Oriel Temple

THE VISCOUNTS MASSEREENE AND FERRARD WERE THE SECOND LARGEST LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY LOUTH, WITH 7,193 ACRES

JOHN FOSTER (c1655-1747), of Dunleer, County Louth, MP for Dunleer, son of Anthony Foster, of Dunleer, of the Cumberland or Berkshire family, married, in 1704, Elizabeth, youngest daughter of William Fortescue, of Newrath, County Louth, and aunt of William Henry, 1st Earl of Clermont, and had issue,

ANTHONY, his heir;
Thomas (Rev Dr), Rector of Dunleer;
John William, MP for Dunleer;
Margaret; Charlotte; Alice.

The eldest son,

THE RT HON ANTHONY FOSTER (1705-79), of Collon, County Louth, Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer in Ireland, MP for Dunleer, 1738-60, County Louth, 1761-66, who wedded firstly, in 1736, Elizabeth, daughter of William Burgh, of Bert, County Kildare, and had issue,

JOHN, his heir;
William (Rt Rev);
Margaret.

He espoused secondly, in 1749, Dorothea, daughter of Thomas Burgh.

Mr Foster was succeeded by his elder son,

THE RT HON JOHN FOSTER (1740-1828), of Dunleer, County Louth, MP for Dunleer, 1761-8, County Louth, 1761-1800, who married Margaretta Amelia Foster, de jure VISCOUNTESS FERRARD.

Mr Foster was elevated to the peerage, in 1821, in the dignity of BARON ORIEL, of Ferrard, County Louth.

His wife, Margaretta Amelia (daughter of Thomas Burgh MP, of Bert, County Kildare) was created Baroness Oriel in her own right, 1790; and advanced to a viscountcy, 1797, as VISCOUNTESS FERRARD.

They had issue,

THOMAS HENRY;
Anna Dorothea, m to Lord Dufferin.

The only son and successor,

THOMAS HENRY, 2nd Viscount Ferrard (1772-1843), wedded, in 1810, Harriet, Viscountess Massereene and Baroness Loughneagh in her own right.

In consequence of this union, Lord Ferrard assumed the Viscountess's surname of SKEFFINGTON, and the arms of her ladyship's family.

COLLON HOUSE, or Oriel Temple, Collon, County Louth, the former lodge of Lord Ferrard, though a small mansion, possesses associations of remarkable interest.

It stands in the midst of a demesne and an estate replete with the results of skilful and energetic improvement.

Anthony Foster found its entire extent, about 5,000 acres at that time, a waste, heath-clad sheep-walk, declared by many observers to be irreclaimable; and he began a course of elaborate, judicious, far-sighted and multitudinous procedures for enclosing, tilling and manuring it; and for causing the barren wilderness to smile with cultivation.

Mr Foster's son John, 1st Baron Oriel, carried forward the agricultural improvements, completed the plantations which had been commenced on the demesne, and lived to see the district equal in beauty and lusciousness of cultivation to many an estate improved in similar circumstances.

The plantations on the demesne covered almost 600 acres, and contained trees of every description.

Collon House is, according to Bence-Jones, a house which seems to have started literally as a temple or garden pavilion, built in the 1780s by John Foster, later 1st Baron Oriel.

The earlier house was known simply as Collon.

The Temple had a pedimented portico and a room painted by Peter de Gree.

About 1812, Mr Speaker Foster added to the Temple and it became a somewhat amorphous two-storey house with the entrance doorway in a bow, under a pedimented porch with two, fluted, Doric columns.

It is now greatly altered.

One of the main features of this period around Collon was the return of the Cistercian Order to the district in 1938.

The Order purchased Oriel Temple and surrounding lands and established a new monastery there.

It is located about three miles from the ruins of their first foundation in Ireland.

Mother Mary Martin, the founder of the medical and nursing order of nuns, The Medical Missionaries of Mary, established her first house of the Order, in Collon, in 1938.

The order moved to Drogheda shortly afterwards where they built the Lourdes Hospital.

First published in September, 2011.

Norwood Pictures

Norwood Tower (Image: Mrs Primrose Henderson, 2011)

A READER HAS SENT ME SOME PHOTOGRAPHS OF NORWOOD TOWER, STRANDTOWN, BELFAST, FORMER HOME OF THE HENDERSONS, PROPRIETORS OF THE NEWS-LETTER NEWSPAPER

"One of them (below) has a photograph of both my aunts, Peggy and Mary, and Mary does not want her photo to go on the Internet so you cannot put that one on the site ..."

"Sadly it is the best one of the two, as it shows the full door the other one, with the single lady in it, you can use; however I have no idea who she is, it shows a little of what is in the hallway through the door."

