Lanesborough Lodge

THE EARLS OF LANESBOROUGH OWNED 7,946 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY CAVAN

6,606 ACRES IN COUNTY FERMANAGH, AND 1,845 ACRES IN LEICESTERSHIRE

This family is not sprung from any of the ancient Irish houses of Butler; but from George Butler, of Fenny Drayton, in Cambridgeshire, and of Tewin, in Hertfordshire. This George, living in 1575, son of Edward Butler, was said to be descended from John Butler, living at Waresley, Huntingdonshire, in 1376.

SIR STEPHEN BUTLER, Knight (descended from John Butler, of Waresley, Huntingdonshire, living in 1376),

Settled in Ireland in the reign of JAMES I, being an undertaker in the plantation of Ulster, and having obtained a grant of 2,000 acres of land in County Cavan, erected a baronial castle of great strength. 

He and his co-undertakers of the precinct of Loughtee commenced, according to their agreement, the plantation of a town at Belturbet; and in his time thirty-five houses were erected, all inhabited by British tenants, most of whom were tradesmen, each having a house and garden plot, with four acres of land, and commons for a certain number of cattle.

Sir Stephen, High Sheriff of County Cavan, 1622, married Mary, daughter and co-heir of Gervais Brinsley, of Brinsley, in Nottinghamshire; and dying in 1639, was succeeded by his eldest son,

JAMES BUTLER, of Belturbet; at whose decease, without issue, the estates devolved upon his brother,

STEPHEN BUTLER, MP for Belturbet, 1661-2, who wedded Anne, daughter of Sir James Barry, 1st Baron Barry of Santry, and was succeeded at his decease, in 1662, by his eldest son,

FRANCIS BUTLER (1634-1702), MP for Belturbet [1662-6], 1692-9, who married Judith, daughter of the Rt Hon Sir Theophilus Jones, of Osberstown, County Kildare, and was succeeded at his decease by his eldest son,

THE RT HON THEOPHILUS BUTLER (c1669-1723), of Belturbet, County Cavan, MP for County Cavan, 1703-13, Belturbet, 1713-14, who was elevated to the peerage, in 1715, in the dignity of Baron Newtownbutler, with remainder, in default of male issue, to the male descendants of his father, having previously represented County Cavan in parliament and being called to the Privy Council.

His lordship espoused Emilia, elder daughter and co-heir of James Stopford, of Tara, County Meath; but leaving no issue at his decease, the title devolved upon his brother,

BRINSLEY, 2nd Baron (1670-1735), MP for Kells, 1703-13, Belturbet, 1713-24, Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, Colonel of the Battle-axe guards, who was created, in 1728, Viscount Lanesborough.

His lordship married Catherine, daughter and co-heir of Neville Pooley, of the city of Dublin, by whom he had no less than twenty-three children, five only of whom, however, survived infancy, namely,

HUMPHREY, his successor;
Thomas, Governor of Limerick;
Robert, MP, Captain, Battle-axe Guards;
John, MP for Newcastle;
Judith, m to B J Cramer.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

HUMPHREY, 2nd Viscount (1700-68), who wedded, in 1726, Mary, daughter and heir of Richard Berry, of Wardenstown, County Westmeath, by whom he had an only son.

His lordship was created, in 1756, EARL OF LANESBOROUGH, and was succeeded by his son,


BRINSLEY, 2nd Earl (1728-79), who wedded, in 1754, Jane, only daughter of Robert, 1st Earl of Belvedere, and had issue,

ROBERT HERBERT, his successor;
Augustus Richard, father of the 5th and 6th Earls;
Mary; Catherine; Charlotte; Caroline; Sophia.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

ROBERT HERBERT, 3rd Earl (1759-1806), who married Elizabeth, eldest daughter of the Rt Hon David La Touche, by whom he had two sons,

BRINSLEY, his successor;
David.

Hid lordship was succeeded by his elder son,

BRINSLEY, 4th Earl (1783-1847), who died unmarried, when the titles reverted to his cousin,

GEORGE JOHN DANVERS, 5th Earl (1794-1866), who wedded firstly, in 1815, Frances Arabella, daughter of Colonel Stephen Francis William Fremantle; and secondly, in 1851, Frederica Emma, daughter of Charles Bishop.

