Dundrum House

THE VISCOUNTS HAWARDEN WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY TIPPERARY, WITH 15,272 ACRES

The family of MAUDE deduces its descent from EUSTACE DE MONTE ALTO (c1045-1112), styled The Norman Hunter, who came to the assistance of Hugh Lupus, 1st Earl of Chester, at the period of the Conquest; and having participated in the glory of that great event, shared in the spoil, and obtained, amongst other considerable grants, the castle, lordship, and manor of Hawarden, Flintshire.

This Eustace was succeeded by his eldest son,

HUGH DE MONTE ALTO, the second baron under Hugh Lupus, who gave a large portion of his possessions to the monks.

He was succeeded by his brother,

ROGER DE MONTE ALTO, 3rd Baron, to whom succeeded his son,

RALPH DE MONTALT, 4th Baron, sewer to Ranulf, 6th Earl of Chester, who had two sons and a daughter, viz.

ROBERT, his heir;
Simon;
Beatrix.

The elder son,

ROBERT DE MONTALT, first Baron by tenure, erected, during the reign of HENRY II, Mold Castle, in Flintshire.

This Robert, who was Steward of the Palatine of Chester, espoused Emma, daughter of Sir Robert Delaval, and had issue,

ROBERT, 2nd Baron by tenure;
Ralph;
John;
Matthew;
Simon;
William, in holy orders;
Roger;
ANDOMAR.

The lineal descendant of this gentleman,

CHRISTOPHER MAUDE, of Holling Hall and Woodhouse, patron of Ilkley, 1554, had issue,

THOMAS, his heir;
John, of Stainland;
Isabel.

The elder son,

THOMAS MAUDE, of West Riddlesden, died in 1633.

His grandson,

ROBERT MAUDE, of West Riddlesden and Ripon, Yorkshire, patron of Ilkley, 1640, disposed of his English estates, and purchased others in counties Kilkenny and Tipperary, whither he removed.

He died in 1685, and was succeeded by his only son,

ANTHONY MAUDE (1638-1702), of Dundrum, High Sheriff of County Tipperary, 1686, MP for Cashel, 1695-9, who was succeeded by his only son and successor,

ROBERT MAUDE (1677-1750), MP for Gowran, 1703-13, St Canice, 1713-14, Bangor, 1727-50, who was created a baronet in 1705, designated of Dundrum, County Tipperary.

Sir Robert wedded Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Francis Cornwallis, of Abermarles, Carmarthenshire, by whom he had several children.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

THE RT HON SIR THOMAS MAUDE, 2nd Baronet (1727-77), MP for Tipperary, 1761-76, High Sheriff of County Tipperary, 1765, Privy Counsellor, 1768, who was elevated to the peerage, in 1776, in the dignity of BARON DE MONTALT, of Hawarden; but dying without issue, the barony ceased, while the baronetcy devolved upon his brother,

SIR CORNWALLIS MAUDE (1729-1803), who represented the borough of Roscommon in parliament, and was elevated to the peerage, in 1793, in the dignity of VISCOUNT HAWARDEN.

His lordship married firstly, in 1756, Letitia, daughter of Thomas Vernon, of Hanbury Hall, Worcestershire, by whom he had one daughter, Elizabeth Letitia; and secondly, in 1766, Mary, daughter of Philip Allen, and niece of Ralph Allen, of Prior Park, Somerset, by whom he had further issue,

THOMAS RALPH, his successor;
Sophia Maria; Emma.

His lordship wedded thirdly, Anne Isabella, daughter of Thomas Monck, barrister, and niece of the Viscount Monck, by whom he had further issue,

CORNWALLIS, of whom hereafter;
Robert William Henry, Dean of Clogher, Archdeacon of Dublin;
James Ashley (Sir), Captain RN; KCH, CB;
John Charles, in holy orders;
Francis, Commander RN; CB;
Isabella Elizabeth; Georgiana; Alicia; Charlotte; Mary Anne; Emily; Catherine.

His lordship died in 1803, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

THOMAS RALPH, 2nd Viscount (1767-1807), who espoused the Lady Frances Anne Agar, only daughter of His Grace Charles, Earl of Normanton, Lord Archbishop of Dublin; but dying without issue, the honours devolved upon his half-brother,

CORNWALLIS, 3rd Viscount (1780-1856).

*****

CORNWALLIS [MAUDE] (1817-1905), 4th Viscount,

Captain, 2nd Life Guards, 1849-53; a Representative Peer for Ireland (Conservative), 1862-1905; Lord in Waiting, 1866-68, 1874-80 and 1885-86; Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords, 1882; Lord-Lieutenant of Tipperary, 1885-1905.

His lordship was advanced to the dignity of an earldom, in 1886, as EARL DE MONTALT.

Lord de Montalt was the last of the family to live at Dundrum House.

On Lord de Montalt's death, the earldom became extinct.

The other titles, however, devolved upon his cousin, Robert Henry [Maude], 5th Viscount.

The 9th and present Viscount lives in Kent.

DUNDRUM HOUSE, near Cashel, County Tipperary, was built about 1730, the nucleus of a fine estate once owned by the the O'Dwyers of Kilnamanagh.

The O'Dwyer estate was subsequently confiscated and Robert Maude was given all of the O'Dwyer land, including the O'Dwyer manor and castle of Dundrum.

This is a Palladian mansion, comprising a centre block of two storeys over a high basement, joined by short links to flanking pavilions.

The entrance front has seven bays, with a three-bay, pedimented breakfront.

There is an impressive, double-pedimented stable block at right-angles to the entrance front.

An additional storey, treated as an attic above the cornice, was added to the main block about 1890 by the 4th Viscount Hawarden (later 1st and last Earl de Montalt).

In 1909, when Dundrum House demesne was for sale, it was acquired by a religious order, who later established a Domestic Science College.

Until recently the mansion house was used as a retreat.

Having been acquired by Austin and Mary Crowe in 1978, with extensive renovation and restoration, Dundrum House was opened as a hotel in 1981.

First published in November, 2012.