Blarney Castle

THE COLTHURST BARONETS WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY CORK, WITH 31,260 ACRES

JOHN COLTHURST, of Ballyanly, County Cork (great-grandson of Christopher Colthurst, murdered near Macroom, in 1641, son of Colonel John Colthurst, who was murdered by the rebels, 1607), High Sheriff of County Cork, 1725, married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Nicholas Purdon, Knight, and  had two sons,

NICHOLAS, his heir;
JOHN, successor to his brother.

The elder son,

COLONEL NICHOLAS COLTHURST (1676-1754), of Ballyanly, High Sheriff of County Cork, 1736, espoused Penelope, second daughter of Sir John Topham, Knight, of Dublin, one of the Masters in Chancery, and had (with two daughters), an only son, Topham, who died under age.

Colonel Colthurst was succeeded by his brother,

JOHN COLTHURST (1678-1756), of Ardrum, MP for Tallow, 1734-56, High Sheriff of County Cork, 1738, wedded firstly, Alice, daughter of James Conway; and secondly, Mahetabel, daughter of William Wallis.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

JOHN CONWAY COLTHURST (c1720-75), MP for Doneraile, 1751-60, Youghal, 1761-8, Castlemartyr, 1768-75, who wedded, in 1741, the Lady Charlotte FitzMaurice, daughter of Thomas, 1st Earl of Kerry, by whom he had five sons.

Mr Colthurst was created a baronet in 1774, designated of Ardrum, County Cork.

Sir John was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR JOHN CONWAY COLTHURST, 2nd Baronet (c1743-87), who was killed in a duel with Dominick Trant; and dying unmarried, the title devolved upon his brother,

SIR NICHOLAS COLTHURST, 3rd Baronet,  High Sheriff of County Cork, 1788, who wedded Harriet, second daughter of the Rt Hon David La Touche,  and had issue,

NICHOLAS CONWAY, his heir;
Elizabeth; Catherine.

Sir Nicholas died in 1795, and was succeeded by his only son,

SIR NICHOLAS CONWAY COLTURST, 4th Baronet (1789-1829), Colonel, Cork Militia, MP for Cork, 1812-29, who espoused, in 1819, Elizabeth, daughter of Colonel George Vesey, and had, with other issue,

GEORGE CONWAY, his successor;
Charles Vesey.

Sir Nicholas was succeeded by his elder son,

SIR GEORGE CONWAY COLTHURST, 5th Baronet (1824-78), JP DL MP, High Sheriff of County Cork, 1850, who married, in 1846, Louisa Jane, daughter of St John George Jefferyes, and had issue,

GEORGE ST JOHN, his successor;
Alice Conway; Louisa Julia.

Sir George was succeeded by his son,

SIR GEORGE ST JOHN COLTHURST, 6th Baronet (1850-1925), JP DL, who wedded, in 1881, Edith Jane Thomasina, daughter of Captain Jonas Morris, and had issue,

GEORGE OLIVER, his successor;
RICHARD ST JOHN JEFFERYES, succeeded his brother as 8th Baronet;
Edith Dorothy.

Sir George was succeeded by his elder son,

SIR GEORGE OLIVER COLTHURST, 7th Baronet (1882-1951), who died unmarried, when the title devolved upon his brother,

SIR RICHARD ST JOHN JEFFERYES COLTHURST, 8th Baronet (1887-1955), High Sheriff of County Dublin, 1920-21,

Sir Richard St John Jefferyes Colthurst, 8th Baronet (1887–1955);
Sir Richard la Touche Colthurst, 9th Baronet (1928–2003);
Sir Charles St John Colthurst, 10th Baronet (b 1955);

BLARNEY CASTLE, Blarney, County Cork, is an unusually large tower-house of 1446 which incorporates the famous Blarney Stone, high up beneath the battlements.

The 4th Earl of Clancarty had supported JAMES II, with the result that his forfeited estate was granted to the Hollow Swords Company at the end of the Williamite wars.

In 1704 the Mayor of Cork, Sir James St John Jefferyes, purchased the estate and built a new house attached to the original castle.

This was greatly enlarged by his descendants and developed into large Georgian Gothic building with a central bow, rows of lancet windows and pinnacled battlements.

In 1820 this house was destroyed by fire and not rebuilt, though its remains can still be seen today.

In 1846 Louisa Jane, the Jefferyes heiress, married a neighbour, Sir George Colthurst, of Ardrum near Inniscarra.

He was a man of property, with another large estate at Ballyvourney near the border with County Kerry, along with Lucan House in County Dublin.

He also inherited Blarney on his father-in-law’s death.

When her first children died, Lady Colthurst demanded a new house at Blarney on an elevated site.

This was built in the Scots Baronial style, to the designs of Sir Thomas Lanyon of Belfast who, rather surprisingly, incorporated a number of classical details from Ardrum into the design.

Their high quality shows that this must have been an important building.

BLARNEY HOUSE is typical of its type, with pinnacles, crow-stepped gables and a profusion of turrets with conical roofs.

The interior has a double height inner hall, lit from above, a pair of interconnecting drawing rooms and a massive oak staircase.

The style varies from faux Jacobean to Adam Revival, and the rooms have tall plate-glass windows which overlook the lake.

Nearby, the Jefferyes family created the unique Rock Close, an early 18^th century druidic garden layout of large rocks, boulders and yew trees; with dolmens, a stone circle and a druid’s altar.

Today Blarney House is the home of Sir Charles Colthurst, 10th Baronet.

In 2009, Sir Charles donated the family papers of the Colthurst family to the Cork City and County Archives, adding to a previous legal collection relating to this family already in the Archives.

Other former residences ~ Ardrum, Inniscarra; Glenmervyn, Glanmire, Co Cork.

