Lord Belmont in Northern Ireland

Wilson of Maryville

2026-08-19T12:12:22.941+01:00

THOMAS WILSON, of Croglin, said to have been son of John Wilson of Croglin, of an old-established family in Dumfriesshire, had a sister, Christian, married to Gilbert Grierson.

Mr Wilson wedded Agnes Grierson, and died in 1571, leaving issue,

MATTHEW, of Croglin;
Michael;
Janet; Katherine; Malic.

The elder son,

MATTHEW WILSON, of Croglin, Dumfriesshire, died about 1612, leaving two sons,

JOHN, his heir;
Thomas, merchant burgess of Edinburgh.

The elder son,

JOHN WILSON JP, of Croglin, wedded firstly, in 1610, Margaret, daughter of Robert, 1st Lord Dalzell, and died before 1641, having had issue,

JOHN, his heir;
Susanna, m 1626 John Sitlington, of Stanehouse;
Anne, m John Stewart, of Drumbeg.

He espoused secondly, Helen Maxwell, and had issue,

JAMES, of whom presently;
George;
Robert;
Jean.

The eldest son,

JOHN WILSON, of Croglin, Commissioner of War for Dumfriesshire, 1643-9, married firstly, _____ Halliday; and secondly, the daughter of _____ Gordon, and had a son,

WILLIAM WILSON, of Croglin.

His direct lineal descendant,

WALTER WILSON, of Croglin (which was sold owing to losses sustained through the failure of the Bank of Ayr), wedded, in 1795, his cousin Jane, daughter of Robert Stewart, of Drumbeg, County Antrim, and through her became possessed of Maryville, Belfast.

He died in 1807, having had issue,

Robert Gordon, died young;
ALEXANDER GEORGE, his heir;
Walter, died young;
Mary Isabella.

The only surviving son,

ALEXANDER GEORGE WILSON (1797-1856), of Maryville, married, in 1837, Emily Lawrence, daughter of the Rev Charles Boyd, Rector of Magheradroll, by Emilia Juliana Theresa, his wife, daughter of Colonel Thomas Dawson Lawrence, of Lawrencetown, County Down, and had issue,

WALTER HENRY, his heir;
Alexander Basil (1846-1913), of Maryville, Malone, Belfast;
Emily Lawrence.

The elder son,

WALTER HENRY WILSON JP (1839-1904), of Maryville, and Cranmore, married, in 1875, Sarah Elizabeth, eldest daughter and co-heir of James Owen Wynne, of Hazelwood, County Sligo, and had issue,

ALEXANDER GEORGE, his heir;
Marion Emily; Lilian Lawrence; Florence Stewart;
Dorothy Gladys; Mary Wynnefred Kathleen.

His son and heir,

ALEXANDER GEORGE WILSON JP (1876-1959), of Maryville and Cranmore, Lieutenant, Army Motor Reserve, educated at Harrow, succeeded in 1904.

*****

THE Wilson family home was Maryville, off the Malone Road.

Maryville originally belonged to the wealthy Stewart family of Ballydrain.

One member of the Stewart family built Maryville and Myrtlefield; another built Macedon.

Maryville was located close to the junction of Malone Road and Stranmillis Road.

It was located at the site of the present Osborne Park Playing Fields, opposite Bladon Park and Bladon Drive.

Maryville might originally have been a farm and it stretched from Malone Road to the present Lisburn Road at Cranmore House.

Cranmore House in 1888

Walter Wilson subsequently purchased Cranmore House and turned it into a fernery.

This part of Belfast was developing rapidly and, in 1900, Mr Wilson took a twenty-year lease of Belvoir Park, Newtownbreda, from Lord Deramore.

Mr Wilson was a partner with Lord Pirrie in the Belfast shipyard, Harland and Wolff.

His first marital home was 1, Botanic Avenue, Belfast.

Thereafter he rented Stranmillis House prior to leasing Belvoir.

The Wilsons' lease on Belvoir Park was terminated in 1918.

WILLIAM III is said to have rested at Cranmore, near Maryville, en route to Belfast, and the tree where his horse was tied is still growing.

Cranmore was formerly called Orange Grove and was inhabited by the Eccles family.

First published in February, 2012.

Bishopscourt House

2026-08-19T07:26:42.222+01:00

THE EARLS OF CLONMELL WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY TIPPERARY, WITH 16,187 ACRES

THE BISHOPSCOURT ESTATE, COUNTY KILDARE, COMPRISED 1,906 ACRES

THOMAS SCOTT, a captain in the army of WILLIAM III, fell in the field, charging the enemy at the head of his troops.

He wedded Margaret, daughter and heir of Henry Ormsby, of Tubbervady, County Roscommon, and was father of

MICHAEL SCOTT, who married Miss Purcell, of the ancient family of Purcell, titular Barons of Loughmoe, and had issue,

THE REV THOMAS SCOTT, Vicar of Urlings, Modeshill, and Mohubber, who wedded Rachel, eldest daughter of Mark Prim, of Johnswell, County Kilkenny.

The third son,

JOHN SCOTT (1739-98), MP for Mullingar, 1769-83, Portarlington, 1783-4,

Who, being bred to the bar, arrived at the high legal offices of Solicitor-General, Attorney-General, and Prime Sergeant-at-Law of Ireland, 1774-83. In 1784, he was appointed Lord Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench; and in the same year Mr Scott was elevated to the peerage, in the dignity of Baron Earlsfort, of Lisson Earl, County Tipperary.

His lordship was advanced to a viscountcy, in 1789, as Viscount Clonmell; and further advanced to the dignity of an earldom, in 1793, as EARL OF CLONMELL.

He married firstly, in 1768, Catharine Anna Maria, daughter of Thomas Mathew, of Thomastown Castle, County Tipperary, and sister of the 1st Earl of Landaff, by whom he had an only son, who died in infancy.

His lordship wedded secondly, in 1779, Margaret, only daughter and heir of Patrick Lawless, of Dublin (by Mary, sister of 1st Lord Cloncurry), and had issue,

THOMAS, his successor;
Charlotte, m 3rd Earl Beauchamp.

