Rahinston House

THE FOWLERS WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY MEATH, WITH 8,026 ACRES

STEPHEN FOWLER (younger son of Richard Fowler, by Margaret, daughter of Richard, 1st Baron Newport), wedded Elizabeth, daughter and heir of John Cock, of Skendleby Thorpe, Lincolnshire, and had issue.

His only surviving son,

GEORGE FOWLER, espoused Mary, daughter and co-heir of Robert Hurst, and had issue,

George, died unmarried;
Hurst, left a daughter;
ROBERT, of whom we treat;
Mary.

His third son,  

THE MOST REV AND RT HON ROBERT FOWLER (1724-1801), Lord Archbishop of Dublin, educated at Westminster School, and Trinity College, Cambridge, was one of the Chaplains to GEORGE II, and Prebendary at Westminster.

In 1771, he was consecrated Lord Bishop of Killaloe and Kilfenora in Ireland, and, 1773, was translated to the archiepiscopal see of Dublin.

His Grace was subsequently sworn of the Privy Council and became, at the institution of the Most Illustrious Order of St Patrick, 1783, its first Chancellor.

The Archbishop married Mildred, eldest daughter (and co-heir of her brother) of William Dealtry, of Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, and had a son, ROBERT; and two daughters:

Mildred, m 1793, Edmund, Earl of Kilkenny;
Frances m 1795, the Hon and Rt Rev Richard Bourke.

The Prelate of the Order was ex officio the Lord Archbishop of Armagh; the Chancellor was ex officio the Lord Archbishop of Dublin.

The Chancellor's Badge (above), part of the insignia of the Order, was a small, purse-shaped item, which was suspended by a broad ribbon from the neck.

The office of Chancellor became secular when the Church of Ireland was disestablished.

His Grace died in 1801, and was succeeded by his only son,

THE RT REV ROBERT FOWLER, educated at Westminster School, and Christ Church, Oxford, who was appointed Dean of St Patrick's, became Archdeacon of Dublin, and was afterwards consecrated Lord Bishop of Ossory and Ferns.

He married, in 1796, the Hon Louisa Gardiner, eldest daughter of Luke, Viscount Mountjoy, and sister of Charles John, Earl of Blessington, and had issue,

ROBERT, of Rahinston House;
Luke, of Wellbrook.

His lordship died in 1841, and was succeeded by his elder son,

ROBERT FOWLER JP DL (1797-1868), of Rahinston and Rathmolyon, County Meath, who wedded firstly, in 1820, Jane Anne, eldest daughter of the Hon John Crichton, and sister of John, 3rd Earl of Erne, and had issue,

ROBERT, of Rahinston;
John Richard;
Jane Margaret; Louisa Catherine.

Mr Fowler wedded secondly, in 1831, the Lady Harriet Eleanor Wandesforde-Butler, eldest daughter of James, 2nd Marquess of Ormonde, and had further issue,

James Haddington;
Grace Louisa; Harriet Selina; Anne Mildred; Emily.

Mr Fowler was succeeded by his eldest son,

ROBERT FOWLER JP DL (1824-97), of Rahinston, High Sheriff of County Meath, 1871, called to the Irish Bar, 1850, who married, in 1856, Letitia Mabel, daughter of Henry Barry Coddington, of Oldbridge, and had issue,

ROBERT HENRY, his heir;
John Sharman, DSO;
George Hurst;
Francis FitzHerbert;
Louisa Marian; Florence Mary; Eleanor Katherine.

Mr Fowler was succeeded by his eldest son,

ROBERT HENRY FOWLER JP DL (1857-1957), of Rahinston, and Rathmolyon, High Sheriff of County Meath, 1899, Captain, 85th King's Light Infantry, who espoused, in 1890, Mabel, daughter and co-heir of the Hon St Leger R Glyn, and had issue,

ROBERT ST LEGER, his heir;
George Glyn, b 1896.

Captain Fowler was succeeded by his elder son,

ROBERT ST LEGER FOWLER MC (1891-1925), Captain, 17th Lancers, Military Cross, 1916, who died unmarried, when the family estate devolved upon his cousin,

BRIGADIER BRYAN JOHN FOWLER DSO MC (1898-1987), of Rahinston (son of George Hurst Fowler and Mabel Blakiston-Houston), who married, in 1944, Mary Olivia, daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Cecil Patteson Nickalls.

Brigadier Fowler retired from the army in 1949.

His eldest son,

JOHN ROBERT HENRY FOWLER (1946-2008), of Rahinston, wedded, in 1971, the Lady Jennifer Chichester, daughter of the 7th Marquess of Donegall.

Since John Fowler's tragic death in 2008, Lady Jennifer took over the mantle.

Lady Jennifer Fowler died on 12th March, 2013.

The training establishment continues.

Her son Harry and his wife Lorna are committed to developing the stud farm at Rahinston.

RAHINSTON HOUSE, near Summerhill, County Meath, is an Italianate house of ca 1875, "attributed stylistically to Sir Charles Lanyon" [Bence-Jones].

It has a three-bay front, faced in Roman cement with sandstone dressings; pediments over the windows.

The roof is carried on a bracket cornice.

There is a bow window at the side with curved glass.

First published in October, 2012.