Aughrane Castle

THE BAGOTS WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY GALWAY, WITH 19,303 ACRES

The direct ancestor of this family was SIR ROBERT BAGOD, born in 1213, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, 1274, who obtained a grant of the manor of The Rath, near Dublin (known today as Baggotrath; and also the lands of Baggotstown in County Limerick. Sir Robert died after 1298.

Sir Robert Bagod's lineal descendant,

EDWARD BAGOT (1620-1711), of Harristown, King's County, and Walterstown, County Kildare, Royal Commissioner for King's County, 1663, High Sheriff of County Kildare, 1677, King's County, 1680, married, in 1659, Catherine, daughter of William Colborne, of Great Connell, County Kildare, and had issue,

MILO, his heir;
Arthur;
Christopher;
Elizabeth.

The eldest son, 

COLONEL MILO BAGOT (1660-1730), of Ard, Newtown, and Kilcoursey, wedded, in 1700, Margaret, daughter of Edmond and sister of Colonel Andrew Armstrong, of Mauricetown, County Kildare, and had issue,

JOHN, his heir;
Michael;
Charles, ancestor of BAGOT of Kilcoursey;
Elizabeth; Mary.

The eldest son,

JOHN BAGOT (1702-60), of Ard, King's County, espoused, in 1728, Mary Herbert, of Durrow Abbey, King's County, and had issue,

Milo, dsp;
William, dsp;
Charles, dsp;
JOHN LLOYD, of whom hereafter;
Thomas, dsp;
Mary, dsp;
Margaret.

The fourth son,

JOHN LLOYD BAGOT, of Ard and Ballymoe, Captain, 37th Foot, ADC to Lord Cornwallis during the American war, wedded, in 1775, Catherine Anne, daughter of Michael Cuffe, of Ballymoe, a descendent of James, Lord Tyrawley, and of Elizabeth Cuffe, alias Pakenham, created Countess of Longford.

He died in 1718, leaving issue,

John Cuffe, dsp;
William, dsp;
THOMAS NEVILLE, of whom we treat;
Cordelia; Louisa; Maria.

He was succeeded by his third son, 

THOMAS NEVILLE BAGOT (1784-1863), of Ard and Ballymoe, who espoused, in 1811, Ellen, daughter of John Fallon, of County Roscommon, and had issue,

JOHN LLOYD NEVILLE BAGOT, his heir;
Bernard William;
Charles Augustus;
Christopher Neville, of Aughrane Castle;
Letitia Mary; Ellen; Catherine.

The eldest son,

JOHN LLOYD NEVILLE-BAGOT JP (1814-90), of Ballymoe, married, in 1843, Anne Georgina, daughter of Edward Henry Kirwan, of Ballyturin Castle, County Galway, and had issue,

EDWARD THOMAS LLOYD, his heir;
Edward Henry Kirwan;
John Christopher, of Ballyturin House;
Charles Henry, of Curraghmore;
Anna Isabella; Ellen Georgina.

Mr Neville-Bagot was succeeded by his eldest son,

EDWARD THOMAS LLOYD NEVILLE-BAGOT (1848-90), of Ballymoe and Aughrane, County Galway, who married, in 1876, Ellen, daughter of Francis Meagher, of Ballinderry, County Tipperary, and had issue, an only child,

MILO VICTOR NEVILLE-BAGOT (1880-1913), of Ballymoe and Aughrane, and Turin, Italy, who married, in 1908, Maria, only daughter of Signor Boccacio, of Turin, Italy, in a childless marriage.

Photo Credit: Dr Patrick Melvin & Eamonn de Burca

AUGHRANE CASTLE (or Castle Kelly), near Ballygar, County Galway, was a castellated house of 19th century appearance.

It had small bartizans at the corners; plain windows with hood mouldings; and a simple, battlemented porch.

There was a gabled range at one end; a gabled tower behind.

It is said that the Bagot family played a very passive role in the life of the area, other than to collect rents due.

Christopher Bagot spent very little time on the estate and left the management to his two brothers, Charlie and John.

Christopher Bagot bought a house in a fashionable part of London, and entertained fairly lavishly.

Through these parties he came to know a young society lady of great charm and beauty called Alice Verner.

Within a short time they were married – believed to be in 1874.

In due course a son was born to them.

Mrs Christopher Bagot continued to have a high life and relations between herself and her husband soon became strained.

They returned to Castle Kelly in 1876, and some time later he banished her and their young son from his home.

He subsequently drew up a will leaving his entire estate to his brother, John Bagot.

His health failed rapidly and he died in 1877.

Mrs Bagot contested the last will made by her husband, and a much-publicised trial ensued at the Probate Court in Dublin.

The trial lasted for a month, and the court found in favour of Mrs Bagot and her son.

The Court administered the estate on their behalf until the young heir came of age.

The entire estate was offered for sale in 1903.

The Irish Land Commission was the purchaser, and later the Irish Forestry Commission acquired Castle Kelly and the 1,600 acres surrounding it.

The house was demolished in 1919.

First published in March, 2013.

Hillsborough Castle Visit

 

"The mansion, garden, and lawn of the Marquis of Downshire are situated on the west side of the town, and the demesne on the east: "

"the mansion, though a plain-looking structure, has a fine Greek portico; the garden and lawn are extensive and well-kept; "

"and the demesne comprises nearly 800 Irish acres, and is embellished with artificial lakes, and agreeable plantations."

