whom presently;
Anne Elizabeth Lloyd;
twin daughters who died in infancy.
Colonel Davidson was High Sheriff of County Londonderry, 1954, Commandant, City of Londonderry, Ulster Special Constabulary, 1968-70, Commanding Officer, 5th Battalion, Ulster Defence Regiment, 1970-71.

His fourth son,

ALASTAIR MICHAEL LLOYD DAVIDSON DL, of The Manor House, Eglinton.


THE MANOR HOUSE, Eglinton, County Londonderry, is a two-storey late-Georgian house of ca 1827.

It was built by the Worshipful Company of Grocers, which owned 11,638 acres in the county ca 1870.

Seemingly this house was originally intended to be the village inn (Muff being the village's original name).

(Image: PropertyPal, 2022)

It cost a relatively modest £1,200 to construct, equivalent to about £140,000 in today's money.

In 1877 James Davidson purchased a considerable amount of land from the Grocers' Company and moved in to the manor house.

The manor house comprises seven bedrooms, though the present complex of outbuildings increases that figure to ten bedrooms in total, and five reception rooms.


The house has an eaved roof, with a fanlighted doorway.

The Manor House was later extended by the addition of a battlemented wing, with a small battlemented turret at the junction of the wing and the original house.

The flat roof of the castellated wing was renewed in 1993.


The wing and turret have large, vermiculated quoins similar and complementary to the main block.

The manor house operated as bed and breakfast accommodation.

It is been on the market for sale since at least May, 2020.

The Belfast Telegraph interviewed the Davidsons in 2008.

First published in May, 2014.

5 comments :

Northern Scrivener said...

Kenny Davidson served in the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, (think one of the sons also did.) Kenny's wife was the Hon Elizabeth Maud Younger a daughter of 2nd Viscount Younger. The Manor House is the residence of Alastair Davidson (youngest son) and his wife Jean (both DL). They run the B & B. Andrew Davidson qualified as a solicitor and worked both north and south of the border.
The report of the Irish Estates (Special) Committee to the Court of Assistants of the Worshipful Company of Grocers indicates that the estate of the Grocers Company was some 11,745 acres together with an area of slob land. It was sold in eleven lots plus the slob land. The sale price totalled £157,656. The Davidson family purchased lots 6 and 7 for the sum of £41,500.

Unknown said...

Do you have any information on the Foyle Park Estate in Eglinton? I know that the Davidsons had owned the mansion for along time until 2011 when Andrew Davidson sold it. I know that the colonel Kenny was very passionate about the house and he adored it. Info on the house and land and the family's

Unknown said...

Any info on the property and the davidsons involvement with the estate will be appreciated :)

Unknown said...

House now for sale - see link https://www.propertypal.com/manor-house-15-main-street-eglinton/54196

Anonymous said...

My mother Vera Eaton, lived in a cottage on what was then Clooney Road. As a child she and her sisters used to see Colonel Davidson cycling past along the road. One day as he was going past, his pocket was on fire, his pipe smoking away inside it. As young girls they were too much in awe of him to tell him, so let him go on his way! I assume he discovered it eventually...