Courtown House

THE EARLS OF COURTOWN WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY WEXFORD, WITH 14,426 ACRES 

This family is said to derive its descent from Nicholas de Stockport, Baron of Stockport, one of the eight barons of the county palatine of Chester, created by Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester, in the reign of WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR.

It is probable the family had been settled in that county before the Conquest, and certainly the estate of Salterstown, near Macclesfield, in Cheshire, belonged to the Stopfords from time immemorial.

The first of the family who settled in Ireland,

JAMES STOPFORD (1620-85), of Saltersford, Cheshire, a captain in Cromwell's army in Ireland, married firstly, Ellinor, daughter of John Morewood, of The Oaks, Yorkshire, and had issue (with a daughter),

WILLIAM, his heir, father of JAMES;

James;

Joseph, father of the Rt Rev James Stopford.

He wedded secondly, Mary, daughter of Sir Robert Forth, and had further issue, two daughters.

Upon the restoration of the royal family, acquiring considerable estates in that kingdom, partly by purchase, and partly by grants, he took up his abode at Tara Hill, County Meath.

Captain Stopford was succeeded by his grandson, 

JAMES STOPFORD (1668-1721), MP for Wexford Borough, 1703-13, County Wexford, 1713-21, who wedded Frances, daughter and heir of Roger Jones, of Dublin, by whom he had five sons and four daughters.

He was succeeded at his decease by his eldest surviving son,

JAMES STOPFORD (1700-70), MP for County Wexford, 1721-7, Fethard, 1727-58, High Sheriff of County Wexford, 1756, who was elevated to the peerage, in 1758, in the dignity of Baron Courtown, of Wexford; and, in 1762, advanced to the dignities of Viscount Stopford and EARL OF COURTOWN.

His lordship married Elizabeth, only daughter of the Rt Rev Edward Smyth, Lord Bishop of Down and Connor, and had issue,

JAMES, his successor;
Edward, lieutenant-general in the army;
Thomas (Rt Rev), Lord Bishop of Cork and Ross;
Joseph;
Philip;
Frances; Mary; Anne; Catherine; Charlotte.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

JAMES, 2nd Earl (1731-1810), KP, PC, who was created a peer of Great Britain, in 1794, as Baron Saltersford.

His lordship espoused, in 1762, Mary, daughter and co-heir of Richard Powys, of Hintlesham Hall, Suffolk, by whom he had issue,

JAMES GEORGE, his successor;
Edward (Sir), GCB;
Robert (Sir), GCB, GCMG;
Richard Bruce (Rev).

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

JAMES GEORGE, 3rd Earl (1765-1835), KP, who married, in 1791, Mary, eldest daughter of Henry, 3rd Duke of Buccleuch, by whom he had issue,

JAMES THOMAS, his successor;
Edward;
Henry Scott;
Montagu (Sir), KCB;
Robert;
Mary Frances; Jane; Charlotte; Caroline.

• James Thomas Stopford, 4th Earl (1794–1858);

• James George Henry Stopford, 5th Earl (1823–1914);

• James Walter Milles Stopford, 6th Earl (1853–1933);

• James Richard Neville Stopford, 7th Earl (1877–1957);

• James Montagu Burgoyne Stopford, 8th Earl (1908–75);

• James Patrick Montagu Burgoyne Winthrop Stopford, 9th Earl (b 1954).

The heir apparent is the present holder's son James Richard Ian Montagu Stopford, styled Viscount Stopford (b 1988).

*****

THE COURTOWNS were a "Patrick Family", the 2nd and 3rd Earls having been installed as Knights of St Patrick.

The 6th Earl was the last Lord-Lieutenant of County Wexford, from 1901 until 1922.

James Patrick Montagu Burgoyne Winthrop, 9th and present Earl, was a Lord in Waiting (Government Whip), 1995-97; representative peer to the House of Lords, 1999-.

 

COURTOWN HOUSE, near Gorey, County Wexford, was the 18th century seat of the Earls of Courtown, overlooking the sea at Courtown Harbour.

It was significantly altered and enlarged during the 19th century, following the 1798 rebellion. 

The front consisted of a U-shaped block of two storeys and a dormer attic within the high-pitched, château-style roof.

The five-bay centre had a large open porch, with a porte-cochère carried on four piers.

Courtown House was demolished in 1962, having been sold to the Irish Tourist Board in 1948.

After the 2nd World War, the income from the amount of land left in the estate was not enough to keep Courtown House going and it had to be sold.

Marlfield House, once a Dower House on the Courtown estate, dates back to the 1840s.

The Courtown family also had a seat in Cheshire, Beale Hall.

Courtown Woodland was planted with oak and ash back in 1870.

At this time it was part of a typical Victorian estate woodland where exotic conifers and redwoods from California were planted within viewing distance of Courtown House.

Oak plantations were established at some distance.

They were under-planted with shrubs to provide food for pheasants for shooting parties.

The woodland was regularly cleared and used as firewood by local tenants.

During the 1860s and 1870s the 5th Earl established a pinetum, or conifer collection, in the grounds around Courtown House.