"I do have some information of the layout of the houses Riversdale [Co Fermanagh] and Norwood Tower from my aunt and will write it up for you ..."

"Norwood was powered by gas so had gas cookers and lights." 

 

"I do have a photograph of a woman standing at the front door which seems quite ornate with iron railings around it I will scan it and send later."

"I also have a photograph of my aunt sitting in front of a lion statue in the garden of Norwood Tower (above); she said that she didn't want it to go on the Internet however I have attached it for you to see."

"The lady with her was Mrs Lutton or Litton and she rented part of the servants' quarters in Norwood Tower."

"Mary said that another couple rented a different part of the house seemed to be outside of the main house but part of the surrounding building and the rent of those went to the upkeep of the house."

The photograph above shows a glass-house at Norwood Tower.

First published in May, 2011.

Dromore Castle

THE EARLS OF LIMERICK OWNED 4,083 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY LIMERICK

The ancestors of this noble family were originally of Lower Brittany, in France; and the first of the family upon record in Ireland is EDMUND PERY, a son of William Pery, Bailiff of Exeter, 1578, who settled in Limerick.

This Edmund Pery, erstwhile Mayor of Limerick, died in 1655, leaving by Susannah his wife, only daughter and heir of Stephen Sexten, and heiress of her nephew, Edmond Sexten, of St Mary's Abbey, a son and successor,

COLONEL EDMUND PERY, of Stackpole Court, County Clare, who married Dymphna, daughter of Bartholomew Stackpole, of Stackpole Court, and had issue,

SEXTEN, his heir;
STACKPOLE, succeeded his brother;
four daughters.

Colonel Pery died in 1721, and was succeeded by his elder son,

SEXTEN PERY, of Stackpole Court, who died in 1730, and was succeeded by his brother,

THE REV STACKPOLE PERY MA, who wedded, in 1716, Jane, daughter and heir of the Ven William Twigge, Archdeacon of Limerick (by Diana, daughter and heir of Sir Drury Wray Bt, by Albinia, daughter and co-heir of Edward, Viscount Wimbledon, third son of 1st Earl of Exeter KG), and had, with other issue,

EDMUND SEXTEN, 1st Viscount Pery;
WILLIAM CECIL, succeeded his brother;
Diana; Dymphna; Lucy; Jane.

The elder son,

EDMUND SEXTON PERY (1719-1806), MP for Limerick City, 1761-76, who having filled the office of Speaker of the House of Commons in Ireland from 1771 until 1785, received upon his retirement the unanimous thanks of the House, and at the express solicitation of that branch of the legislature, was elevated to the peerage, in 1785, in the dignity of VISCOUNT PERY, of Newtown Pery, Limerick.

His lordship married firstly, in 1756, Patricia, youngest daughter of John Martin; and secondly, in 1762, Elizabeth, daughter of John, 1st Baron Knapton, and had issue,

Diana, m to Thomas, Earl of Ranfurly;
Frances, m to Nicholson Calvert MP.

His lordship died in 1806, when, leaving no male issue, his honours expired and the family estates devolved upon his brother,

THE RT REV WILLIAM CECIL PERY (1721-94), consecrated Lord Bishop of Killaloe, 1781, and translated to the bishopric of Limerick, 1784.

The Bishop was elevated to the peerage, in 1790, in the dignity of Baron Glentworth, of Mallow, County Cork.

He wedded firstly, in 1755, Jane, eldest daughter of John Walcott, of Croagh, and had issue,

EDMUND HENRY, his successor;
Eleanor, m to Sir Vere Hunt Bt.

He espoused secondly, in 1792, Dorothea, daughter of Richard Maunsell, of Limerick, and widow of General Crump, but had no further issue.

His lordship was succeeded by his only son,

EDMUND HENRY, 2nd Baron (1758-1844), who was created, in 1800, Viscount Limerick. 

His lordship was advanced to the dignity of an earldom, in 1803, as EARL OF LIMERICK (2nd creation), and enrolled amongst the peers of the United Kingdom at large, as Baron Foxford.

• Edmund Henry Pery, 1st Earl (1758–1844)
• William Henry Tennison Pery, 2nd Earl (1812–66)
• William Hale John Charles Pery, 3rd Earl (1840–96)
• William Henry Edmund de Vere Sheaffe Pery, 4th Earl (1863–1929)
• Edmond Colquhoun Pery, 5th Earl (1888–1967)
• Patrick Edmund Pery, 6th Earl (1930–2003)
• Edmund Christopher Pery, 7th Earl (b 1963)

The heir apparent is the present holder's son Felix Edmund Pery, styled Viscount Glentworth.