First published in November, 2011.

County Antrim Rivers

EDITED EXTRACTS FROM THE TOPOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY OF IRELAND, 1837

THE two largest rivers are the Lagan and the Bann, both of which rise in County Down: at Belfast the Lagan spreads into the wide estuary called the Bay of Belfast, or Belfast Lough, and above it, with the aid of several cuts, has been made navigable to Lisburn, forming part of the navigation [canal] between Belfast and Lough Neagh: the Bann flows through Lough Neagh and Lough Beg, and continues its course to Coleraine, below which it falls into the sea.

Most of the rivers strictly belonging to the county in the mountains on the coast, and owing to the rapidity and shortness of their currents, are unnavigable.

The Bush runs westward from the mountains of Lissanoure to Benvarden, and then northward to the sea at Portballintrae: the Maine [or Main] flows southward into Lough Neagh, and has three copious tributaries, the Ravel, the Braid, and the Glenwherry: the Six Mile Water also falls into Lough Neagh, at Antrim; and the Crumlin and Glenavy rivers at Sandy Bay.

The rapidity of these and the smaller rivers renders their banks peculiarly advantageous sites for bleach greens, cotton mills, and flour and corn mills, of which the last are especially numerous.

The only artificial line of navigation is the Lagan Canal: its construction was powerfully aided by the noble family of Chichester, and the expense amounted to £62,000 [about £10 million in 2023], raised by debentures.

The Downshire Estates

Arms of Wills, 1st Marquess of Downshire,
created Baron Harwich in 1756

During the Victorian era the Downshire estates were vast.

The Hills, Earls of Hillsborough and MARQUESSES OF DOWNSHIRE, had become the largest landowners in County Down.

Arthur, the 6th Marquess, owned 78,051 acres of land in County Down, 15,766 acres in County Wicklow, 13,679 in the King's County, 5,787 in County Antrim, 5,287 in Berkshire, 1,338 in County Kildare, and 281 acres in Suffolk.

This amounted to a grand total of 120,189 acres of land in the realm.

Lord Downshire administered his estates from Hillsborough, County Down.

An article in the Ulster Journal of Archæology, third series, volume twelve, dated 1949, written by E R R Green, explains that

"The wealth of the Hill family was not founded on confiscation, like that of most of the 18th century Irish aristocracy, but on successful land speculation and fortunate marriages."

"SIR MOYSES HILL ... along with HUGH MONTGOMERY and JAMES HAMILTON ... built his fortunes on the ruin of Conn O'Neill of Castlereagh, the last native ruler of South Clandeboy."

"As early as 23 September, 1607, Conn conveyed Castlereagh and some other townlands lying around it to Hill, and in 1616 he granted a further very large tract to Sir Moyses and Sir James Hamilton."

"In 1608, the Corporation of Carrickfergus granted him lands in the liberties of the town."

"He also leased lands from SIR ARTHUR CHICHESTER at Malone, near Belfast, where he built a palisaded fort, the first Hillsborough. He died in 1630."

"His second son, Arthur, was active in buying and leasing land from the Magennises of Kilwarlin ..."

"Before the 1641 rebellion Arthur Hill was building up a considerable estate not only around Cromlyn, later to become his capital with the name of Hillsborough, but also further afield in Upper Iveagh around Carquillan, the later Hilltown."

"Arthur Hill was wise enough to serve Parliament and was rewarded by the grant of over 2,000 acres of land in Kilwarlin, erected, along with his other lands, into the manors of Hillsborough and Growle [Growell] by the Protectorate in 1657."

"Arthur's son, Moyses, married the daughter of his cousin, Francis Hill, of Hillhall, and so united the Castlereagh and Kilwarlin estates."

"All the children of this marriage died unmarried and his half-brother, William, inherited the estate."

"William's first wife, Eleanor Boyle, daughter of the Archbishop of Armagh, brought him the BLESSINGTON estate; and his second wife, Mary Trevor, brought him the third part of Sir Marmaduke Whitechurch's estate at LOUGHBRICKLAND, County Down."

"A townland exempted from King James I's grant of the Lordship of Newry was purchased at the end of the seventeenth century."

"The growth of the linen trade in the 18th century brought great prosperity to the west Down estates of the Hills."

"Banbridge, which passed into their hands in 1748, when Richard White sold Lord Hillsborough four townlands there ..."

"Wills Hill (1718-93) was a prominent figure in the world of his day, being President of the Board of Trade from 1763-5 and again in 1768, and Secretary of State for the Colonies from 1768 until his resignation in 1772."

"The wealth which enabled him to cut to fine a figure in politics was not stinted on his estates."

"He built the beautiful parish church at Hillsborough in 1773, the mansion, and most of the village."

"He became Earl of Hillsborough in 1751, and Marquis of Downshire in 1789."

"Arthur, the 2nd Marquis (1753-1801), married Mary Sandys, an heiress, who brought him East Hampstead Park in Berkshire, DUNDRUM in County Down, and Edenderry in King's County."

"Mary Sandys inherited these Irish properties from her grandmother, sister of the ... Viscount Blundell who had died in 1756."

"The house of Downshire had now reached its fullest expansion ..."

First published in August, 2021.

1st Marquess of Downshire

This family, of Norman extraction, was originally called de la Montagne. In the reign of EDWARD III its members were styled "Hill, alias de la Montagne"; but in succeeding ages they were known by the name of HILL only.

SIR MOYSES HILL (c1554-1630), Knight, descended from the family of HILL, of Devon (two members of which were judges of England in the beginning of the 15th century, and one Lord Mayor of London, 1484), went over to Ulster, as a military officer, with the Earl of Essex, in 1573, to suppress O'Neill's rebellion.

