Cootehill: IV

From the edge of the lake, not far from the Iron Bridge, we could see the site of Dartrey House (or Castle), a very large mansion which was built in 1846.

The Dartrey Estate lies in County Monaghan, though straddles the neighbouring county of Cavan.

Dartey: Basement Cellar (Image: Henry Skeath, 2002)

All that remains of the house are the ruins of the basement and cellars, so it's almost invisible at ground level from a distance.

Dartrey: Basement Cellar (Image: Henry Skeath, 2002)

The Land Acts deprived great estates like Dartrey and Lough Fea of their income and, when the 2nd Earl of Dartrey died in 1920, without a male heir, the estate was inherited by his eldest daughter, Lady Edith.

Dartrey: Ruins (Image: Henry Skeath, 2002)

Crippled by the immense cost of maintaining Dartrey, its outbuildings, gate lodges, stable block, and everything else, Lady Edith decided initially to sell the contents of the house.

A four-day auction of the contents, including thousands of books from the library, and valuable old-master paintings, was held in 1937.

Dartrey: Terrace Steps (Image: Henry Skeath, 2002)

Lady Edith Windham (1883-1974) couldn't afford the exorbitant rates bills, and found it impossible to find a buyer for the house, so made the decision to salvage what she could of it, including the slates, staircases, and doors, wooden casings etc, before Dartrey House was finally demolished in 1946.

By this stage Lady Edith was living in the former land steward's house, not far from the big house itself.

First published in August, 2020.