He was succeeded by his only son,

THOMAS, 2nd Earl (1783-1838), who espoused, in 1805, Henrietta Greville, second daughter of George, 2nd Earl of Warwick, and had issue,

JOHN HENRY, his successor;
Charles Grantham;
Harriett; Louisa Augusta; Charlotte Rachael; Caroline Sophia;
Frances Mary; Sophia Louisa; Augusta Anne; Georgiana Gertrude.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

JOHN HENRY, 3rd Earl (1817-66), of Lisson Earl, County Tipperary, who married, in 1838, Anne, daughter of Ulysses, 2nd Baron Downes of Aghanville, and had issue,

JOHN HENRY REGINALD, 4th Earl (1839-91), of Birt House, Naas, County Kildare, who died unmarried, when the family honours devolved upon his brother,

THOMAS CHARLES, 5th Earl (1840-96), who married, in 1875, Agnes Arabella, daughter of Robert Godfrey Day.

His lordship died without issue at Bishop's Court, County Kildare, from typhoid fever, and was succeeded by his first cousin,

BEAUCHAMP HENRY JOHN, 6th Earl (1847-98), eldest son of Colonel the Hon Charles Grantham Scott, second son of the 2nd Earl; on whose decease the titles passed to his son,

RUPERT CHARLES, 7th Earl (1877-1928), who died without male issue, when the titles reverted to his uncle,

DUDLEY ALEXANDER CHARLES, 8th Earl (1853-1935), whose marriage was without issue.

On his death, at Tunbridge Wells, Kent, the titles became extinct.

BISHOPSCOURT, Straffan, County Kildare, is a large classical house built ca 1780-90 for the Rt Hon John Ponsonby, Speaker of the Irish House of Commons.

It has a four-bay entrance front with a pedimented portico of four huge Ionic columns.

The outer bays have pedimented ground-floor windows and circular plaques instead of windows in the upper storey.

The side elevation has a recessed centre and three-bay projection at either side, joined by a veranda of slender columns with an iron balcony.

There is a curved bow on either side of the House; and an imperial staircase.

In 1838, Bishopscourt was sold by Frederick Ponsonby to John, 3rd Earl of Clonmell.

In 1914, the house was sold on to Edward Kennedy from Baronrath, at the time the most famous breeder of racehorses in Ireland.

Kennedy’s stallion The Tetrarch, standing at Bishopscourt, is confirmed as the most successful sire in the world in 1919.

In 1938, Bishopscourt passed to Edward’s daughter Patricia (Tiggie) Kennedy and her husband, Dermot McGillycuddy, heir to Senator McGillycuddy of the Reeks, an ancient clan chiefdom from County Kerry.

Edward Kennedy's son, Major D M (John) Kennedy, won a Military Cross at Anzio whilst serving with 1st Battalion Irish Guards and was later killed at Terporten Castle in Germany in February 1945.

Bishopscourt House is now the residence of the Farrell family.

Former seat ~ Eathorpe Hall, Warwickshire.
Former town residence ~ 41 Upper Brook Street, London.

First published in June, 2013.

BH Memoirs: VIII

2026-08-18T12:19:41.170+01:00

REMINISCENCES OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL JOHN MATTHEW BLAKISTON-HOUSTON DL (1898-1984), OF BELTRIM CASTLE, COUNTY TYRONE, AND RODDENS, COUNTY DOWN, BORN AT ORANGEFIELD HOUSE, NEAR BELFAST

HE SERVED IN THE FIRST AND SECOND WORLD WARS; WAS AIDE-DE-CAMP TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF AUSTRALIA, 1929-30; HIGH SHERIFF OF COUNTY DOWN, 1944; DEPUTY LIEUTENANT OF COUNTY DOWN, 1946; HIGH SHERIFF OF COUNTY TYRONE, 1954

Just before the War the Belfast Corporation had bought Orangefield farmyard and 46 acres of land as park.

We leased the farm buildings from the purchasers at a very high rent, so I purchased Carrowreagh Farm of 220 acres and left Lettice and Joe Barbour (the land steward) the enormous task of carrying out the necessary alterations and moving into it.

My leave had been extended a further two months at the request of Basil Brooke, our Prime Minister.

As Roddens House was burnt down in 1939, Lettice and the children had temporarily been living in the land steward's house.

We purchased BELTRIM CASTLE, Gortin, County Tyrone, in 1944, but as it was occupied by American forces, we were unable to move in until 1946.

In January, 1945, I stood for the two member constituency of County Down, for the Imperial Parliament.

The Rev Dr Little and Lord Castlereagh were the two sitting members, but Castlereagh decided not to stand again.

I was one of thirteen candidates – Unionist – to present themselves to the delegates and came out top, with Sir Walter Smiles [great-grandfather of Bear Grylls] second.

Dr Little, annoyed that he was not automatically accepted as an official candidate would not allow his name to go forward on the official candidates list.

He then, with another man called Brown, elected to stand as an unofficial Unionist.

Smiles and I were thus the official candidates, and Little and Brown went to the polls against us as unofficial Unionist candidates.

The result, after a very bitter election, was Little and Smiles elected and I came next.

What a horrible life it would have been!

This was my second and last attempt to become an MP at Westminster.

I had been a member of the Down County Council since 1936.

I did not distinguish myself in local government but I’m sure I can claim to be the first member of the Down County Council to give a forwarding address for minutes and correspondence as Addis Ababa, Ethiopia!

THIS CONCLUDES MY EXTRACTS OF THE BLAKISTON-HOUSTON MEMOIRS.

First published in January, 2015. Extracts by kind permission of RP Blakiston-Houston OBE JP DL

Crevenagh House

2026-08-18T07:33:16.712+01:00

THE AUCHINLECKS OWNED 2,616 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY TYRONE

IN MEMORY OF FIELD-MARSHAL SIR CLAUDE JOHN EYRE AUCHINLECK GCB GCIE CSI DSO OBE

THE REV JAMES AUCHINLECK (1646-c1685), Rector of Cleenish, County Fermanagh, married Margaret Keith, and had issue (with others who died young),

JAMES, of whom presently;
William;
Alexander;
Katherine; Margaret; Jean.