This Moyses Hill was subsequently appointed governor of Olderfleet Castle, an important fortress at the period, as it protected Larne harbour from the Scots.

His first land purchase in County Down came in 1607, when he bought the Castlereagh estates of the hapless Con O'Neill.

Thereafter Sir Moyses acquired the 5,000 acre Kilwarlin estate (now Hillsborough)  from the Magennises.

He represented County Antrim in parliament, 1613, and having distinguished himself during a long life, both as a soldier and a magistrate.

He married firstly, Alice, sister of Sorley Boy MacDonnell, and had issue,

PETER, his heir;

Mary; Penelope; Frances.

Sir Moyses wedded secondly, Anne Grogan, and had further issue,

Arthur.

Sir Moyses was succeeded by his elder son,

PETER HILL, Provost Marshal and Sheriff of County Down, 1641; but we pass to his younger son, ARTHUR, who eventually inherited the estates, upon the demise of Peter's only son, Francis Hill, of Hill Hall, without male issue.

The said

ARTHUR HILL (c1601-63), of Hillsborough, created Constable of Hillsborough Fort, 1660, was Colonel of a regiment in the service of CHARLES I, and he sat in parliament under the usurpation of CROMWELL, as well as after the Restoration, when he was sworn of the privy council.

Colonel Hill married firstly, Anne, daughter of Sir Richard Bolton, LORD CHANCELLOR OF IRELAND, by whom he had, with other issue, Moyses, who wedded his cousin Anne, eldest daughter of Francis Hill, of Hill Hall, and left three daughters.

He espoused secondly, Mary, daughter of Sir William Parsons, one of the Lords Justices of Ireland, and had three other sons and a daughter, the eldest of whom,

WILLIAM HILL (1640-92), succeeded to the estates at the decease of his half-brother, Moyses, without male issue.

Mr Hill was of the Privy Council to CHARLES II, and JAMES II, and was MP for County Down.

He married firstly, Eleanor, daughter of the Most Rev Dr Michael Boyle, Lord Archbishop of Armagh, LORD CHANCELLOR OF IRELAND, by whom he had an only son, MICHAEL; secondly, Mary, eldest daughter of SIR MARCUS TREVOR, who was created Viscount Dungannon (1st creation) in 1662 for his signal gallantry in wounding OLIVER CROMWELL at Marston Moor, and had two other sons.

Mr Hill was succeeded by his eldest son,

MICHAEL HILL (1672-99), of Hillsborough, a member of the privy council, and of the parliaments of England and Ireland, who espoused Anne, daughter and heir of Sir John Trevor, of Brynkinalt, Denbighshire, Master of the Rolls, Speaker of the House of Commons, and first Lord Commissioner of the Great Seal, and had two sons,

TREVOR, his heir;
Arthur, 1st VISCOUNT DUNGANNON (2nd creation).

Mr Hill was succeeded by his elder son,

TREVOR HILL (1693-1742), of Hillsborough, who was elevated to the peerage, in 1717, in the dignities of Baron Hill, of Kilwarlin, and Viscount Hillsborough, of County Down.

His lordship wedded Mary, eldest daughter and co-heir of Anthony Rowe, of Muswell Hill, Middlesex; and left (with a daughter, Anne, wedded to JOHN, 1ST EARL OF MOIRA) an only son, his successor,

WILLS, 2nd Viscount (1718-93), who was created Viscount Kilwarlin and Earl of Hillsborough, in 1751, with remainder, in default of male issue, to his uncle Arthur Hill; and enrolled amongst the peers of Great Britain, in 1756, as Baron Harwich, in Essex.

His lordship was advanced to an English viscountcy and earldom, in 1772, in the dignities of Viscount Fairford and Earl of Hillsborough.

The 1st Earl was further advanced, in 1789, to the dignity of a marquessate, as MARQUESS OF DOWNSHIRE.

1st Marquess of Downshire, by Pompeo Batoni
Dickinson Gallery, London and New York, Public Domain

He married, in 1747, Margaretta, daughter of Robert, 19th Earl of Kildare, and sister of James, 1st Duke of Leinster, by whom he had surviving issue,

ARTHUR, his successor;
Mary Amelia, m  1st Marquess of Salisbury;
Charlotte, m 1st Earl Talbot.

His lordship wedded secondly, Mary, 1st Baroness Stawell, and widow of the Rt Hon Henry Bilson-Legge, son of the 1st Earl of Dartmouth, by whom he had no issue.

His lordship was succeeded by his son,

ARTHUR, 2nd Marquess (1753-1801), who espoused, in 1786, Mary, Baroness Sandys, daughter of the Hon Martyn Sandys, and his wife Mary, daughter of William Trumbull, of Easthampstead Park, Berkshire, and had issue,

ARTHUR BLUNDELL SANDYS TRUMBULL, his successor;
Arthur Moyses William;
Arthur Marcus Cecil, 3rd Baron Sandys;
Arthur Augustus Edwin;
George Augusta;
Charlotte; Mary.