HILLSBOROUGH CASTLE and Gardens, County Down, the ancestral seat of the Hills, Marquesses of Downshire, were thus described by the Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland in 1844.

Sir Charles Brett remarked in 1974 that the house was "a pleasant if not very imposing two-storey, rather rambling, ashlar mansion-house...."

I hadn't paid a visit to the Castle and Gardens since the £20 million restoration recently.

Royal connections are advantageous, and a brand new entrance and slip road from the A1 dual-carriageway have been created for visitors.

This "must-see" tourist attraction is now easily accessible.

It's impressive: the gilded embellishments, exquisite detail and craftsmanship; the absolutely wonderful and vast walled garden.

Hillsborough Courthouse and Gates from the Castle

My guided tour of the Castle was at 11am, and I had allowed myself plenty of time, so I had tea in the new Stable Yard Tea Room adjacent to the mansion.

This old stable-yard has an interesting history.

It was originally built ca 1780 as a stable-yard, together with a farm-yard to the north of it.

The two buildings are shown as a pair of interconnecting U-shaped ranges to the east of the Castle on an estate map of 1788.

When Hillsborough Castle was sold to the Government in 1922, the stables were converted for the use of a Guard of ‘A-Specials" of the Ulster Special Constabulary, whose duties were to protect the first Governor of Northern Ireland, the 3rd Duke of Abercorn, from assassination.

Stable-yard

The A- Specials were disbanded in 1935, but the Governor retained a Guard consisting of an officer, two sergeants and sixteen constables, which continued to exist until His Grace retired in 1945.

The Guard-house, as it became known, was listed in 1976.

In 1994 the building was restored and upgraded for use by the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

Further renovations and restorations took place in 2007; and more recently the Stables have been converted into use as a tea-room, shop, and the Clore Learning Centre.

While I waited outside the main entrance of the L-shaped east front I examined the stone plaques set into the wall of the former Governors, including the last holder of that office, the Lord Grey of Naunton.

I met him at a reception in the Castle during the late 1970s or early 1980s.

Entrance Hall ca 1993

The tour of the ground-floor reception rooms was conducted by knowledgeable and attentive guides.

Entrance Hall in 2019

Following my tour of the house I wandered round the gardens, discovering the charming little Friends' Burial Ground, the Lost Garden, LADY ALICE'S TEMPLE (an elegant eye-catcher just beyond the pond overlooking the Ewe Tree Walk).

I walked round the large lake, where a family of swans were preening themselves nonchalantly and oblivious to passers-by.

Having lunched in the main restaurant (salmon, gateau, tea), I explored the adjacent and most impressive walled garden, which comprises four acres.

The Pineapple Gateau

For fear of duplication, I shan't describe the main features; suffice it to remark that Hillsborough Castle and Gardens are worthy of inclusion as one of Northern Ireland's main visitor attractions.

Summer Menu

Incidentally, there are no less than two former pineries (hothouses where pineapples are grown) beside the walled garden.

Only the wealthiest families could afford this exotic fruit in the 18th century: pineapples cost upwards of £34 each (about £5,000 today).

First published in August, 2019.

House of Canning

The name of CANNING is derived from the Manor of Bishops Cannings, in Wiltshire, where the family was originally seated, and where the senior line continued until it terminated in co-heiresses in the time of HENRY VII.

The first on record is RICHARD DE KANYNGES, who filled the office of Priest at Little Cheverell in 1299; another is John de Canynges, who became Abbot of the Monastery of Abingdon, 1322, his elevation being confirmed by EDWARD II; and the next is a younger son,

ROBERT CANYNGES, who settled in Bristol, and who founded a branch which became the most eminent family of that city during the 14th and 15th centuries. He first appears as an eminent merchant in 1322.

Robert Canynges was father of

WILLIAM CANYNGES represented Bristol in several successive parliaments, and was six times Mayor between 1360 and 1390.

He died in 1396, leaving, with other issue,

JOHN CANYNGES, his son and heir, MP for Bristol and also, in 1392 and 1398, Mayor.

This John Canynges died in 1405, leaving three sons and three daughters, all then under age: Thomas, his second son, was Lord Mayor of London, 1456-7; and William, his third son, was the celebrated Mayor of Bristol.

JOHN CANNINGES, the eldest son of John, was the father of THOMAS CANNINGES, who acquired the estate of Foxcote, by his marriage with Agnes, eldest daughter and co-heir of John Salmon.

Richard Canning, of Foxcote, the son and heir of Thomas and Agnes, was the grandfather of

RICHARD CANNINGE, of Foxcote, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Petty, of Ilmington, and had, with several other children, RICHARD, his heir; and GEORGE, ancestor of the BARONS GARVAGH and of the EARL CANNING.

The branch, of which the Barons Garvagh are members, removed into Ulster in the reign of ELIZABETH I, when

GEORGE CANNING (1565-1646), of Barton, Warwickshire (a military officer, it was presumed), youngest son of Richard Canning, of Foxcote, Warwickshire, agent of the Ironmongers' Company of London, married Anne, daughter of Gilbert Walker, and had issue,

Paul;
WILLIAM, of whom we treat;
Robert;
Edward (Rev);
Mary; Anne; Jane; Frances; Elizabeth.

Mr Canning obtained a grant of the manor of Garvagh, County Londonderry, from ELIZABETH I, and settled there.