The Rev James Auchinleck was succeeded by his son,

JAMES AUCHINLECK (1675-1746), of Thomastown, County Fermanagh, who wedded, ca 1698, Elizabeth, daughter of Colonel James Corry MP, of Castle Coole, and had, with other issue (who died young),

JAMES, his heir;
Alexander;
Rebecca; Margaret; Mary; Sarah; Elizabeth.

The elder son,

JAMES AUCHINLECK (1704-52), of Thomastown, married, in 1734, Susanna, daughter of John Corry, of Lisanock, and had issue,

Leslie;
Armar;
James;
John;
William;
George;
Corry;
ALEXANDER, of whom presently;
Anketell (Rev);
Elizabeth; Sarah.

Mr Auchinleck's eighth son,

THE REV ALEXANDER AUCHINLECK (1749-1833), of Castle Lodge, and Mullans, Fintona, County Tyrone, Rector of Rossory, wedded, in 1784, Jane, daughter of James Corry Eccles, of Shannock, County Fermanagh, and had issue,

James Eccles (Rev);
William;
John (Rev), grandfather of FIELD-MARSHAL SIR CLAUDE AUCHINLECK;
DANIEL ECCLES, of whom presently;
Anna.

The youngest son,

DANIEL ECCLES AUCHINLECK (1797-1849), of Crevenagh, espoused, in 1833, Elizabeth Dorothea, daughter of the Rev Thomas Lindsay Stack JP, Rector of Badony, and had issue,

THOMAS his heir;
William Lowry, Brigadier-General;
Daniel;
Margaret; Anna.

The eldest son,

THOMAS AUCHINLECK JP DL (1837-93), of Crevenagh, and Shannock Green, County Fermanagh, Major, Royal Tyrone Fusiliers, High Sheriff of County Tyrone, 1872, married, in 1868, Jane, daughter of George Henry Loxdale, of Grassendale, Liverpool, and had issue,

DANIEL GEORGE HAROLD, his heir;
Bessie Sarah; Norah Lilian Loxdale.

Major Auchinleck was succeeded by his son,

DANIEL GEORGE HAROLD AUCHINLECK (1877-1914), of Crevenagh, Captain, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, who wedded, in 1902, Charlotte Madeleine, only daughter of Robert Scott, of Dungannon, County Tyrone, and had issue, an only son, ROBERT PATRICK AUCHINLECK, who died in infancy, 1906.

Captain Auchinleck was killed in action during the 1st World War.

*****

CREVENAGH was eventually to be inherited by Lieutenant-Colonel Ralph Reginald Auchinleck Darling JP (1897-1958), who fought in the 1st World War; was commissioned in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers; fought in the 2nd World War, 1939-43, when he retired due to ill-health.

His eldest son,

Gerald Ralph Auchinleck Darling RD QC DL (1921-96), was educated at Harrow; was an officer in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve; fought in the Second World War; was Fleet Fighter Pilot and Test Pilot Eastern Fleet; Chief Test Pilot, British Pacific Fleet.

On the death of his father in 1958 he had inherited Crevenagh House, near Omagh, where, from his school days, he had spent many happy holidays with his extended family.

He was proud of his descent from the Auchinleck family who had always lived there, and resolved to maintain it as a family home despite his ties to life in London (in his London office there was a Donegal landscape and a map showing the wartime achievements of Ulster).

In 1990 he became a Deputy Lieutenant of County Tyrone and, in 1993, High Sheriff.

In his obsequies address, the Right Rev Brian Hannon, Bishop of Clogher, paid tribute to Gerald Darling's contribution to the work of Edenderry parish, where he had served as parish secretary.

The Bishop related how, before a major court appearance, Darling would ease the tension by thinking of his favourite spots on the river, the snipe bogs and the mountains of Tyrone.

Strangely, after a lifetime of trout-fishing, he caught his first salmon only in 1995.

One of his family remembers the fishing picnics in childhood - "as, unfortunately, a mizzly day is good for fishing, the picnics were often rather damp affairs".

But that was balanced by the warmth of bedtime stories in the family flat in the Middle Temple where it is said the family below, willy-nilly, added to the appreciative audience for Darling's dramatic readings of Winnie the Pooh.

He would, friends say, have been equally at home as a farmer, taking great pride in his forestry and Belted Galloway cattle and never more at home than working in ragged jeans with his chainsaw.

A permanent record of Gerald Darling his distinction as a lawyer will be his contribution to that definitive work, Halsbury's Laws of England (Admiralty and Ship Collisions), the third edition of 1952.

In 1992 he was made an Honorary Bencher of the Northern Ireland Bar.

Born at Erganagh, Co Tyrone, 8th December, 1921; called to the Bar, Middle Temple 1950, Bencher 1972, Treasurer 1991; Barrister, Northern Ireland 1957, Honorary Bencher 1992; RD 1967; QC 1967; member, Panel of Lloyd's Arbitrators in Salvage Cases 1967-78, Appeal Arbitrator 1978-91; member, Panel of Wreck Commissioners 1967-96; QC, Hong Kong 1968; Judge, Admiralty Court of the Cinque Ports 1979-96; trustee, Royal Naval Museum 1985-90; Lloyd's Silver Medal 1991; married 1954 Susan Hobbs (one son, one daughter); died Londonderry 13 September 1996.

Photo Credit: Gordon Dunn

CREVENAGH HOUSE, near Omagh, County Tyrone, is a two-storey house built ca 1820 by Daniel Eccles Auchinleck, great-uncle of Field Marshal Sir Claude Auchinleck.

It has a three-bay entrance front with Wyatt windows in both storeys and a projecting porch.

The side is also of three bays.

A lower, two-storey range was subsequently added by Auchinleck's son, Major Thomas Auchinleck, behind the original block and parallel with it.

Photo Credit: Stephen Paskin

The principal rooms in the main block have fine plasterwork ceilings; while the hall floor is of mosaic depicting the Seven Ages of Man.