The 2nd Marquess died in 1801, and the Marchioness having subsequently succeeded to the estates of her uncle, Edwin, 2nd Baron Sandys, was created, in 1802, BARONESS SANDYS, with remainder to her second and younger sons successively.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

ARTHUR BLUNDELL SANDYS TRUMBULL, 3rd Marquess (1788-1845), KP, who married, in 1811, the Lady Mary Windsor, eldest daughter of Other, 5th Earl of Portsmouth, and had issue,

ARTHUR WILLS BLUNDELL SANDYS TRUMBULL WINDSOR, his successor;
William Frederick Arthur Montagu;
Arthur Edwin;
Charlotte Augusta; Mary Penelope.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

• Wills Hill, 1st Marquess (1718–93)
• Arthur Hill, 2nd Marquess (1753–1801)
• Arthur Blundell Sandys Trumbull Hill, 3rd Marquess (1788–1845)
• Arthur Wills Blundell Sandys Trumbull Windsor Hill, 4th Marquess (1812–68)
  • Arthur Hill, Viscount Kilwarlin (1841–1841)
• Arthur Wills Blundell Trumbull Sandys Roden Hill, 5th Marquess (1844–74)
• Arthur Wills John Wellington Trumbull Blundell Hill, 6th Marquess (1871–1918)
• Arthur Wills Percy Wellington Blundell Trumbull Hill, 7th Marquess (1894–1989)
• Arthur Robin Ian Hill, 8th Marquess (1929–2003)
• Arthur Francis Nicholas Wills Hill, 9th and present Marquess (b 1959)

The heir apparent is the present holder's son Edmund Robin Arthur Hill, styled Earl of Hillsborough.

The Downshire Papers are deposited at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.

In 1870, Lord Downshire owned 115,000 acres, mainly in County Down; and a further 5,000 acres at Easthampstead Park in Berkshire.

These estates generated an income of £80,000 per annum, or £3.6 million in today's money.

The Downshires also maintained a grand residence in London, Downshire House (above) at 24 Belgrave Square, now part of the Spanish embassy, it is thought.

Their principal seat was HILLSBOROUGH CASTLE; and they also had a marine residence, Murlough House, near Dundrum, also in County Down.

The Hillsborough Castle Guards

Lord Downshire sold Hillsborough Castle to the Government in about 1921, I think; and Murlough remained with the family till the 1940s or 50s.

Easthampstead Park was sold after the 2nd World War.

Other seats included North Aston Hall, Oxfordshire; Timweston, Buckinghamshire; and Hill Park, Kent.

Today the Downshires live at Clifton Castle, near Ripon in North Yorkshire.

First published in July, 2009.

1st Duke of Schomberg

DUKEDOM OF SCHOMBERG

1689-1719

FRIEDRICH HERMANN VON SCHÖNBERG (1615-90), KG, son of Hans Meinard von Schönberg and Anne (daughter of Edward, 5th Baron Dudley), of Heidelberg, Germany, General in WILLIAM III's army, was created, in 1689, Baron Teyes and Earl of Brentford.

His lordship was advanced, in 1690, to the dignities of Marquess of Harwich and DUKE OF SCHOMBERG, by WILLIAM III, the younger son to succeed first.

This Frederick Schomberg came over with the Prince of Orange at the Revolution, and at the battle of the Boyne was unhappily slain by a musket ball from his own men, in the aforesaid year, 1690.

His Grace married firstly, in 1638, his cousin, the Countess Johanna Elizabeth von Schönberg, and had issue,

MEINHARDT, 3rd Duke;
Otto;
Henry;
CHARLES, 2nd Duke.

He wedded secondly, in 1669, Susanne, youngest daughter of Daniel d'Aumale, Seigneur de Harcourt.

The 1st Duke was installed a Knight of the Garter in 1689.

1st Duke of Schomberg KG

He was succeeded by his youngest son,

CHARLES (1645-93), 2nd Duke, who died, 1693, by a wound he received in the battle of Marsaglia, leaving no issue.

His Grace was succeeded by his elder brother,

MEINHARDT, 3rd Duke (1641-1719), KG, who wedded firstly, in 1667, Louisa, daughter of Giovanni Rizzi; and secondly, 1682, Raugräfin Karoline Elisabeth, daughter of Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine, and had issue,

CHARLES LOUIS, his successor;
Caroline; Frederica; Mary.

His Grace was created, in 1690, Baron Tara, Earl of Bangor, and Duke of Leinster.

He was installed a Knight of the Garter by QUEEN ANNE in 1703.

Following the decease of the 3rd Duke in 1719, without surviving male issue, the titles all expired.

Hillingdon House

Fomer seat ~ Hillingdon House, Middlesex.

London residence ~ Schomberg House.

First published in September, 2017.  Schomberg arms courtesy of European Heraldry.

County Armagh Antiquities

EDITED EXTRACTS FROM THE TOPOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY OF IRELAND, 1837

AMONG the relics of antiquity are the remains of the fortress of Emania [Navan Fort], near Armagh, once the royal seat of the kings of Ulster.

The Danes' Cast is an extensive line of fortification in the south-eastern part of the county, and stretching into County Down.

The Danes' Cast, Scarva, County Down (Green Collection/NMNI)

The tumulus said to mark the burial place of "Nial of the Hundred Battles" [sic]* is still visible on the banks of the Callan.  (*Niall of the Nine Hostages?)

The Vicar's Cairn is situated near the city of Armagh.

Cairn Bann is in Orior barony, near Newry.

A tumulus in Killeavy parish contains an artificial cavern.

Two ancient brazen weapons were found in a bog near Carrickblacker, where a battle is said to have been fought in 941.

Spears, battle-axes, skeyns, swords, the golden torcs, and collars, rings, amulets, and gold medals, also various ornaments of silver, jet, amber, etc, have been found in different places, and are mostly preserved.

Near Hamiltonsbawn, in 1816, was found the entire skeleton of an elk, of which the head and horns were placed in the hall of the infirmary at Armagh; and in the same year also the body of a trooper was discovered in a bog near Charlemont, of which the dress and armour appeared to be of the reign of ELIZABETH I.

The religious houses, besides those of the city of Armagh, of which any memorial has been handed down to us were Clonfeacle, Killeavy, Kilmore, Straidbail-Loyce, Ballymoyer.

The most remarkable military remains are Tyrone's Ditches, near Poyntzpass, Navan Fort, the castles of Creevekeeran and Ardgonnell, Moyry Castle, and Castle Raw.