He was succeeded by his second son,

WILLIAM CANNING (1593-1641), of Garvagh, who was succeeded by his son,

GEORGE CANNING JP, who espoused, in 1667, Mary Stepney, and had issue,

GEORGE CANNING (c1669-1711), of Garvagh, Lieutenant-Colonel, Londonderry Militia, who married Abigail, fourth daughter of Robert Stratford, MP for County Wicklow, 1662, and aunt of JOHN, 1ST EARL OF ALDBOROUGH.

Mr Cannning was succeeded by his only son,

STRATFORD CANNING (1703-75), of Garvagh, who married Letitia, daughter and heir of Obadiah Newburgh, of County Cavan, and had issue, 

GEORGE, father of RT HON GEORGE CANNING, PRIME MINISTER;
PAUL, who succeeded at Garvagh;
Stratford, a London merchant; father of STRATFORD CANNING;
Mary; Jane Elizabeth; Frances; Letitia.

Mr Canning's second son,

PAUL CANNING (c1736-1784), of Garvagh, Colonel, Londonderry Militia, espoused, in 1776, Jane Charlotte, daughter of Conway Spencer, of County Antrim, and was succeeded by his only son,

GEORGE CANNING (1778-1840), who was elevated to the peerage, in 1818, in the dignity of BARON GARVAGH, of Garvagh, County Londonderry.

His lordship wedded, in 1803, Georgiana (d 1804), fourth daughter of Robert, 1st Marquess of Londonderry, by whom he had no issue; and secondly, in 1824, Rosabelle Charlotte Isabella, daughter of Henry Bonham MP, of Titness Park, Berkshire, and had issue,

CHARLES HENRY SPENCER GEORGE, his successor;
Albert Stratford George;
Emmaline Rosabelle.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

CHARLES HENRY SPENCER GEORGE, 2nd Baron (1826-71), JP DL, who wedded, in 1851, Cecelia Susannah, daughter of John Ruggles-Brise, and had issue,

CHARLES JOHN SPENCER GEORGE, his successor;
Conway Stratford George.

His lordship was succeeded by his elder son,

CHARLES JOHN SPENCER GEORGE, 3rd Baron (1852-1915), JP DL, who espoused, in 1877, Florence Alice, daughter of Baron Joseph de Bretton, and had issue, an only child,

LEOPOLD ERNEST STRATFORD GEORGE, 4th Baron (1878-1956), JP DL, Lieutenant, Royal Flying Corps, who married firstly, in 1904, Caroline Grace Elizabeth, daughter of Charles Ernest Rube; and secondly, in 1919, Dora, daughter of Bayley Parker, by whom he had issue,

ALEXANDER LEOPOLD IVOR GEORGE, his successor;
Victor Stratford de Redcliffe;
Dora Valerie Patricia; Daphne Rose.

4th Baron Garvagh,
Photo Credit: RAF Museum

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

(ALEXANDER LEOPOLD IVOR) GEORGE, 5th Baron (1920-2013), 

• (Alexander Leopold Ivor) George Canning, 5th Baron (1920-2013);
• Spencer George Stratford de Redcliffe Canning, 6th Baron (b 1953).

The heir apparent is the present holder's son, the Hon Stratford George Edward de Redcliffe Canning (b 1990).

© Garvagh House, The Sam Henry Collection, courtesy of the Craig Family

GARVAGH HOUSE is claimed to have been first built in the early 17th century and enlarged twice since then.

The house eventually evolved a late Georgian appearance, with a front of three bays between two, three-sided bows and an eaved roof on a bracket cornice.

There was a long enfilade of reception rooms, one having a modillion cornice and a Georgian bow; another with a broken pediment of a 19th century appearance over its door-case.

Garvagh Coat-of-arms

When the Canning family sold Garvagh House, it was used as flats for single female teachers, and some classrooms.

The house had fallen into disrepair over the years, suffering from wet and dry rot, and vermin infestation.

Garvagh House (taken from an auction catalogue of 1921)

County Londonderry Education Committee decided to demolish Garvagh House and to build a new primary school on its site.

This was duly done and Garvagh Primary School opened in 1965.

The village of Garvagh is unique in that, unlike other villages in the county, it was not developed by the Irish Society, nor was it an ancient settlement.

It is, in fact, a private plantation; that is, a town set up over a period of nearly 300 years and developed by the local Lords of the Manor, the Cannings.

The family association with the Garvagh area began in 1615 when George Canning, of Foxcote in Warwickshire, was appointed the Agent for the Ironmongers' Company of London, a company actively involved in JAMES I's Plantation of Ulster. 

To begin with, the townland of Garvagh was not part of the Ulster Plantation, as it had been granted to Manus O'Cahan, the local Irish chief, as a native freehold. After the Great Irish Rebellion of 1641 the situation changed, when O'Cahan joined forces with Sir Phelim Roe O'Neill in the insurrection and, as a result, he lost the freehold.

In 1649, one of George Canning's sons, Paul Canning, acquired the townland of Garvagh and began to develop it, by first building St Paul's parish church, which initially was intended as a private chapel for him and his family. 

The Canning family continued to play an active part in the development of Garvagh until 1920 when they sold the estate and moved to England, exactly three centuries after they had established the first village.

The Garvagh Estate formerly extended to 8,427 acres.

Garvagh lies between Coleraine and Maghera.

There is a museum and heritage centre in the village.

Covering over 550 acres, Garvagh Forest is situated on the Western outskirts of the village, with trees from over 80 years old to those only planted at the turn of the century.