There are doors made of mahogany from the Auchinleck family plantations in Demerara.

The surrounding parkland is of the same age as the house, graced by mature parkland trees and clumps of rhododendron.

Shelter woods of mature trees are maintained to the north, south and west.

The walled garden is part-cultivated, having three walled sides and one of water.

The farm buildings are listed and there is a gate lodge in good condition.

Crevenagh House was gutted by fire in February, 2026.

First published in November, 2010.

The Irvine Baronetcy

2026-08-17T12:16:46.085+01:00

The family of IRVINE, which ranks amongst the oldest and most eminent in Scotland, acquired by marriage, at a remote period, the lands of Bonshaw, Dumfriesshire.

CHRISTOPHER IRVINE, Laird of Bonshaw, Dumfriesshire, commanded JAMES IV of Scotland's light horsemen at the battle of Flodden, and fell then, together with his son, Christopher, the father of Christopher, next Laird of Bonshaw, who held a command, and was slain at the battle of Solway Moss.

He lies buried in the village of Gretna, with a monument and epitaph. From him descended the subsequent Lairds of Bonshaw, Stapleton, Robgill and Annan.

From the Lairds of Robgill and Annan sprang

CHRISTOPHER IRVINE, who resided in Essex, until he removed to Ulster, upon a grant from JAMES I of a considerable landed property in County Fermanagh, and there erected CASTLE IRVINE.

This Christopher Irvine was intended for the Bar, and he entered the Temple in London with the view of becoming a lawyer.

He was connected with the Carletons, an English border family of Cumberland, and the Carletons were related to the Lowthers, some of whom were high in the legal profession in England.

About 1610, Gerard Lowther was appointed to be a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in Ireland; circumstance which led to the settlement in that country of his relatives, Lancelot Carleton and Christopher Irvine.

These three gentleman subsequently obtained property in 1613: their lands, which adjoined each other, were located near Lower Lough Erne, in the barony of Lurg, County Fermanagh.

During the civil wars, Mr Irvine was firm in his devotion to the royal cause, and suffered severely in consequence.

He wedded his cousin Blanch, daughter of Edward Irvine, Laird of Stapleton, by Mary Graham, his wife, of the family of Preston, and had, with several daughters, three sons, namely,

Christopher (1618-93), physician, of Edinburgh;
GERARD, his of whom presently;
William, who fought at Worcester.

Christopher Irvine died in 1666, and was buried with his wife, Blanche, in the family burial ground at Lowtherstown, or Irvinestown Church.

The second son,

SIR GERARD IRVINE JP, of Castle Irvine, Lowtherstown, Lieutenant-Colonel to Sir Arthur Forbes, Earl of Granard, fought for CHARLES II at Worcester, and was some time after taken prisoner in Ireland, and would have been executed for his loyalty to Sir Charles Coote, 2nd Baronet and 1st Earl of Mountrath, then Governor of Derry, under Cromwell, had he not been rescued out of that city by his brother William.

In consideration of these sufferings in the royal cause, and for other eminent services to the house of Stuart, Colonel Irvine was created a baronet by CHARLES II in 1677, designated of Castle Irvine, County Fermanagh.

Sir Gerard married firstly Catherine, daughter of Captain Adam Cathcart, which lady died childless; and secondly, Mary, daughter of Major William Hamilton, Laird of Blair, by whom (who died at Castle Irvine, in 1685) he had issue,

CHRISTOPHER, b 1654, married though dsp before his father;
Charles, cornet of horse, died unmarried, 1684;
Mary, m John Crichton, of Crom, ancestor of the Earls of Erne.

Sir Gerard died in WILLIAM III's service, in the camp at Dundalk, and was buried in the chancel of the church of that town.

Following his decease, in 1689, the baronetcy expired.

Necarne Castle (Image: Irish Architectural Archive)

The village of Irvinestown in County Fermanagh was founded during the Plantation in 1618 by Sir Gerard Lowther and named Lowtherstown. Ownership later passed to the Irvines and changed name accordingly.

The Irvines had an extensive estate at Castle Irvine, which they renamed Necarne, as well as further townlands at Killadeas, where a cadet branch of the family was established. Goblusk House was on the Killadeas property.

The following is an article about the 1st Baronet:-

Sir Gerard Irvine, Baronet

Finding that the overtures made on his behalf to the Enniskillen men were rejected, Sir Gerard went to Dublin and was made Lieutenant-Colonel to the regiment of horse that the Earl of Granard was about to raise in the interest of JAMES II.

Being empowered to raise a troop in Fermanagh, he came down to the town of Cavan with such a number of pistols, carbines, swords, and other necessary equipments for the men whom he was about to enlist, that he alarmed the Protestant inhabitants.

The fact having become known, Daniel French and Henry Williams set out from Belturbet with sixty horse, captured the arms at Cavan, and sent Sir Gerard himself a prisoner to Lord Blayney. His lordship did not retain him, but sent him on as a prisoner to Enniskillen.

He told the Enniskilleners that he never meant to serve JAMES II, and that his journey to Dublin was only a scheme to obtain accoutrements for a troop which he wished to raise in the service of the Prince of Orange. If he spoke the truth about himself, he was a traitor great and mean as Lundy.

As the fortunes of JAMES II waned, he threw himself heartily into the winning side; and after the siege of Derry was raised, he collected a troop of horse, with which he joined General Schomberg and subsequently died, where so many brave men perished, in the camp at Dundalk.

First published in March, 2011

Boom Hall

2026-08-17T07:36:42.344+01:00

The elder branch of this family was ennobled, in 1663, by the title of EARL OF STIRLING, in the person of WILLIAM ALEXANDER, of Menstrie, Clackmannanshire. The surname of ALEXANDER was assumed from the Christian name of its founder, Alexander Macdonald, of Menstrie.

This branch, on removing into Ulster, adopted into the family shield the Canton charged with the Harp of Ireland, and settled at Limavady, County Londonderry.

JOHN ALEXANDER, of Eridy, County Donegal, 1610, had issue,

ANDREW, his heir;
John;
Archibald;
William;
Robert.