Mount Ievers Court

THE IEVERS' OWNED 1,203 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY CLARE

This family is descended from HENRY IVERS, of Yorkshire, who settled in County Clare in 1643. He was Clerk to the King's Commissioners for settling the quit rents, and afterwards became the Deputy Receiver. Mr Ivers was a magistrate and High Sheriff of that county, in which he held considerable landed property.

Further lucrative positions followed after the Restoration and, in 1680, Thomas Dinely estimated his income at £2,600 a year (about £580,000 in 2019), which allowed him to amass a considerable fortune and some 12,000 acres before his death in 1691.

Henry Ivers, High Sheriff of County Clare, 1673, married Elizabeth, daughter of Captain Stephens, of Ballysheen, and had issue,

Henry;
John;
William;
Thomas;
Robert;
GEORGE, of whom we treat;
Ambrose;
Ellen.

The sixth son,

GEORGE IEVERS, wedded a daughter of Robert Seward, of County Cork, and had issue,

ROBERT, his heir;
George;
Henry.

The eldest son,

ROBERT IEVERS, espoused Mary Parsons, of County Limerick, and died in 1783, having had issue,

Henry;
Richard;
John Henry;
GEORGE, of whom presently;
Mary; Anne; Frances.

Mr Ievers died in 1783, and was succeeded by his youngest son,

GEORGE IEVERS (c1757-1808), married, in 1783, Eleanor, daughter of James Butler, of Castle Crine, County Clare, and had issue,

Robert;
William;
George;
Thomas;
James;
EYRE, of whom hereafter;
Mary; Elizabeth; Jane.

The youngest son,

EYRE IEVERS JP (1797-1860), of Mount Ievers, wedded, in 1842, Mildred, daughter of Maurice Newnan, and had issue,

JAMES BUTLER, his heir;
Eyre;
George Maurice;
William;
Philip Glover;
Mary Shinkwin; Mildred; Elizabeth Anne.

Mr Ievers was succeeded by his eldest son,

JAMES BUTLER IEVERS JP (1844-1915), of Mount Ievers, and Quinville Abbey, County Clare, who espoused firstly, in 1866, Elizabeth Buchanan, second daughter of Robert Blackwell, of The Prairie, County Down, and had issue,

EYRE HERBERT, his heir;
Mildred.

He married secondly, in 1899, Ernesta Carlotta Nina, younger daughter of Deputy Surgeon-General George Whitla.

Mr Ievers was succeeded by his son,

EYRE HERBERT IEVERS JP (1867-1922), of Mount Ievers, and Glenduff Castle, County Limerick, Captain, 5th Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers, who wedded, in 1902, Frances Hetty Webb, only daughter of Herbert Webb Gillman, and had issue,

EYRE HERBERT, his heir;
James Henry Gillman, b 1910;
Mildred Vivian; Annie Muriel Elizabeth.

The elder son,

COLONEL EYRE HERBERT IEVERS (1904-89), wedded, in 1934, Moirin, third daughter of the Very Rev Dr Henry John Gillespie, Dean of Killaloe, and had issue,

Nial (1946-64);
Fiona, b 1948.

MOUNT IEVERS COURT, near Sixmilebridge, County Clare, was built in 1738 by Colonel Henry Ievers to the design of John Rothery.

It replaced an older tower house, shown in Dinely’s drawing, which Henry Ievers may actually have built, since a chimney-piece re-used in the house bears the date 1648.

His eldest son was disinherited for marrying “a person of noe fortune” and the estate was inherited by the second son, Colonel Thomas Ivers, MP for County Clare, who changed the family name to Ievers.

Henry’s grandson, another Henry, inherited in 1731.

Within two years he had begun the construction of a new house, Mount Ievers Court, completed in 1738 at a cost of £1,478 7s. 9d. (about £316,000 in today's money), plus the value of two horses, two mules and various other expenses.

The house was built of red brick, which became fashionable for Irish country houses in the 1730s, and has faded to a wonderful rose pink, the plan derives from Inigo Jones’s Chevening in Kent, although the facades are both simpler and more accomplished, diminishing subtly as they rise to the bold cornice.

The Walled Garden (Image: Karen Ievers, 2022)

There are two formal fronts: the south front is of cut limestone, and the north front, originally the entrance front, of brick “exquisitely disciplined by the limestone of coigns, strings and cornice”.

The builder, John Rothery, who hailed from a prominent family of architects and builders in counties Limerick and Cork, died during construction.

The Walled Garden (Image: Karen Ievers, 2022)

In the words of the architectural historian Maurice Craig, “Superlatives have been used about out this house, and with good reason” though he also admits that the building was not in the forefront of fashion since “in style and spirit there is nothing about it which could not be of 1710,” an impression heightened by the combination of heavy glazing bars, small panes and sashes four panes wide.

Set above a high basement the interior is plain but grand, with a profusion of plaster panelling, elaborate cornices, simple compartmented ceilings, unusually generous doors with robust joinery, and a splendidly carved staircase with alternating barley-sugar and fluted balusters.

The topmost floor contains a long, barrel-vaulted gallery which stretches across the full length of the building, a feature of other Rothery houses such as the long-demolished Bowen’s Court, where it was used for dancing and exercise on wet days.

A Naïf painting, used as an overmantel in one ground floor room, shows a faithful reproduction of the present garden front with a splendidly baroque double-curved perron, instead of the present arrangement of steps, all set in an elaborate formal layout that has either largely disappeared or may never have been fully completed.

(Image: Karen Ievers)

The Ievers family’s prominence in local affairs faded over the years and much of the estate was lost in the 19th and 20th centuries before the house was sold to a cousin, Squadron Leader Norman Ievers RAF (1912-93), in 1939.