The final unusual habitat in Garvagh Forest is the Garvagh Pyramid, created as a burial chamber for Lord Garvagh in the 19th Century.

The pyramid never fulfilled its purpose, and was sealed shut, with no incumbent, a number of years ago.

First published in February, 2010.

Howth Castle

THE EARLS OF HOWTH WERE THE SECOND LARGEST LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY DUBLIN, WITH 7,377 ACRES

The family of ST LAWRENCE has been very ancient in Ireland, having been settled at the seat at Howth from very early times; and were originally barons by tenure, from the reign of HENRY II, and subsequently confirmed by King JOHN. The original surname of this very ancient family was Tristram, and it is said to have been exchanged for the present one, of ST LAWRENCE, under the following circumstances:-

A MEMBER of the house of TRISTRAM having the command of an army against the invaders of his native soil, attacked and totally routed them on St Lawrence's Day, near Clontarf, and assumed, in consequence of a vow made previously to the battle, the name of the saint, which his descendants have ever since borne. 

The sword with which this warrior fought and vanquished still hangs in the hall of Howth, where the family has resided since its first arrival in Ireland, a period of seven centuries at least.

SIR ALMERIC TRISTRAM, first feudal Lord of Howth, brother-in-law and companion-in-arms of Sir John de Courcy, having, in 1177, effected a landing at Howth, defeated the Irish in a pitched battle, at Evora bridge, and obtained the lands and barony of Howth, as a reward for his distinguished valour during the conflict.

After this successful commencement, Sir Almeric, with his brother-in-law, Sir John de Courcy, reduced the whole province of Ulster; but in 1189, when Sir John was removed from the government of Ireland by RICHARD I, Sir Almeric, who was then in Connaught, being attacked by O'Connor, the king of that province, and overwhelmed by numbers, himself and his whole party, consisting of thirty knights and 200 infantrymen, perished to a man.

By the sister of Sir John de Courcy, Earl of Ulster, Sir Almeric left three sons, the two younger of whom were slain on Good Friday, 1203, in assisting their Uncle John against de Lacy's men in the churchyard of Downpatrick, County Down; and the eldest,

SIR NICHOLAS FITZ ALMERIC, was obliged to content himself with the lands of Howth, and relinquished to religious houses the conquests of his father in Ulster.

From this Sir Nicholas the Barony descended uninterruptedly to

CHRISTOPHER, 2nd Baron, son of Christopher (or Stephen) St Lawrence, 1st Baron Howth, who married, before 1435, Anne Plunkett, a relation the 1st Baron Killeen, and had issue,

ROBERT, his heir;
William, an admiral;
Thomas;
Almeric, clerk of the rolls;
Lionel, precentor of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin;
Walter, Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer.

Christopher St Lawrence died between 1462-5, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

ROBERT (c1435-c1485), 3rd Baron; who was appointed, in 1478, Chancellor of the Exchequer in Ireland; and constituted, in 1483, LORD CHANCELLOR OF IRELAND.

His lordship married, in 1478, Joan, second daughter of Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset, by whom he had four sons and two daughters.

By this marriage Lord Howth's descendants derived descent from EDWARD III, and became inheritors of the blood royal.

The second son, Thomas, was appointed, in 1532, Attorney-General for Ireland; and, in 1535, Second Justice of the Court of King's Bench.

Sir Robert was succeeded by his eldest son,

NICHOLAS, 4th Baron (c1460-1526); who, for his fidelity to HENRY VII in the affair of Lambert Simnel, was presented by that monarch with 300 pieces of gold, and confirmed by charter, dated 1489, in the lands of Howth etc.

He subsequently attended Gerald, 8th Earl of Kildare, Lord Deputy of Ireland, at the famous battle of Knockdoe, in Connaught, fought against the Irish in 1504, where his lordship headed the billmen on foot.

His lordship was appointed LORD CHANCELLOR OF IRELAND in 1509; and dying in 1526, was succeeded by his eldest son by his first wife Genet, only daughter of Sir Christopher Plunkett, 3rd Baron Killeen,

CHRISTOPHER, 5th Baron (c1485-1542), who was succeeded by his eldest son,

EDWARD, 6th Baron (1508-49), who died without male issue and was succeeded by his brother,

RICHARD, 7th Baron (c1510-58), at whose decease, without issue, the lineal heirship of whatever honours accrued to the family of ROBERT'S intermarriage, as above, with Joan, one of the co-heirs of Edmund, 2nd Duke of Somerset, devolved upon his lordship's two sisters, ANNE and ALISON; while the Irish barony of Howth passed over undisputedly to the nearest heir male of the family, according to the usual course.

This happened to be his brother,

CHRISTOPHER, 8th Baron, generally called the "Blind Lord", who wedded Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Plunket, of Beaulieu, and was succeeded at his decease, in 1589, by his eldest son,

NICHOLAS, 9th Baron (c1550-1607), who espoused firstly, Margaret, daughter of Sir Christopher Barnewall; and secondly, Mary, daughter of Sir Nicholas White, of Leixlip, Master of the Rolls in Ireland.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son by his first marriage,

CHRISTOPHER, 10th Baron (c1568-1619), a colonel of infantry who commanded the rear of the vanguard at the battle of Carlingford, in 1600, under Lord Deputy Mountjoy, against Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone.

His lordship wedded Elizabeth, daughter of John Wentworth, of Little Horkesley, Yorkshire, and had two sons, NICHOLAS and Thomas, and one daughter, Margaret.