The eldest son,

THE REV DR ANDREW ALEXANDER, of Eridy, married Dorothea, daughter of the Rev James Caulfeild, and had issue,

CAPTAIN ANDREW ALEXANDER, of Derry, born in 1625, who wedded firstly, Miss Philips, daughter of Sir Thomas Philips, and had issue,

Jacob.

He espoused secondly, Miss Hillhouse, daughter of the Laird of Hilles, and had further issue,

JOHN ALEXANDER (c1670-1747), of Ballyclose, County Londonderry, and of Gunsland, County Donegal, who married Anne, daughter of John White, and had issue,

William;
NATHANIEL, of whom hereafter;
John;
Martha.

The second son,

NATHANIEL ALEXANDER (1689-1761), of Gunsland, Alderman of Derry, 1755, married Elizabeth, daughter of William McClintock, of Dunmore, County Donegal, and had issue,

William, of London; barrister; d 1774;
John;
Nathaniel;
ROBERT, of whom we treat;
James, created EARL OF CALEDON;
Mary Jane; Rebecca; Elizabeth; Ann; Jane.

His fourth surviving son,

ROBERT ALEXANDER (1722-90), of Boom Hall, County Londonderry, wedded, in 1759, Anne, daughter of Henry McCullogh, and had issue,

Nathaniel (Rt Hon & Rt Rev);
HENRY, of Boom Hall;
William, Lieutenant-General;
James;
Joseph Josias Du Pré;
Elizabeth; Jane; Anne; Rebecca; Dorothea.

Mr Alexander's second son,

HENRY ALEXANDER (1763-1818), of Boom Hall and Glentogher, County Donegal, MP for Londonderry, 1801-2, Old Sarum, 1802-6, espoused, in 1807, Dorothy, daughter of Francis Rivers, and had issue,

ROBERT, General in the Army;
James;
Mary; Ann; Catherine; Eliza; Frances.

BOOM HALL, or Boomhall, was built ca 1772 by James Alexander to the designs of Michael Priestly.

He had returned from India.

Alexander was later to purchase the estate of Caledon, County Tyrone.

The house was built with cut stone; two storeys over a basement.

Boom Hall (Irish Architectural Archive)

It has a seven-bay entrance front, with a three-bay breakfront centre.

A projecting porch was added later.

The garden front has a three-sided bow and side elevation of five bays.

The window surrounds have blocking and blocked quoins.

The roof was rather high, on a cornice.

There was was a large, cubical central hall.

Boom Hall estate eventually passed to James, 3rd Earl of Caledon.

The Hall was occupied in the early 1830s by the Very Rev Thomas Bunbury Gough, Dean of Derry.

The lessee was Daniel Baird and the lessor was the Honourable The Irish Society.

Daniel Baird lived there from 1849 until his death in 1862; and his widow Barbara continued to live there until her death in 1879.

Baird was a very successful businessman, merchant and ship owner who rose to prominence from fairly humble origins in the 1830s ~ the Cookes and McCauslands were friends and business rivals.

A one-time Mayor of Londonderry and alderman of the city, he was also High Sheriff of Tyrone, where he had acquired an estate of around 5,000 acres in and around Newtownstewart.

When Daniel Baird died, his entire estate was left in trust to his only surviving descendant, his grandson Daniel Baird Maturin-Baird, then aged 13; with his widow and second wife Barbara (nee Delap) having “the benefit and living of Boom Hall for her natural life”.

On her death, Boom Hall passed into Daniel Maturin-Baird's full control.

He was aged 30 by this time and had established a life for himself in London and chose not to live at Boom Hall, instead leased the house, grounds and contents to the Cooke family (John and Joseph Cooke were both trustees of Daniel Baird’s will).

Meanwhile Mr Maturin-Baird built himself a new house on the Newtownstewart estate.

It is believed that the Cooke family continued to live there until around 1920.

Charles Edgar Maturin-Baird inherited the estate in 1924.

It was then leased to Michael Henry McDevitt, whose family ran a hosiery business, until the war when it was requisitioned by the Royal Navy.

The WRNS left the house in a deplorable state and Mr Maturin-Baird received compensation for damages.

Prior to the war, Michael Henry McDevitt had expressed an interest in buying the house, and after repairs had been carried out in 1946-47, the estate was sold.

Mr Maturin-Baird had, by this time, acquired an estate in East Anglia.

Interestingly, McDevitt chose only to buy the house, contents and immediate surroundings of around 26 acres along with the stable block, but not the stack yard or majority of parkland, which originally totalled 135 acres.

The remaining land was sold to various purchasers in the 1950s ~ although it is believed that the Maturin-Bairds still own the foreshore, as it would appear that this was never sold.

Under McDevitt’s sister the house fell into a state of serious dilapidation and the contents were routinely and systematically ransacked.

Pat, who keeps horses in one of the fields now, described how, as a teenager, he witnessed a group of vagabonds remove the contents of the dining room to outside the house, and sit down for a makeshift dinner around the table, before loading it all into a lorry and speeding away down the drive!

A fire in the early 1970s destroyed the roof, since when Boom Hall has gradually decayed.

When Miss McDevitt died, the property was left to a niece who sold off the land separately, and then the bricks and mortar to a ‘developer’.

It is thought that the local Council now owns the stable-block and some of the surrounding land, though not the building itself.

The site of Boom Hall is still a valuable open space, though it has lost many of its attributes.

It is of interest because the core of the late 18th century house remains, with some fine mature trees and a walled garden.

The Foyle bridge sweeps above the grounds, which go down to the shore of the River Foyle.

In 2018, it was announced that a conservation plan was to be developed for Boom Hall and its stables.

First published in August, 2012. I am grateful to William Maturin-Baird for providing information.

Carton House: 1824

2026-08-16T07:47:40.938+01:00

CARTON HOUSE, THE SEAT OF THE MOST NOBLE AUGUSTUS FREDERICK, DUKE OF LEINSTER, FROM ENGRAVINGS BY JOHN PRESTON NEALE

"CARTON HOUSE, the principal seat of His Grace the Duke of Leinster, is at the same time one of the noblest mansions in Ireland."