Returning at the end of the 2nd World War in 1945, after his retirement from the Royal Air Force, Squadron Leader Norman Ievers was able to re-purchase the house from his cousin’s daughter and set about a sympathetic and sensitive restoration with his wife.

Today the house is owned by their son, Norman Eyre Ievers (b 1973), together with his wife and family.

First published in November, 2017.  Select bibliography: Irish Historic Houses Association.

Magenis of Finvoy

THE MAGENISES OWNED 6,816 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY ANTRIM,

AND 2,407 ACRES IN COUNTY DOWN

The family of MAGENIS were from very ancient times the territorial Lords of Iveagh, County Down, claiming descent from the renowned warrior, Connall Cearnagh. Sir Arthur Magennis, Lord of Iveagh, was elevated to the peerage, in 1623, in the dignity of VISCOUNT MAGENNIS OF IVEAGH.

A descendant of the ancient family of which his lordship was the chief,

RICHARD MAGENIS (c1711-57), of Dublin, married Alicia, daughter of William Caddell, of Downpatrick, County Down, and had issue,

RICHARD, his heir;

Henry, died 1759;

Mary; Jane; Alicia.

Mr Magenis was succeeded by his eldest son,

RICHARD MAGENIS, of Waringstown, County Down, High Sheriff of County Antrim, 1760, County Armagh, 1762, County Down, 1764; MP for Bangor, 1783-90, Fore, 1794-8, Carlingford, 1798-1800.

Mr Magenis wedded firstly, in 1760, Miss Wray (who died in the same year); and secondly, Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Colonel William Berkeley, brother of the celebrated prelate, Dr George Berkeley, Lord Bishop of Cloyne, by whom he had issue,

RICHARD, his heir;

William (Very Rev), Dean of Kilmore;

Ellen; Louisa; Emily; Alice; Harriette.

Mr Magenis died in 1807, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

RICHARD MAGENIS (c1763-1831), of Chanter Hill, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, MP for Enniskillen, 1812-28, who espoused firstly, in 1788, the Lady Elizabeth Anne Cole, daughter of William Willoughby, 1st Earl of Enniskillen, and had issue,

RICHARD WILLIAM, his heir;

William John Cole;

Henry Arthur, father of RICHARD HENRY MAGENIS AND HENRY COLE MAGENIS; grandfather of RICHARD HENRY COLE MAGENIS;

John Balfour;

Arthur Charles (Sir), GCB;

Anne Louise; Elizabeth Anne; Florence Sarah; Florence Catherine.

Mr Magenis married secondly, Elizabeth, widow of Colonel George Dashwood, and had further issue,

Frederick Richard (1816-66).

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

RICHARD WILLIAM MAGENIS JP DL (1789-1863), of Harrold Hall, Bedfordshire, Major, 7th Fusiliers, High Sheriff of County Antrim, 1830, who wedded, in 1821, Ann Maria, eldest daughter and co-heir of William Shepherd, of Bradbourne, Kent.

Major Magenis, however, dsp in 1863, and was succeeded by his nephew,

RICHARD HENRY MAGENIS JP (1831-80), of Finvoy Lodge, Ballymoney, County Antrim, High Sheriff of County Antrim, 1868, Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant, Antrim Militia Artillery, who espoused, in 1860, the Lady Louisa Anne Lowry-Corry, daughter of Armar, 3rd Earl of Belmore.

Colonel Magenis dsp 1880, and was succeeded by his brother,

MAJOR-GENERAL HENRY COLE MAGENIS JP DL (1838-1906), Royal Horse Artillery, High Sheriff of County Antrim, 1887, who died unmarried, and was succeeded by his nephew,

RICHARD HENRY COLE MAGENIS (1888-1914), of Finvoy Lodge, and Drumdoe, County Roscommon, Lieutenant, 3rd Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, who was killed in action at the first battle of the Marne.

FINVOY LODGE, near Ballymoney, County Antrim, is a two-storey Georgian house comprising a high basement and three bays.

It is rendered, with quoins.

Finvoy Lodge (Image: Nevin Taggart and the Owners)

A prominent porch was added at a later stage.

A wing to the north is greater in length than the house itself.

First published in November, 2021.

Sir Arthur Chichester

SIR JOSIAS BODLEY'S NARRATIVE OF SIR ARTHUR CHICHESTER

This historical extract from a volume of the Ulster Journal of Archæology provides a fascinating insight:-

The intrinsic interest of this humorous narrative of the holiday excursion of a knot of English officers in Ulster in the last days of ELIZABETH I's reign derives an extrinsic attraction from the fact that its author was a brother of the famous founder of the Bodleian Library. 

Sir Josias Bodley (c1550-1617) was the youngest of Sir Thomas Bodley's four brothers. 

In March, 1604, he was knighted by Mountjoy. After the pacification of Ireland he was appointed to superintend the Castles of Ireland. 

In 1609 Bodley was selected to survey the Ulster Plantation, and in recognition of this work received the appointment of director-general of the fortifications of Ireland, a post which he held until his death. 

Bodley, who died in 1617, was buried at Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin.

SIR ARTHUR CHICHESTER (1563-1625), the founder of the fortunes and acquirer of the immense estates (though not the direct ancestor) of the Donegall family, is too well known in Irish history to need much notice here.

He was, at that time, Governor of Carrickfergus; and as Sergeant-Major of the army, somewhat similar to the rank of General, had command over the whole of the troops in Ulster; and had, accordingly, concentrated at Dungannon the troops under his own immediate command;

Sir Arthur Chichester (Image: Belfast Harbour Commissioners)

As well as those of the western parts of Ulster under the command of SIR HENRY DOCWRA (whose headquarters were at Derry, and under whose superintendence the walls and fortifications of that town were shortly afterwards erected) to drive Tyrone out of his fastnesses.