DROMORE CASTLE, near Pallaskenry, County Limerick, was designed ca 1867-70 by E W Godwin for the 3rd Earl of Limerick.

Built as a keep in a Gothic-Revival style, the building is archaeologically convincing both in its design and its display of distinctively Irish Gothic features, such as the round tower and stepped battlements.

Godwin studied and measured several Irish Gothic castles before producing his plans for Dromore.

He also designed much of the interior including the wall paintings, fireplaces, ceiling decoration, sculpture, tiles, stained and painted glass, brass work and ironwork, as well as furniture, to whom the commission for furniture went to William Watts of Grafton Street.

Henry Stacey Marks commenced the wall paintings; however, work was abandoned due to severe damp.

To combat this, Godwin designed a brick lining with a cavity of about two inches from the stonework, in addition the internal walls and vaults, with the exception of the main entrance vault, were also of brick.

Following the death of the 3rd Earl, the 4th Earl used the castle very little and had it boarded up in the early 1900s.

Dromore Castle was sold by the 4th Earl in 1939 to the McMahon family, who occupied it until 1960.

An attempt was then made to find a buyer for it; and when this proved unsuccessful, the castle was dismantled.

However, the ruin remains a striking feature in the landscape and is visible for miles due to its prominent elevated position.

Dromore Castle remains an important part of the social and architectural heritage of County Limerick being one of the most archaeologically correct Gothic-Revival castles that was built at that time. 

Former residence ~ Chiddingly, West Hoathly, Sussex.

First published in August, 2013. 

The Crown Bar Acquisition

SELECTIVE ACQUISITIONS IN NORTHERN IRELAND

PROPERTY:  Crown Liquor Saloon, Belfast

DATE: 1978

EXTENT: 0.09 acres

DONOR: Messrs Edward & James Hillan

First published in December, 2014.

Ardress Transformation

Ardress House in County Armagh was built about 1680 as a plain, two-storey farmhouse, one room deep.

Between then and ca 1810 the house was extended and evolved in four stages into a substantial gentleman's country house.

The façade of the garden front, which faces south, shows three of the principal building stages: the dining-room wing to the left of about 1810; the drawing-room gable in the middle of ca 1780; and the original right-hand gable of ca 1680 with its elegant, curved wall screen added about 1810.

The National Trust heritage directory remarks:-

"The south façade of the house clearly shows the three main building phases: the right gable belongs to the 17th century, the left gable to the 18th century and the Dining Room wing to the 19th century."

"The second George Ensor transformed this potentially ugly side view into an elegant garden front by incorporating the hotch-potch of extensions into a five-bay facade."

"At either end he added curved walls which reach out gracefully on to the lawn, the right neatly joining and concealing the screen wall of the front façade."

"Four female heads have been placed in the niches of the screen walls."

"They are known as The Four Seasons although they were probably not intended to be allegories."

"Spring, on the extreme left, is signed by Christopher Hewetson (1739-99); the other sculptors are unknown."

As can be seen from the black-and-white photograph, the façade was rather ugly in appearance before its remarkable transformation by the National Trust.

The various stages were quite obvious and discrete in appearance; the curved wall to the right was obscured by a lean-to glass-house.

Today the garden front has been completely transformed by a much-needed facelift.

Lime render and white paint gives it a uniform appearance.

First published in May, 2016.

Glenfarne Hall

THE TOTTENHAMS WERE  MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY LEITRIM, WITH 14,561 ACRES

This is a branch of TOTTENHAM of Tottenham Green, County Wexford, springing more immediately from TOTTENHAM of Ballycurry. SIR JOHN TODENHAM, Knight, the younger son of Sir Robert, and next brother to Sir Thomas Todenham, married Alice, daughter of Sir John Clifton (who died in 1447) and settled in Ireland, where he established the family of TOTENHAM, or, as now spelt, TOTTENHAM.

NICHOLAS LOFTUS TOTTENHAM (1745-1823), of Glenfarne Hall, County Leitrim, and St Stephen’s Green, Dublin, second son of CHARLES TOTTENHAM MP, of New Ross, by the Hon Anne Loftus his wife, married, in 1778, Mary, daughter and co-heir of Sir James May Bt, of Mayfield, County Waterford, and had issue,

CHARLES HENRY, his heir;
Loftus Anthony;
Anne; Mary; Letitia.

Mr Tottenham was succeeded by his elder son,

CHARLES HENRY TOTTENHAM (1786-1836), of Glenfarne Hall, High Sheriff of County Leitrim, 1820, who wedded, in 1814, Dorothea, daughter and heir of George Crowe, of Nutfield, County Clare, and had issue,

NICHOLAS LOFTUS, his heir;
Charles Henry;
Algernon;
Anne; Sarah Maria.