A small number of these trees remain today in the Woodland and in property across the river. 

Courtown arms courtesy of European Heraldry.  First published in January, 2012.

Ballinlough Castle

THE NUGENT BARONETS, OF BALLINLOUGH, OWNED 4,692 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY WESTMEATH

This family paternally derives from the Milesian sept of O'Reilly, Princes of Lower Breffny.

Of the O'Reillys, Richard Gough, in his additions to William Camden's Britannia, makes the following observations:-

WHENCE Mr Camden received his information that the O'Reillys derive from the Ridleys does not concern us to inquire. 

Spencer falls into a similar error; he derives the MacMahons from the Veres of England, because the one in Latin, and the other in Irish, have some affinity in sound to the name of bour pig [sic] in those languages; but both are equally the impositions of etymology. 

Before the English got footing in Ireland, the O'Reillys of Cavan, the MacMahons of Monaghan, the Maguires of Fermanagh, the O'Donnells of Donegal, with other chieftains in their own septs, were tributaries to O'Neill of Tyrone. 

Such of the descendants of those chieftains as I have conversed with seem rather to glory in their Milesian extraction. 

When Hugh O'Neill threw off his allegiance to ELIZABETH I, he also threw off the title of Earl of Tyrone, saying that he would "rather be O'Neill of Ulster than King of Spain."

JAMES O'REILLY, of Ballinlough Castle, County Westmeath, married Barbara, daughter of Andrew Nugent, of Tullaghan, in the same county, and granddaughter, maternally, of Thomas, Earl of Westmeath, and had issue,

HUGH, his heir;
Andrew;
James;
Margaret, created BARONESS TALBOT OF MALAHIDE;
Barbara.

Mr O'Reilly was succeeded by his eldest son,

HUGH O'REILLY (1741-1821), Lieutenant-Colonel, Westmeath Militia, who wedded, in 1781, Catherine Mary Anne, only daughter and heir of Charles Mathew, of Thurles, County Tipperary, cousin of the Earl Landaff, and had issue,

JAMES, his successor;
JOHN, 3rd Baronet;
Lavelin;
Eliza; Barbara; Isabella.

Mr O'Reilly was created a baronet in 1795, designated of Ballinlough, County Westmeath.

On the death of his uncle, John Nugent, of Tullaghan, he assumed his maternal surname of NUGENT solely, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR JAMES NUGENT, 2nd Baronet, who espoused, in 1811, Susan Victoria Regina Mary, only daughter of Baron D'Arabet, of the Holy Roman Empire, and dying sp, 1843, was succeeded by his next brother,

SIR JOHN NUGENT, 3rd Baronet (1800-59), 1st Count of the Austrian Empire, and an officer of rank in the Austrian Service, who married, in 1842, Letitia Maria, daughter of Charles Whyte Roche, of County Limerick, and had issue,

HUGH JOSEPH, his successor;
CHARLES, 5th Baronet;
John Nicholas;
James O'Reilly;
Andrew Greville;
Letitia Mary; Kathleen Mary Georgina; Helena Mary.

Sir John was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR HIGH JOSEPH NUGENT, 4th Baronet (1845-63), who was accidentally killed while shooting, and was succeeded by his next brother,

SIR CHARLES NUGENT, 5th Baronet (1847-1927), 2nd Count, Lieutenant, 17th Lancers, who wedded, in 1871, Emily Ruth Eades, daughter of Thomas Walker, and had issue, an only child,

SIR HUGH CHARLES NUGENT, 6th Baronet (1904-83), 3rd Count, who espoused, in 1931, Margaret Mary Lavallin, daughter of the Rev Herbert Lavallin Puxley, and had issue,

JOHN EDWIN LAVALLIN, his successor;
David Hugh Lavallin.

Sir Hugh was succeeded by his elder son,

SIR JOHN EDWIN LAVALLIN NUGENT, 7th Baronet (1933-2009), JP, 4th Count, High Sheriff of Berkshire, 1981, Lieutenant, Irish Guards, who married, in 1959, Penelope Anne, daughter of Brigadier Richard Nigel Hanbury. and had issue,

NICHOLAS MYLES JOHN, his successor;
Grania Clare.

Sir John was succeeded by his son,

SIR NICHOLAS MYLES JOHN NUGENT, 8th and present Baronet (1967-), 5th Count of the Austrian Empire, of Ballinlough Castle, Director, Goffs Bloodstock Sales, who married, in 1999, Alice Mary, daughter of Captain Peter Dane Player, of Whatton Manor, Nottinghamshire, and has issue,

Lucy Rose, b 2001;
Katie Violet (2003-10).

BALLINLOUGH CASTLE, Clonmellon, County Westmeath, was reconstructed in the 1730s.

The main part of the castle, however, was built in the early 17th century: "1614" is the date on the O' Reilly coat-of-arms above the front door, although this may be inaccurate by several decades.