Choosing such a season of the year, to perform such a duty in such a locality, Sir Arthur proved himself as ignorant in strategy as he was subsequently pre-eminent in statesmanship;

and it is amusing to read the growlings [sic] of the rough old soldier, Docwra, as given in his narrative, at being dragged across the country on such a fruitless expedition, and his despair on climbing a hill to view the woods of Glenconkeine*, spread far and wide before him,

without a road to penetrate or a guide to trust; besides having to ford a river which, if swollen by rain, would eventually cut off his retreat.

It reminds us of some of the difficulties we read of as attendant on the late Caffre war.

Sir Arthur Chichester was appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland, 1604-5, and held that office for the long period of ten years, during which time he was created a peer [1st Baron Chichester].

He was then appointed Lord High Treasurer, and held that office till his death in 1625.

His monument is to be seen in Carrickfergus Church.

He died without issue and was succeeded by his brother.

*Glenconkeine - comprised parishes which included Desertmartin ... extended nearly from Dungannon to Dungiven. Dockwra says it was a wilderness of woods, ravines and mountains, extending 20 miles in length and 10 in breadth; and all the writers of that day agree that as a fastness it was almost impenetrable.

Traditions still exist amongst the mountains of Londonderry and Tyrone of the immense forests that filled their valleys; and of their being inaccessible from the total absence of roads.

First published in September, 2015.  Chichester arms courtesy of European Heraldry.

Huntley House

THE CHARLEYS OWNED 348 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY ANTRIM

The family of Charley, or Chorley, passing over from the north of England, settled in Ulster in the 17th century, firstly at Belfast, where they were owners of house property for two hundred years; and afterwards at Finaghy, County Antrim, where  

RALPH CHARLEY (1664-1746), of Finaghy House, was father of

JOHN CHARLEY (1712-93), of Finaghy, who left a son and successor,

JOHN CHARLEY (1744-1812), of Finaghy House, who married, in 1783, Anne Jane, daughter of Richard Wolfenden, of Harmony Hill, County Down, and had issue,

JOHN, of Finaghy House 1784-1844, died unm;
MATTHEW, of Woodbourne; father of SIR WILLIAM T CHARLEY QC MP;
WILLIAM, of Seymour Hill.

The third son,

WILLIAM CHARLEY, of Seymour Hill, Dunmurry, married, in 1817, Isabella, eldest daughter of William Hunter JP, of Dunmurry, and had issue,

JOHN, of Seymour Hill;
WILLIAM, succeeded his brother;
Edward, of Conway House;
Mary; Anne Jane; Eliza; Isabella; Emily.

Mr Charley died in 1838, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

JOHN CHARLEY, of Seymour Hill, who died unmarried, in 1843, aged 25, and was succeeded by his brother, 

WILLIAM CHARLEY JP DL (1826-90), of Seymour Hill, who married, in 1856, Ellen Anna Matilda, daughter of Edward Johnson JP, of Ballymacash, near Lisburn, and granddaughter of Rev Philip Johnson JP DL, and had issue,

William, 1857-1904;
EDWARD JOHNSON, of Seymour Hill;
John George Stewart, 1863-86;
Thomas Henry FitzWilliam, 1866-85;
Arthur Frederick, of Mossvale, b 1870;
Harold Richard;
Ellen Frances Isabella; Elizabeth Mary Florence;
Emily Constance Jane; Wilhelmina Maud Isabel.

The second son,

EDWARD JOHNSON CHARLEY (1859-1932), of Seymour Hill, was succeeded by his sixth son, 

HAROLD RICHARD CHARLEY CBE DL (1875-1956), of Seymour Hill, Colonel, 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles; fought in the Boer War and First World War, with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, and was wounded and became a PoW. 

In 1916 he started workshops for interned British servicemen at Murren. He was Officer-in-Charge for Technical Instruction for servicemen interned in Switzerland in 1917; Commissioner of British Red Cross Society, Switzerland, 1918; commander of the 1st Royal Ulster Rifles, 1919-23.

Appointed CBE, 1920; City Commandant, Ulster Special Constabulary, 1924-52; originator of the British Legion Car Park Attendants scheme (adopted throughout Great Britain); Honorary Colonel, 1938, Antrim Coast Regiment (Territorial Army).

His eldest son, 

COLONEL WILLIAM ROBERT (Robin) HUNTER CHARLEY OBE JP DL (1924-2019), married Catherine Janet, daughter of William Sinclair Kingan, in 1960. 

HUNTLEY, Dunmurry, originally known as Huntley Lodge, was built ca 1830 by William Hunter (1777-1856), of Dunmurry House, on land leased by the Stewarts of Ballydrain from the Donegall Estate.

His son William (1806-90) lived in Huntley for a time and brought up his family.

In the mid 1850s, he moved with his family to the Isle of Man.

The house was then left by his father William (1777-1856) to his widowed sister, Mrs Isabella Charley (1800-82). 

Isabella's husband, William Charley of Seymour Hill, had died in 1838 and she lived at Seymour Hill until her eldest son William was married in 1856.

Isabella then moved to Huntley, where she was joined by her late husband's sisters Mary (1820-86) and Anne Jane Stevenson (1822-1904), whose husband had died in 1855, and Emily (1837-1917).

The ladies at Huntley were talented artists, did embroidery and kept beautiful scrapbooks.

They supported many charities and gave generously to local churches, schools and church halls.

They founded the Charley Memorial School at Drumbeg in 1892 in memory of their brother William Charley (1826-90) of Seymour Hill; and also established the Stevenson Memorial School, Dunmurry.

They built the church hall in Dunmurry on the condition that a service must be held there every Sunday afternoon.

Huntley remained in the possession of the Charley family until 1932, when Edward Charley, of Seymour Hill, died.