Mr Tottenham was succeeded by his eldest son,

NICHOLAS LOFTUS TOTTENHAM JP DL (1815-51), of Glenfarne Hall, High Sheriff of County Leitrim, 1841, who espoused, in 1835, Anna Maria, daughter of Sir Francis Hopkins Bt, MP, of Athboy, and heir of her brother, Sir Francis Hopkins, 2nd Baronet, and had issue,

ARTHUR LOFTUS, his heir;
George Charles Loftus;
Francis Loftus;
Henry Loftus;
Eleanor; Anna; Mary.

Mr Tottenham was succeeded by his eldest son,

ARTHUR LOFTUS TOTTENHAM JP DL (1838-87), of Glenfarne Hall, and Tudenham Park, County Westmeath, Captain, the Rifle Brigade, MP for Leitrim, 1880-85, Winchester, 1885-87, High Sheriff of County Leitrim, 1886, who married, in 1859, Sarah Anne, daughter of George Addenbrooke Gore, of Barrowmount, County Kilkenny, and had issue,

CHARLES GORE, his heir;
Ralph George;
Henry Arthur Leicester;
Frederick William;
Herbert Ponsonby;
Arthur Gore;
Reginald Stuart;
Blanche Mary; Edith Emily; Violet.

Mr Tottenham was succeeded by his eldest son,

CHARLES GORE TOTTENHAM JP DL (1861-1929), of Tudenham Park, High Sheriff of County Leitrim, 1898, who wedded, in 1888, Georgina Alice, second daughter of the Baron Athlumney, and had issue,

HAROLD WILLIAM LOFTUS, born 1889;
Desmond Frank Charles Loftus;
Dorothy; Aileen; Angela.

GLENFARNE HALL, County Leitrim, was located very close to the border with Northern Ireland.

The house, which overlooked Lough MacNean, was built about 1820 for Charles Henry Tottenham.

*****

AT some point between 1879 and 1881, Arthur Tottenham sought financial assistance from Sir Edward Harland Bt, of Harland and Wolff shipbuilders in Belfast.

By 1881, Mr Tottenham had become insolvent and he found it impossible to repay the loan.

Sir Edward finally requisitioned the estate as repayment of the debt. 

The Tottenhams of Glenfarne Hall provides the following information:

By his influence he got the Sligo, Letrim and Northern Counties Railway laid from Enniskillen to Sligo in the late 1870s at a total cost of £347,000. 

In the process the money ran out and he went surety for a loan from Harland & Wolfe of Belfast to finish the railway and connect up with the main line at Collooney. 

He was the first chairman of the company and eventually sole contractor for the line’s construction. Later Sir Edward Harland took over Glenfarne Hall for this debt and Arthur Loftus was disinherited of his possessions in Leitrim. He was MP for Leitrim from 1880-85.

Sir Edward Harland died at Glenfarne Hall on the 24th December, 1895, and the property was subsequently bought by Colonel John George Adamson from Northumberland.

He left in 1919 during the Irish civil war though retained ownership of the house.

During the Irish troubles of 1918-21, the Hall was initially vandalised and then burnt down.

The estate was purchased by a firm of Belfast timber merchants who constructed a four-mile-long two foot gauge railway line to connect with the Sligo and Leitrim Northern Counties Railway.

This venture didn’t last long and the estate was purchased by the Irish Government, who distributed most of the land to its former tenants.

The remainder was planted.

The ruined Hall passed to the Colonel’s daughter Muriel in the 1930s.

In 1943 Irish Tourist Association survey recorded that only the gutted ruins of the house remained.

The bare walls of the Hall were finally tossed and used for forestry roads.

Today the estate is a public forestry park with amenity areas along the shores of Lough MacNean.

The only remaining building is the gatehouse which is a listed building.

First published in December, 2011.

The Crom Acquisition

SELECTIVE ACQUISITIONS IN NORTHERN IRELAND

PROPERTY: Crom Estate, County Fermanagh

DATE: 1987

EXTENT: 1674.79 acres

DONOR: 6th Earl of Erne

*****

PROPERTY: The Old Schoolhouse

DATE: 2002

EXTENT: 2.58 acres

DONOR: Cormack

*****

PROPERTY: Holy Trinity Church, Crom Estate

DATE: 1995

EXTENT: 0.45 acres

DONOR: 6th Earl of Erne & Others

*****

PROPERTY: Erne Alms House, Crom Estate

DATE: 1997

EXTENT: 0.32 acres

DONOR: 6th Earl of Erne & Others 

First published in December, 2014.