His lordship died without issue, when the titles reverted to his cousin,

JOHN VANSITTART DANVERS, 6th Earl (1839-1905), DL, Captain, Royal Navy, who espoused, in 1864, Anne Elizabeth, daughter of the Rev John Dixon Clark, and had issue,

CHARLES JOHN BRINSLEY, his successor;

HENRY CAVENDISH, 8th Earl;

Francis Almeric;

Brian Danvers;

Winifred Emma.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

CHARLES JOHN BRINSLEY, 7th Earl (1865-1929), MVO, who married firstly, in 1891, Dorothea Gwladys Ellen More, daughter of Major-General Sir Henry Tombs VC, and had issue,

John Brinsley Danvers, styled Lord Newtownbutler (1893-1912);

Eileen Gwladys; Moyra Elizabeth.

He wedded secondly, in 1922, Dorothy Kate, daughter of James Deane Brand.

His lordship died without male issue, when the titles devolved upon his brother,

HENRY CAVENDISH, 8th Earl (1868-1950), who espoused firstly, in 1894, Isabel, daughter of Ralph Allen Daniell, and had issue, two daughters,

Freda; Hilda Vivien.

He married secondly, in 1917, Lillian, daughter of Sir Anthony Charles Sykes Abdy, 3rd Baronet, of Albins, Essex, and had further issue,

DENIS ANTHONY BRIAN, his successor;

Patrick Henry Stanley Danvers (1920-44).

His lordship was succeeded by his elder son,

DENIS ANTHONY BRIAN, 9th Earl (1918-98), who wedded firstly, in 1939, Bettyne Ione, only daughter of Sir William Lindsay Everard, and had issue, two daughters,

Georgina Ione; Denyne Gillian Patricia.

He married secondly, in 1995, Patricia Julia, daughter of F W Meston MC, without further issue.

The titles expired following the decease of the 9th Earl in 1998.

LANESBOROUGH LODGE, or Quivvy Lodge, County Cavan, stood very close to the border with County Fermanagh.

It was adjacent to Lord Erne's land at Crom estate.

The Lodge was a two-storey Tudor-Revival house of ca 1810, comprising a main block and a lower, two-storey service wing.

It was extended to the rear in 1846.

There were gables, mullioned windows, and a corbelled oriel.

The house is now derelict and ruinous, having been burnt in 1921.

The importance and scale of the estate is indicated on historic maps by the related structures that are marked, including a yacht house, boat house, boat slips, a landing place, an engine house, various outbuildings, ice-house, and a walled garden.

Though now ruinous, Lanesborough Lodge retains much of its historic character and form.

I have unearthed this entry from a publication of 1852:

Since this justly admired nobleman and his amiable Countess returned to their estates in Cavan, the tenantry have had one unbroken scene of rejoicing. 

Today a large party, numbering upwards of 1,000, dined at Lanesborough Lodge, Belturbet, on the invitation of the Earl and Countess. We will give the particulars in our next. 

It is to be regretted that these reunions are not more frequent generally, as they would tend to break down prejudices and unite landlords and tenants in all struggles for their mutual advantage and the benefit of the common weal. 

There is an old estate school on the way to the Lodge and beyond are the remains of a laundry and the steward's house.

The family also owned Inish Rath Island on Upper Lough Erne, County Fermanagh.

The island is located north-west of Crom estate.

The Victorian-Tudor style house on the island (above) was built in 1854 by the Hon Henry Cavendish Butler-Danvers (1811-91), a half-brother of the 5th Earl of Lanesborough.

It was subsequently purchased by the Earl of Erne for use as a hunting lodge.

During the early 20th century, the house was used for boating parties etc.

The island went through continuous change of ownership for about thirty years, when it was bought and sold.

At the height of the Northern Ireland Troubles, in 1982, property prices slumped in this border area.

A group of Hare Krishna monks, led by a German follower, Prithu Das, pooled their resources and took out a bank loan to buy Inish Rath, a perfect setting for a Hare Krishna centre.

The Hare Krishna temple was established in the west wing of the house with a magnificent gold altar at one end of the long room and a life size representation of Swami Prabhupada at the other.

Oriental arches frame the windows and polished pine floors add to the overall feeling of light and space.

SWITHLAND HALL, Leicestershire, was held by the family of Danvers until 1796, but after the death of Sir John Danvers (the last male of his line) it passed to his son-in-law, Augustus Richard Butler, 2nd son of the 2nd Earl of Lanesborough, who adopted the surname of Danvers-Butler. The current hall was partially completed in 1834 and finished in 1852 by the 6th Earl. 

The Lanesboroughs owned the following residences:

Other seats ~ Lanesborough Lodge, County Fermanagh; Swithland Hall, Leicestershire.
Town residence ~ 8 Great Stanhope Street, London.

First published in July, 2013.   Lanesborough arms courtesy of European Heraldry.