The house was sold to Mr George Bryson, who had been a tenant there since just after the 1st World War.

Huntley now operates as a country guest house and outdoor venue for small parties.

First published in March, 2011.

Cloverhill House

THE SANDERSONS OWNED 2,560 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY CAVAN

JAMES SAUNDERSON (alias SANDERSON), of Cloverhill, Drumcassidy, County Cavan, son of Alexander Sanderson, (and nephew of Colonel Robert Sanderson, of Castle Saunderson), MP for Enniskillen, 1727-60, High Sheriff of County Cavan, 1732, married Maria, daughter of Colonel Brockhill Newburgh, of Ballyhaise, County Cavan, and had issue,

ALEXANDER, his heir;
Francis (Rev);
Robert;
Mary, m Charles Atkinson.

Mr Sanderson died in 1767, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

ALEXANDER SAUNDERSON, of Cloverhill, High Sheriff of County Cavan, 1775, who wedded Lucy, daughter of the Rev Dr Samuel Madden, of Manor Water House, Galloon, County Fermanagh, "Premium Madden," and had issue,

JAMES, his heir;
Lucy; Mary; Charlotte.

Mr Sanderson's will was proved in 1787, and he was succeeded by his only son,

JAMES SANDERSON JP DL, of Cloverhill, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Isaac Walker, of Newry, and had issue, four daughters,

Mary Anne, d unm 1873;
Lucy, m 1826, S Winter, of Agher, Co Meath; mother of SAMUEL SANDERSON;
Elizabeth;
Frances Alexandrina, m 1830, Richard Winter Reynell, of Killyon, Co Westmeath.

Mr Sanderson died suddenly in 1831, as the result of a tragic carriage accident, and was succeeded by his sister,

MARY ANNE SANDERSON, during which period the Cloverhill estate was managed by her agent. 

Miss Sanderson built a chapel of ease (St John's) at the entrance to Cloverhill demesne in memory of her late father, which was consecrated in 1860. During her time, the post office was also built.

Miss Sanderson also built the schoolmaster's house, latterly a post office, and now known as The Olde Post Inn.

Miss Sanderson died in 1873, and was succeeded by her nephew,

SAMUEL WINTER SANDERSON JP DL (1834-1912), of Cloverhill, High Sheriff of County Cavan, 1876, who married, in 1860, Anne, daughter of John Armytage Nicholson, of Balrath, County Meath.

Mr Sanderson, second surviving son of the late Samuel Winter, of Agher, assumed, in 1873, the name and arms of SANDERSON quarterly with those of WINTER.

He was succeeded by his nephew,

JOHN JAMES PURDON JP (1855-1933), Major, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, High Sheriff of County Cavan, 1915, who was succeeded by his nephew,

MAJOR JOHN NUGENT PURDON OBE (1899-1967), who sold Cloverhill demesne ca 1958 to Mr Thomas Mee. 

CLOVERHILL HOUSE, near Belturbet, County Cavan, is a three-storey edifice built for James Sanderson, to the designs of Francis Johnston.

The original block was built in 1758; followed in 1799-1802 by a greatly-enlarged addition to the east.

The top storey is concealed in the front, of three bays, the centre bay breaking forward.

There was a single-storey Ionic portico, though this was removed ca 1993 and re-erected at a house in County Wexford.

There is a wide, curved bow at one side, with Wyatt windows; and a bow-ended drawing-room.

The main entrance of the demesne boasts a plain, though noble, triumphal arch of ca 1800.

 

Further along the main avenue is the two-storey Red Lodge (the steward's lodge) which, as the name suggests, is a red brick house with timbered oriel dormers and an open porch.

The North Lodge of ca 1837 has been attributed to Edward Blore.

I visited Cloverhill in August, 2013.   I am grateful to Henry Skeath for his invaluable assistance in compiling this article.

Donegall House

DONEGALL HOUSE, built in 1785, was located at the corner of Donegall Place (Nos. 55-61) and Donegall Square North (Nos. 4-7), directly opposite the Donegall place elevation of the present Robinson & Cleaver building.

In 1611, the Jacobean Belfast Castle was built upon the site of the original castle, bounded by what's now Castle Place, Cornmarket and Castle Lane. 

It was surrounded with spacious gardens which extended from the river along to Cromac Woods and near Stranmillis. 

It is curious to read of hunting, hawking and other sports in the woods and meadows where now we have long streets of premises. 

The gardens, shady walks, orchards, bowling greens and cherry gardens are all gone, and nothing remains of the fish ponds; the stately town-house, once the centre of hospitality and culture, is now only a memory. 

WILLIAM III was received here in 1690. 

In 1708, Belfast Castle was accidentally burned to the ground. 

Three of Lady Donegall's daughters and two servants perished.

The Castle was never rebuilt, and the Donegalls lived for a time in Donegall House; until Ormeau House was built.

It wasn't until almost 100 years later that the Donegalls returned to live in Belfast.

From ca 1802-20, Donegall House was the residence of the 2nd Marquess and Marchioness of Donegall.

Lord Donegall rented the house from John Brown, a Belfast banker.

This large town house comprised three storeys, was stuccoed, and had a central pediment.

The gable end and a small side garden were enclosed at Donegall Square North.

In the image, taken from the White Linen Hall (predecessor of City Hall) , Donegall House is the first building on the left.

From ca 1820-98, the house became the Royal Hotel, under the auspices of Charles Kerns, Lord Donegall's former butler.

Prior to its demise, the hotel's proprietor was Miss Sarah Doyle.

Donegall House was demolished ca 1967.

Number 4-7, Donegall Square North, today called Donegall House, was erected in 1968 in the former garden of the Royal Hotel.

First published in November, 2013.