"The structure is uniform, and extends in length four hundred feet from wing to wing."

"The centre building, two hundred and forty feet in length, is appropriated to a complete suite of state rooms, consisting of a hall, in form of a parallelogram, forty-five feet six inches, by nineteen feet six inches: this apartment is generally used as a billiard-room."

"The Grand Staircase is seventeen feet by nineteen feet six.

"The suite of rooms upon the park front, which is given in the annexed view, consists of a dining-room of grand dimensions, fifty-two feet five inches in length, by twenty-four feet in breadth, and twenty-four feet high; an ante-room, eighteen feet four inches by seventeen feet two inches."

"A noble drawing-room, thirty-five feet six inches long, nineteen feet six inches wide, and twenty-seven feet high: At one end of this elegant room is an organ; the other end opens to the library, which is forty-six feet in length, and nineteen feet six inches wide; to which is attached a reading-room in dimension eighteen feet four inches by twenty-one feet six inches; beyond which is the Duke of Leinster's private room."

"A dressing-room and baths complete the suite."

"The wings are attached to the centre by an open colonnade of the Doric order."

"In one of the wings is comprised the stables, coach-houses, etc, etc; and the other contains the kitchen and offices, all upon a grand scale."

"CARTON HOUSE is situated eleven miles from Dublin, and about one mile from Maynooth, and had been successively a residence of the families of TALBOT and Ingoldsby, previously to its coming into the possession of the present noble family."

"THE ESTATE, with its appurtenances, was purchased by Robert, 19th Earl of Kildare, 27th January, 1739, of Thomas Ingoldsby, of Walridge, in Buckinghamshire."

"The Earl of Kildare greatly improved the edifice by additional buildings, and desired by his will that the whole might be completed according to the plan which he had approved of."

"The Earl died at this seat, 20th February, 1743, aged 69."

Carton House is said to have cost £26,000 to build in 1739, equivalent to almost £4.9 million in 2024.

The estate, near Maynooth, County Kildare, is now a luxury hotel and resort.

First published in June, 2022.

Bank Buildings, Belfast

2026-08-15T07:25:01.278+01:00

The Bank Buildings in 1901 (Image: Robert Welch/NMNI)

THE BANK BUILDINGS, ONE OF BELFAST'S MOST ICONIC BUILDINGS, WAS ENGULFED BY A CATASTROPHIC FIRE ON THE 28TH AUGUST, 2018.

The Bank Buildings, Castle Place, Belfast, stand between Castle Street to the south, and Bank Street to the north.

The first building on the site (originally part of the 16-acre grounds and gardens of old Belfast Castle) was designed by Robert Taylor and erected by Waddell Cunningham in 1785.

Cunningham, one of Belfast's most prominent business men, opened the premises as a bank in 1787.

Castle Place, Belfast, 1843

Following the bank's collapse in 1789, the building became the episcopal residence of the Lord Bishop of Down and Connor, the Rt Rev Dr William Dickson.

In 1804, it was converted into a shop and, in 1816, the last public execution was carried on its doorstep.

The Northern Banking Company purchased the Bank Buildings in 1825 for use as their head office.

In 1853, William Robertson and Henry Hawkins from Waterford, J C Ledlie from Cork, and Robert Ferguson, of Belfast, established a wholesale drapery firm, which soon became a commercial department store in the city.

The old Georgian edifice was demolished and a four-storey, seven-bay Italianate building of 1855 was erected in its place by Hawkins, Robertson and Co.

The History Hub Ulster has written an article about the history of The Bank Buildings, including a rare image of the second building built in 1855.

W H Lynn designed the new bank buildings in 1900.

He intended it as a bridge to the 20th century, with a compromise between the classical style of the upper part of the building and the great expanse of plate glass below.

Old photographs show a statue directly above the clock, and a coat-of-arms at third floor level.

I contacted the pre-eminent Ulster architectural historian Marcus Patton, OBE, about this, and he remarked:-

"I have a photo of Bank Buildings which I took around 1980 and there is no sign of the statue then, whereas there is a Hogg one perhaps of 1930 which does show it (a couple of winged cherubs holding a torch)."

"It could have gone with the bomb damage in 1975 or the subsequent renovations."

"The coat of arms doesn’t show in the Hogg photo so it must have gone early on..."

Photo Credit: Kyle Leyden

Robertson, Leslie, Ferguson and Co were royal warrant holders to Queen Victoria.

Until 1961, only the ground and first floors were used as a retail store, with the remainder of the building taken up by the company’s wholesale warehouse.

In that year, however, the Bank Buildings underwent total renovation.

The new arcade shop front was lighted at night, and a modernised main entrance was added at Castle Place (or Junction, as it was known when trams operated).

The old pillars and showcases on the ground floor were removed.

The Belfast Telegraph announced the ’bold policy of renovation, repair and the moving and improving of entire departments, has brought it into line with the latest Bond Street ideas.’

In 1969, the shares of Robertson, Ledlie, Ferguson and Company were sold to the House of Fraser group, whose chairman was Sir Hugh Fraser Bt.

It was hoped at the time that the Bank Buildings would benefit from the knowledge and resources of a large national firm, expanding throughout the United Kingdom.

Robertson, Ledlie, Ferguson and Co, however, continued to operate the store as a subsidiary company, and only four years later, Boots acquired the Bank Buildings when it took over House of Fraser.

On the 9th April, 1975, three bombs exploded in the Bank Buildings.

A huge fire broke out shortly afterwards and damaged parts of the building.

In 1979, the Bank Buildings were taken over by the Dublin-based fashion retailer Primark.

Within 18 months, the store was totally refurbished and the exterior restored to its 1903 glory.

A catastrophic fire engulfed the Edwardian building at about 11am of the 28th August, 2018.

The blaze lasted for a number of hours, leaving it a roofless, gutless shell.

The interior was cleared of rubble in 2020, and site works are currently being progressed.

The Bank Buildings reopened in the first week of November, 2022.

First published in August, 2018.