The newer wing at Ballinlough was added by Sir Hugh O'Reilly, 1st Baronet, ca 1790, and is probably attributable to the amateur architect Thomas Wogan Browne, also responsible for Malahide Castle, County Dublin, the home of Sir Hugh O'Reilly's sister Margaret, Baroness Talbot of Malahide.

The ground floor contains a large drawing-room and dining-room, with four first-floor bedrooms approached by a vaulted corridor above.

The spacious interiors have what may be the tallest windows in a private house of this period, overlooking the woods and lake.

The chimneypiece in the drawing-room is identical to a Wyatt chimneypiece at Curraghmore, County Waterford.

The Nugents of Ballinlough are almost unique in being a Catholic Celtic-Irish family who still live in their family castle.

First published in September, 2018

Kilboy House

THE BARONS DUNALLEY WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY TIPPERARY, WITH 21,081 ACRES

The founder of this noble family in Ireland was

COLONEL HENRY PRITTIE who, for his loyalty and eminent services to the crown during the civil wars, had a grant or confirmation, from CHARLES II, of Dunalley Castle and other estates in County Tipperary, by patent, in 1678.

Henry Prittie, High Sheriff of County Carlow, 1650, Tipperary, 1659, was a captain in the Kentish Regiment of Horse, New Model Army; major, Cromwell's new Regiment of Horse.

He wedded Honor, daughter of Richard Foley, and had issue,

HENRY;

Honor; Abigail; Elizabeth.

The only son,

HENRY PRITTIE (1683-1738), High Sheriff of County Tipperary, 1706,  sustained a siege of twenty-one days, in his castle of Dunalley, against the disbanded soldiers of of the royal army of JAMES II after the battle of the Boyne.

The besiegers, however, at length entering, Mr Prittie was flung headlong from the top of the castle, though miraculously escaped unhurt.

He married Elizabeth, sister of Charles Alcock, and had issue,

HENRY, his successor;
Richard;
Priscilla; Elizabeth; Honora; Catherine; Judith.

The elder son,

HENRY PRITTIE (1708-68), of Dunalley Castle, MP for County Tipperary, 1761-8, wedded, in 1736, Deborah, daughter of the Ven Benjamin O'Neale, Archdeacon of Leighlin, and had issue,

HENRY, his successor;
Deborah; Elizabeth; Catherine; Martha; Margaret; Hannah.

Mr Prittie was succeeded by his son,

HENRY PRITTIE (1743-1801), of Dunalley, who espoused, in 1766, Catherine, second daughter and co-heir of Francis Sadlier, of Sopwell Hall, County Tipperary, widow of John Bury, and mother, by him, of Charles William, Earl of Charleville, and had issue,

HENRY, his successor;
Francis Aldborough, MP;
Catherine; Deborah; Mary; Martha; Elizabeth.

Mr Prittie, MP for Banagher, 1767-8, Gowran, 1769-76, County Tipperary, 1776-90, was elevated to the peerage, in 1800, in the dignity of BARON DUNALLEY, of Kilboy, County Tipperary.

• Henry Prittie, 1st Baron (1743–1801);
• Henry Sadlier Prittie, 2nd Baron (1775–1854);
• Henry Prittie, 3rd Baron (1807–85);
• Henry O'Callaghan Prittie, 4th Baron (1851–1927);
• Henry Cornelius O'Callaghan Prittie, 5th Baron (1877–1948);
• Henry Desmond Graham Prittie, 6th Baron (1912–92);
• Henry Francis Cornelius Prittie, 7th Baron (b 1948).

The heir apparent is the present holder's son, the Hon Joel Henry Prittie.

The 4th Baron was the last Lord-Lieutenant of County Tipperary, from 1905 until 1922.

Henry Francis Cornelius Prittie, 7th and present Lord Dunalley, lives in Oxfordshire.

A note in the Dunalley Papers records the sale of the Kerry estate of this family to the Crosbies in 1742 for £1,500.

KILBOY HOUSE, near Nenagh, County Tipperary, was a middle to late 18th century house built for Henry Prittie MP, afterwards 1st Lord Dunalley, to the design of William Leeson.

It had three storeys over a basement; a five-bay entrance front with a central pediment; and four large, engaged Doric columns.

The top storey was treated as an attic above the cornice.

There was a five-bay side elevation.

Lord Dunalley & Party standing on steps

The mansion was burnt in 1922 and afterwards rebuilt minus the top storey.

About 1955, the house was demolished and a single-storey house in the Georgian style was built over the original basement.

More recently permission was granted for the reconstruction of a new Kilboy House, by the prominent businessman and philanthropist, Tony Ryan.

The project followed a fire that destroyed a large part of the property in 2005.

The local council granted planning permission for the partial demolition of the existing fire-damaged, listed, single-storey dwelling.

The former three-storey period residence over basement, based on the Georgian mansion house, has been built.

The application, in the name of Tony Ryan's son, Shane, and his wife, stated that the aim was to rebuild the house as it was originally constructed in 1780.

Before reconstruction began, the Ryans paid €60,964 to the council as a contribution to providing public infrastructure such as roads and water.

Dunalley arms courtesy of European Heraldry.  First published in January, 2012.