He was succeeded by his elder son,

NICHOLAS, 11th Baron (1597-1643), who married, in 1615, Jane, only surviving daughter and heir of the Rt Rev George Montgomery, Lord Bishop of Derry, and had issue,

WILLIAM, his heir;
Susanna; Frances; Elizabeth; Margaret.

His lordship was succeeded by his only surviving son,

WILLIAM, 12th Baron (1628-71), who wedded Elizabeth, widow of Colonel Ftizwilliam, and had issue,

THOMAS, his heir;
Charles;
Mary, m Henry, 3rd Earl of Mount Alexander;
Sarah;
Martha, m Hugh, son of Sir Bryan O'Neill Bt.

His lordship was succeeded by his elder son,

THOMAS, 13th Baron (1659-1727), who sat in JAMES II's parliament of 1689, as he did in 1692, the first parliament after the Revolution, and signed the association and declaration, in 1697, in defence of the person and government of WILLIAM III, and the succession as settled by act of parliament.

He wedded, in 1687, Mary, eldest daughter of 2nd Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland, and had, with several sons, a daughter, Elizabeth.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

WILLIAM, 14th Baron (1688-1748), who espoused, in 1729, Lucy, younger daughter of Lieutenant-General Richard Gorges, and by her had a daughter, Mary, and two sons.

The elder son,

THOMAS, 15th Baron (1730-1801), was created, in 1767, Viscount St Lawrence and EARL OF HOWTH.

His lordship was sworn, in the following year, of His Majesty's privy council in Ireland; and in consideration of his own and his ancestors' services, obtained, in 1776, a pension of £500 a year.

He wedded, in 1750, Isabella, daughter of Sir Edward King Bt, and sister of Edward, 1st Earl of Kingston, and had issue,

WILLIAM, of whom we treat;
Thomas (Rt Rev), Lord Bishop of Cork and Ross;
Isabella; Elizabeth; Frances 

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

WILLIAM, 2nd Earl (1752-1822), who married firstly, in 1777, Mary, 2nd daughter and co-heiress of Thomas, Earl of Louth, and had issue,

Harriet; Isabella; Matilda; Mary.

His lordship wedded secondly, Margaret, daughter of William Burke, of Glinsk, County Galway, by whom he left

THOMAS, his successor;
Catherine; Elizabeth.

His lordship was succeeded by his only son,

THOMAS, 3rd Earl (1803-74), Knight of St Patrick, 1835, Vice-Admiral of the Province of Leinster, Lord-Lieutenant of County Dublin, 1851-74, who espoused, in 1826, the Lady Emily de Burgh, daughter of the 1st Marquess of Clanricarde KP, and had issue,

WILLIAM ULICK TRISTRAM, his successor;
Emily; Catherine Elizabeth; Mary.

His lordship's only son and heir,

WILLIAM ULICK TRISTRAM, 4th Earl (1827-1909), KP,

Captain, 7th Hussars 1847-50; High Sheriff of County Dublin, 1854; State Steward to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, 1855-58 and 1859-66; MP for Galway Borough, 1868-74; Vice-Admiral of the Province of Leinster; Knight of St Patrick, 1884.

The 4th Earl died without male issue, in 1909, when the titles expired.

  
HOWTH CASTLE, County Dublin, has been the stronghold of the St Lawrence family for hundreds of years.

Initially a timber fort was built on Tower Hill before a permanent stone-walled Norman castle was constructed.

The residence gradually evolved over the centuries into a palatial mansion.

The architect Sir Edwin Lutyens restyled the current castle built in 1464.

Howth Castle was possibly the oldest family home in Ireland.

During the period when many of the remaining castles and houses of the Anglo-Irish landed families were destroyed by republicans, Howth Castle remained untouched. 

In 1576, it is said that after the pirate Grace O'Malley was refused entry to Howth Castle, she captured the Earl of Howth's grandson. He was released on condition that in future, unexpected visitors would be recieved at Howth Castle. The St Lawrence family proudly continued this tradition for centuries. 

Burke's describes Howth Castle as being a rambling and romantic castle on the Hill of Howth, which forms part of the northern side of Dublin Bay.

It is basically a massive medieval keep, with corner towers crenellated in the Irish "crow-step" fashion, to which additions have been made through its 800 years.

HISTORY

Almeric built his castle of wood above the harbour but it is evident from a deed that by 1235 a new castle had been built on the present site in the middle of the fertile land.

This again would have been built in wood.

The earliest extant parts of the present structure date from the mid-fifteenth century.

The house has been extensively altered by succeeding generations to adapt it to their times, most notably in 1738, when the house took on its current appearance and again in 1911 when Sir Edwin Lutyens renovated and added to the house.

It is still possible to see evidence of the alterations that have been made and infer what was there before. This gives a remarkable insight into how historic houses evolved in Ireland over the centuries.

The current building is not the original Howth Castle, which was on the high slopes by the village and the sea.

The English architect Sir Edwin Lutyens restyled a 14th century castle built here, overlooking Dublin Bay.

Parts of the original bawn and towers survive though mainly encased in later additions – the large gateway tower is illustrated here.

During 1910-11 he added or renovated the tower, loggia, corridors, library, and a chapel.

He added a three-bay two-storey library block, built 1910 in tower house form, with basement and dormer attic.

Square plan corner turrets to south-west and north-east facades. Incorporating fabric of earlier structures, 1738 and ca 1840.