The Princess Royal

2026-08-15T07:00:00.000+01:00

Her Royal Highness THE PRINCESS ROYAL KG KT GCVO is 76 today.

The Princess Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise was born at Clarence House, London.

HRH is married to Vice-Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence KCVO CB.

Princess Anne is a Royal Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter and an Extra Knight of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle.

Her Royal Highness is also Grand Master and Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order.

The Princess Royal holds the ranks of Admiral in the Royal Navy, General in the Army, and Air Chief Marshal in the Royal Air Force.

BH Memoirs: VII

2026-08-14T12:01:36.379+01:00

REMINISCENCES OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL JOHN MATTHEW BLAKISTON-HOUSTON DL (1898-1984), OF BELTRIM CASTLE, COUNTY TYRONE, AND RODDENS, COUNTY DOWN, BORN AT ORANGEFIELD HOUSE, NEAR BELFAST

HE SERVED IN THE FIRST AND SECOND WORLD WARS; WAS AIDE-DE-CAMP TO THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF AUSTRALIA, 1929-30; HIGH SHERIFF OF COUNTY DOWN, 1944; DEPUTY LIEUTENANT OF COUNTY DOWN, 1946; HIGH SHERIFF OF COUNTY TYRONE, 1954

In April, 1939, Roddens House was burnt down.

We had been carrying out some alterations and were living in one corner of the house.

A high wind was blowing off the sea and one of the front windows had been removed.

It was probably caused by a smouldering beam in the chimney.

We planned to rebuild starting on the 1st September, 1939, but Hitler had different plans.

In the meantime we lived in Roddens Farm House.

Lattice and the children remained there till after the war but built on two extra rooms.

In July, 1939, some of us Reservists were invited to do some voluntary training and I did a fortnight’s attachment to the 4th Hussars commanded by Scotty Cockburn at Tidworth.

To my amusement Bunny Head, who had been a Stockbroker in New York for the previous ten years, was my instructor!

At 9pm on the 31st August, 1939, the wireless announced that all Class “A” Reservists were to rejoin.

It was my 41st birthday.

I crossed over on the evening of the 1st September, having fixed up my affairs as best I could during the day.

I was in camp with the Eton OTC on 4 August 1914, and I remember well the cheer and songs with which we greeted the declaration of war then.

But we’d learnt what war meant since.

Waterloo Station was full of reservists rejoining their units and a sad looking lot they were.

When they actually joined and met their old comrades’ things cheered up in the canteen, but I could not help being struck by difference in atmosphere to that I just remembered a quarter of a century earlier.

During these two months I found plenty to do in connection with the buying of cows; bad reports of milk, and the rejection of 41 cows at one half yearly tubercular test.

First published in January, 2015. Extracts by kind permission of RP Blakiston-Houston OBE JP DL

The Magill Baronetcy

2026-08-14T07:29:28.795+01:00

JOHN MAGILL, of Gill Hall, County Down, bequeathed, about 1676, all his estates in County Down to (the son of Lieutenant William Johnston) his grandson,

JOHN JOHNSTON (ante 1639-1701), of Gill Hall, who assumed, in consequence, the surname and arms of MAGILL, and was created a baronet in 1680, designated of Gill Hall, County Down.

Sir John, MP for Hillsborough, 1692-3, Downpatrick, 1695-9, married firstly, in 1677, Elizabeth Mary, daughter of William Hawkins; and secondly, in 1683, Arabella Susannah, daughter of Hugh Hamilton, 1st Viscount Glenawly.

Sir John died without surviving issue in 1701, when the baronetcy expired.

The estates, however, devolved, in accordance with the will of the original testator, John Magill, upon Sir John's nephew and heir,

ROBERT HAWKINS (1704-45), of Gill Hall, MP for County Down, 1724-7-45 (grandson of his sister Mary, who assumed the additional surname of MAGILL), who espoused firstly, in 1728, Rachael, eldest daughter of Clotworthy, 3rd Viscount Massereene and widow of Randal, 4th Earl of Antrim, and had an only son, JOHN (1729-36).

Mr Hawkins-Magill wedded secondly, in 1742, the Lady Ann Bligh, daughter of John, 1st Earl of Darnley, and had issue an only daughter and heiress,

THEODOSIA HAWKINS-MAGILL (1743-1817), who married, in 1765, John, 1st Earl of Clanwilliam.

The Hawkins-Magill coat-of-arms is displayed at the top.

Theodosia Countess of Clanwilliam (Image: Ulster Museum)

In the 1650s, during Cromwellian land confiscation and the subsequent plantation era following the Irish rebellion of 1641, Captain John Magill acquired land in the Tullylish area and founded Gilford, the name of the village being derived from Magill’s Ford.

Gill Hall

Gilford dates from the mid-17th century when the Magill family, after whom it was called, acquired the land.

The Magills were of Scottish origin.

Before the Rebellion of 1641 Captain Magill, whose name appears in the list of officers of the Cromwellian Army, obtained half the townland of Ballynagarrick from Art Og Maginnis for £150.

At the end of the war Captain Magill acquired an extensive estate at Gilford, comprising the townlands of Loughans, Drumarin, Drummillar, Mullabrack, Ballymacanallen and half of Ballynagarrick.

Furthermore, he owned land in Donacloney and Dromore; and it was here, in his Gill Hall estate, that the family seal was placed.

Robin Knowles once unearthed a manuscript at a library in Northern Ireland concerning Sir John Magill,

In 1674, Magill held a grand pheasant shoot on his estate which had been stocked with nine hundred birds obtained by natural hatch and from eggs hatched under broody hens. He invited sixty-four guns - a nobleman and a commoner from each of the Kingdom of Ireland's thirty-two counties - to shoot and they bagged three hundred pheasants in a day.

First published in February, 2011

Owenmore House

2026-08-13T12:28:00.049+01:00

THE ORMES WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY SLIGO, WITH 11,771 ACRES

WILLIAM ORME, of Hanch Hall, Longdon, Staffordshire, descended from a family of graziers long settled in Cheshire, married, in 1612, Grace, daughter of Nicholas Hurt, of Castern, Staffordshire.