Over the previous hundred years or so, the list of architects who have worked on the castle or proposed alterations included: Richard Morrison (1810) for a Gothic gateway, for William St Lawrence, 2nd Earl; Francis Johnston proposed alterations in 1825, as did James Pain; Francis Bindon proposed alterations in 1838.

Richard Morrison partly executed his planned alterations of around 1840 including gothicization of the stables.

Principal rooms of note include the dining-room, the library and the chapel.

Drawing-room

Howth Castle remains the private residence of the Gaisford-St Lawrence family.

The house is not normally open to the public, but the family recognises that there is an understandable interest in it and its contents.

The fact that the house has been home to the same family for so long is what makes it unique.

Unlike many other houses of its size it is not a museum or a hotel but a home.

The Kitchen in the Castle Cookery School, which operates from the original Georgian kitchen in the house gives a wide range of courses and demonstrations through the year.

THE GROUNDS

In 1892, Rosa Mulholland referred to the grounds thus:

“Back on the lower land you must visit the ancient demesne of the Earl of Howth, where a quaint old castle stands in a prim garden with swan-inhabited pond, and plashing fountain, encircled by dark beautiful woods full of lofty cathedral-like aisles, moss carpeted, and echoing with the cawing of rooks."

In recent years, the 17th classical landscape was totally obliterated to make for a golf course.

The grounds are noted for the wild rhododendron gardens, which are open to the public in summer and some of the oldest, planted in 1710, beech hedges.

The castle itself is not open to the public.

The "Kitchen in the Castle Cookery School" is based in the restored Georgian kitchens of Howth Castle.

The National Transport Museum of Ireland is located in the grounds of the castle. It features lorries, trucks, fire engines and tractors.

Also within the grounds are the Deer Park Hotel and its associated golf courses.

First published in August, 2011. 

Mulroy House

THE EARLS OF LEITRIM WERE THE SECOND LARGEST LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY DONEGAL, WITH 54,352 ACRES

This family is originally from France, where Albert Clements is said to have been a Marshal in 1183. It seems plausible that this claim refers to Albéric Clément (c1165-91), the first Marshal of France. This branch of the family, however, settled in Ireland some time during the reign of JAMES I.

DANIEL CLEMENTS JP (c1624-80), son of Robert Clements, of Cosby, in Leicestershire, went over to Ireland with Oliver Cromwell.

Mr Clements, a cornet in the New Model Army (possibly in Colonel Thomas Coote's regiment), High Sheriff of County Cavan, 1674, was succeeded by his son,

ROBERT CLEMENTS (1664-1722), who wedded Mary, eldest daughter of Theophilus Sandford (ancestor of the Lords Mount Sandford), and had issue,

THEOPHILUS, his heir;
Robert;
John;
NATHANIEL, succeeded his brother;
Mary.

He was attainted by the Irish parliament convoked by JAMES II in 1689, but was restored to his estates in County Cavan on the establishment of the government of WILLIAM III, and appointed Deputy Vice-Treasurer of Ireland.

Mr Clements, MP for Carrickfergus, 1692, Newry, 1715-22, High Sheriff of County Cavan, 1694, Teller of the Irish Exchequer, and Deputy Vice-Treasurer of Ireland, was succeeded by his eldest son,

THE RT HON THEOPHILUS CLEMENTS (c1687-1728), MP for County Cavan, 1713-28, Teller of the Exchequer in Ireland, who married Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Francis Burton, of Duncraggy, County Clare.

Theophilus Clements died without issue, and was succeeded by his brother,

THE RT HON NATHANIEL CLEMENTS (1705-77), a Teller of the Irish Exchequer, MP for Duleek, 1727-55, Cavan Borough, 1761-76, Roscommon Borough, 1768-70, Leitrim, 1776-7, who espoused, in 1729, Hannah, eldest daughter of the Very Rev William Gore, Dean of Down, and had issue,

ROBERT;
Henry Theophilus;
Elizabeth, m to Lord Conyngham;
Hannah, m to Sir George Montgomery Bt;
Catherine, m to Eyre, Lord Clarina;
Alicia, m to Ralph Gore, Earl of Ross.

Mr Clements was succeeded by his eldest son,

ROBERT CLEMENTS (1732-1804), who was elevated to the peerage, in 1783, in the dignity of Baron Leitrim, of Manor Hamilton, County Leitrim; and advanced to a viscountcy, 1793, as Viscount Leitrim.

1st Earl of Leitrim, ca 1754, by Pompeo Batoni

The 1st Viscount was further advanced, in 1795, to the dignity of an earldom, as EARL OF LEITRIM.

He wedded, in 1765, the Lady Elizabeth Skeffington, daughter of Clotworthy, 1st Earl of Massereene, and had issue,

NATHANIEL, his successor;
Robert Clotworthy;
Caroline Elizabeth Letitia; Elizabeth; Louisa.

The 1st Earl was succeeded by his eldest son,

NATHANIEL, 2nd Earl (1768-1804), KP, Colonel, the Donegal Regiment, High Sheriff of County Leitrim, 1796, who espoused, in 1800, Mary, daughter of William Bermingham, and had issue,

George Robert Anson, died 1837;
Robert Bermingham, styled Viscount Clements (1805-39);
WILLIAM SYDNEY, his successor;Charles Skeffington;
Francis Nathaniel (Rev), father of the 4th Earl;
Caroline; Maria; Elizabeth Victoria.

His lordship was succeeded by his third son,

WILLIAM SYDNEY, 3rd Earl (1806-78), who died unmarried, when the family honours devolved upon his cousin,

ROBERT BERMINGHAM, 4th Earl (1847-92), DL, who married, in 1873, the Lady Winifred Coke, daughter of Thomas, 2nd Earl of Leicester, and had issue,

CHARLES, his successor;
Francis Patrick (1885-1907);
Robert (1888-90);
Winifred Edith;
Mary Hilda, m Robert, 4th Baron Rayleigh;
Maude; Lily; Kathleen.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

CHARLES, 5th Earl (1879-1952), Lord-Lieutenant of Londonderry City, 1904-21, who wedded firstly, in 1902, Violet Lina, daughter of Robert Henderson; and secondly, in 1939, Anne Mary Chaloner, daughter of the Hon William Vanneck.

5th Earl of Leitrim

The marriages were without issue.

The titles expired followed the decease of the 5th and last Earl in 1952.

Image: Alexander Hogg, ca 1919

MULROY HOUSE, near Carrigart, County Donegal, is a two-storey, Tudor-Revival, grey stone mansion, built ca 1865, possibly by William Burn, with fine views over Mulroy Bay, in good condition.

Austere externally but commodious inside and maintained as a dwelling, wings added in 1890s.

Important plant collection was begun by the 5th Earl and Countess.

Extensive and important planting, by the 5th Earl and Countess, of rhododendron, magnolia, eucryphia and other species put in from 1936, mainly along the drives and sheltered by pre-existing shelter belts from the 1860s; a great deal of the latter suffered during Hurricane Debbie in the 1960s.

Lady O'Neill (in an article pre-1985) refers to huge specimens in 'first class condition' but noted that they were very overgrown with lesser material.

Image:Alexander Hogg, ca 1919

Now even more overgrown, but the collection is supervised by Uel Henderson; said to be a site for the rare Killarney fern (Lamb & Bowe).

The village of Carrigart originally formed part of the Leitrim estates, near Mulroy House.

The Earls of Leitrim also owned Lough Rynn Castle, near Mohill, County Leitrim.

The 4th and 5th Earls, however, used Mulroy House as their main residence.

When Lady Leitrim died in 1984 the estate, comprising 325 acres, was inherited by her late husband's nephew, the Hon Hedley Strutt (1915-2012), son of the 4th Baron Rayleigh.

Hedley Strutt's nephew, the 6th and present Lord Rayleigh, inherited the estate thereafter.

*****

THE THIRD EARL was murdered in nearby Cratlagh wood, in 1878, by men from the neighbouring peninsula.

It is said that the 3rd Earl's "overbearing behaviour as a landlord brought him much hatred from his tenants, Roman Catholic and Protestant alike, whom he evicted with equal enthusiasm."

Former London residence ~ 44 Grosvenor Gardens.

First published in August, 2011.

George Stone DD

ANDREW STONE (-1711), banker and goldsmith, of Lombard Street, London, married Anne Holbrooke, and had issue,

Andrew (1703-73), MP, his heir;
Richard;
GEORGE, of whom hereafter;
Anne, m Rt Rev William Barnard, Lord Bishop of Derry.

The youngest son,

THE MOST REV AND RT HON DR GEORGE STONE (1708-64), Lord Archbishop of Armagh, Primate of All Ireland and Metropolitan, was buried in the north aisle of the nave of Westminster Abbey on the 28th December, 1764.

He was educated at Westminster School, where he was a King's Scholar, he was elected to Christ Church, Oxford after which he was ordained.

His Grace went to Ireland in 1731 as Chaplain to the Duke of Dorset, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

In 1733 Stone was appointed Dean of Ferns, and in the following year he exchanged this deanery for that of Derry.

Photo Credit: Christ Church College, Oxford

Dr Stone was consecrated Lord Bishop of Ferns and Leighlin in 1740, translated to the bishopric of Kildare, 1743, and to the see of Derry in 1745.

In 1747, he was translated to the archiepiscopal see of Armagh as Lord Primate, and enthroned five years afterwards, in 1752.

During the two years that he occupied the see of Kildare, Dr Stone he was also Dean of Christ Church, Dublin.

His Grace died unmarried, of gout, at his brother's house in the Privy Garden, Whitehall.

His coffin lay in state in the Jerusalem Chamber of Westminster Abbey prior to interment.

The gravestones to the Stone family were removed, with many others, when the nave floor was re-laid in 1834.

Small lozenge stones with names and dates replaced them but most of these, being worn away, are now covered by a modern stone to William Herschel.

Only George Stone's small stone can now be seen.

The original inscriptions were recorded and the Latin can be translated thus:

Here lies Andrew Stone, treasurer to queen Charlotte. Died 16 December 1773 aged 71. And Thomas Stone his son died 7 February 1761 aged 12. 

Here are also deposited the remains of Hannah, wife of Andrew Stone, died 5 June 1782 aged 73. 

In the same tomb lies buried Sara Mauvillain sister of Hannah Stone died 22 January 1804 aged 91. 

Here lies the body of George Stone, S.T.P. [professor of sacred theology], archbishop of Armagh, Primate of All Ireland and Metropolitan. Died December 19 1764 aged 57.

First published in December, 2019. 

Fota Island

THE SMITH-BARRYS OWNED 12,969 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY CORK

THE HON JOHN SMITH-BARRY (1725-84), youngest son of James, 4th Earl of Barrymore, succeeded, by bequest, to the unsettled estates of his father, which were very considerable, including Marbury Hall and large possessions in Cheshire, and Fota Island, and extensive estates in County Cork.

The Hon John Smith-Barry. Photo Credit: Tabley House Collection

He wedded, in 1746, Dorothy, daughter and co-heir of Hugh Smith, of Weald Hall, in Essex (by whom he acquired large estates in the counties of Tipperary, Louth, and in Huntingdonshire), and had issue,

JAMES HUGH, his heir;
John;
Richard;
Catherine.

The eldest son,

JAMES HUGH SMITH-BARRY (1748-), of Marbury Hall and Fota Island, High Sheriff of Cheshire, died leaving two sons and three daughters,

JOHN, of whom hereafter;
James;
Caroline Augusta; Narcissa; Louisa.

The elder son,

JOHN SMITH-BARRY (1793-1837), of Marbury Hall and Fota Island, married firstly, Eliza Mary, second daughter of Robert Courtenay, of Ballyedmond, and had issue,

JAMES HUGH, his heir;
John Hugh;
Robert Hugh;
Richard Hugh;
Anne; Elizabeth.

Mr Smith-Barry espoused secondly, Eliza Felicia, second daughter of General Heron, of Moor Hall, Cheshire, but by her had no issue.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

JAMES HUGH SMITH-BARRY JP DL (1816-56), of Marbury Hall and Fota Island, High Sheriff of County Cork, and of Cheshire, who wedded, in 1841, Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Shallcross Jacson, of Newton Bank, Cheshire, and had issue,

ARTHUR HUGH, his heir;
James Hugh;
Geraldine; Maude.

Mr Smith-Barry was succeeded by his eldest son,

ARTHUR HUGH SMITH-BARRY JP DL (1843-1925), MP for County Cork, 1867-74, South Huntingdonshire, 1886-1900, who was elevated to the peerage, in 1902, in the dignity of BARON BARRYMORE, of Barrymore, County Cork.

His lordship married firstly, in 1868, the Lady Mary Frances Wyndham-Quin, daughter of the 3rd Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl; and secondly, in 1884, Elizabeth, daughter of General James Wadsworth, US Army.

There were children from both marriages.

Lord Barrymore died in London in February 1925, aged 82, and was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium.

His only son, James, had died in infancy, in 1871, and consequently the barony became extinct on his death.

The family seat, Fota House, was passed to his daughter from his second marriage, the Hon Dorothy Elizabeth (1894–1975), wife of Major William Bertram Bell.

Lady Barrymore died in 1930.

On Lord Barrymore's death in 1925, the estate, which was entailed, passed to his brother, James Hugh Smith-Barry; and on his death it passed to James Hugh's son, Robert Raymond Smith-Barry.

In 1939, Fota Island was acquired by Arthur Hugh's daughter, the Hon Mrs Dorothy Bell for the sum of £31,000.

On her death, in 1975, it passed to her daughter, Mrs Rosemary Villiers.

FOTA ISLAND, near Carrigtwohill, County Cork, lies at the head of Cork harbour, and is separated by very narrow straits or channels from Great Island on the south, Little Island on the west, and the mainland on the north and east.

Nearly all of it is occupied by the beautiful and richly-wooded former demesne of Lord Barrymore.

The mansion was originally a modest two-storey hunting lodge belonging to the Smith-Barry family.

In the 1820s, John Smith-Barry (1793-1837) decided to make Fota Island  his home.

He commissioned the great Irish architects Sir Richard Morrison and his son, William Vitruvius Morrison, to convert the hunting lodge into an elegant residence.

Initially it was proposed that the design should reflect the current fashion foe Tudor-Revival, but a more elegant Regency style was ultimately executed.

Two new wings were added and a handsome Doric portico made an elegant entrance.

The interior was opened up with fine scagliola columns, leading to a handsome stone staircase. The ceilings of the library and drawing room were decorated with great delicacy in the French style.

In 1872, the engineer Sir John Benson designed the beautiful billiards-room and an extensive conservatory. In 1897, the conservatory was altered to become the present long gallery.

FOTA HOUSE was sold to University College Cork in 1975, following the death of the Hon Mrs Bell.

It is now in the care of the Irish Heritage Trust.

The house has remained virtually unchanged since this time and the visitor today has a privileged glimpse of the great Georgian and Victorian craftsmanship that was to be found in Ireland during the 18th and 19th centuries.

It has over seventy rooms, ranging in size from the more modest servant rooms to the large and beautifully proportioned principal rooms.

The curious 'dummy' windows, which occur on the exterior of the building, were added to enhance the aesthetic balance of the house.

The style is classical throughout and the décor reflects continental trends in the gilt, marble work, painted ceilings and magnificent plaster detail throughout.

Since the re-opening of the house in 2009 after restoration, people can now visit the upper floor of the house for the first time in many years.

The glorious neo-classical architecture and innovative designs for which Morrison was renowned can now be fully appreciated, as well as the Collection - a fine collection of paintings and furniture - which have been returned to the house.

It was occupied by Lord Barrymore in 1906; later inherited by Major and the Hon Mrs Bell.

Mark Bence-Jones writes that Fota was sold to University College Cork in 1975, following the death of Mrs Bell.

It is now in the care of the Irish Heritage Trust and, after restoration, was reopened to the public in 2009.

 First published in December, 2011.