He died in 1623, leaving a son,

WILLIAM ORME (1614-65), of Hanch Hall, who being a Royalist, suffered heavy fines and imprisonment at the hands of the usurper, CROMWELL.

He lived to witness the Restoration, and had a confirmation of his arms by Sir William Dugdale, Norroy King-of-Arms, 1665.

Mr Orme wedded Anne, daughter of Thomas Brudenell, of Staunton Wivell, Leicestershire, and had issue,

Thomas (c1637-1716), dsp;
William, Colonel in the French Army;
JAMES, of whom presently;
Robert;
Dorothea.

The third son,

JAMES ORME, settled ca 1671 in County Mayo, where he purchased considerable estates.

He espoused Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Barrow, of County Cork, and had issue,

ROBERT, his heir;
William, of Ballintubber.

Mr Orme died in 1707, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

ROBERT ORME, of Carne, County Mayo, who married, in 1703, Elizabeth, daughter of James Johnston, and had issue,

Thomas, of Carne;
James, of Fairfield;
WILLIAM, of whom hereafter;
Robert (Congressman), settled in Jones County, USA;
Mary; Margaret; Lettice.

The third son,

WILLIAM ORME JP (1810-76), of Owenmore, County Mayo, wedded firstly, in 1837, Janette, daughter of Christopher Carleton L'Estrange, of Market Hill, County Fermanagh; and secondly, in 1858, Margaret Barbara, eldest daughter of the Rev Savage Hall, Rector of Loughgall, County Armagh,

He dsp and was succeeded by his brother,

ROBERT ORME JP DL (1815-77), of Owenmore, County Mayo, and Enniscrone, County Sligo, who espoused, in 1843, Sidney Frances, daughter of Christopher Carleton L'Estrange, and had issue,

ROBERT WILLIAM, his heir;
CHRISTOPHER GUY, succeeded his brother;
Albert L'Estrange;
Janet Georgina, m 1882, Claude Brownlow, of Killynether.

The eldest son,

ROBERT WILLIAM ORME JP DL (1856-1903), of Owenmore and Enniscrone, High Sheriff of County Sligo, 1879, died unmarried, and was succeeded by his brother,

CHRISTOPHER GUY ORME JP DL (1858-1929), of Owenmore and Enniscrone, High Sheriff of County Sligo, 1914, who married, in 1907, Mary Kathleen, daughter of the 1st Baron Morris and Killanin, and had issue,

ROBERT WILLIAM MARTIN, b 1908;
Lettice Frances; Cicely Dorothea.

OWENMORE HOUSE, near Crossmolina, County Mayo, built ca 1847, comprises two storeys over a high basement.

It has a five-bay entrance front, with a single-storey Doric portico.

The other side elevation has a two-storey bowed wing of similar style and height to the main block, though set back.

When the estate was decimated by the Land Acts, about 1926, it was sold to the Knox family.

It was sold again in 1950 to Major Marcus McCausland.

First published in July, 2012.

Ely Lodge

2026-08-13T07:42:14.424+01:00

THE MARQUESSES OF ELY WERE THE GREATEST LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY FERMANAGH, WITH 34,879 ACRES

The family of LOFTUS, or, as it was anciently spelt, Lofthouse, appears, from the archives of York Minster, to have flourished in Yorkshire as early as the reign of ALFRED THE GREAT. The same records show that Christopher Lofthouse was prior of Helagh, Yorkshire, in 1460. Before the advent of the Normans it held the lands and town of Loftus, in Yorkshire, by thanage, and after the Conquest by military tenure.

EDWARD LOFTUS, of Swineshead, Yorkshire, living about 1480, left two sons, namely,

1. ROBERT, father of ADAM LOFTUS, LORD CHANCELLOR OF IRELAND, 1619;
2. ADAM.

The younger son,

THE MOST REV ADAM LOFTUS (c1533-1605) accompanied, as private chaplain, the Viceroy, Thomas, Earl of Sussex, into Ireland, and was consecrated Lord Archbishop of Armagh, 1562-3.

In 1567, Dr Loftus was translated to the see of Dublin; and six years afterwards we find him Lord Keeper of the Great Seal.

In 1578, His Grace was constituted LORD CHANCELLOR OF IRELAND, and he continued to hold the seals until his death.

This esteemed divine having a principal share in the foundation of Trinity College, Dublin, was appointed by charter its first Provost, which office he resigned in 1594.

He married Jane, eldest daughter of Alan Purdon, of Lurgan Race, County Louth, and by her had twenty children, of whom seven died young.

The survivors were eight sons and five daughters.

The Archbishop was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR DUDLEY LOFTUS (1561-), of Rathfarnham, who wedded Anne, daughter of Sir Henry Bagenal, of Newry, and had, with other issue,

ADAM, 1st Viscount Lisburne;
NICHOLAS, of whose line we are about to treat;
Edward;
Samuel.

Sir Dudley's second son,

NICHOLAS LOFTUS, of Fethard (1592-1666), Joint Clerk of the Pells and of the treasury in Ireland, wedded, in 1623, Margaret, daughter and heir of Thomas Chetham, of Nuthurst, in Lancashire, and Hacketstown, County Dublin; and was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

SIR NICHOLAS LOFTUS (1635-1708), of Fethard, MP for Wexford, 1661-6, Fethard, 1695-9, who married firstly, Susan, daughter of Thomas Adderley, of Innishannon, County Cork, by whom he one surviving daughter, Margaret, wedded to Thomas Mildmay, of Lisburn.

Sir Nicholas espoused secondly, Eleanor, third daughter of Sir Edmund Butler Bt, and had several children, of whom the sons all died issueless, when the estates descended to his brother,

HENRY LOFTUS (1636-1716), of Loftus Hall, who wedded firstly, Annie, daughter of John Gorges, of Coleraine, County Londonderry, and had a son (who died young) and three daughters.

He married secondly, Anne, daughter and heir of Henry Crewkern, of Exeter, by whom he had two sons; and was succeeded by his elder son,

NICHOLAS LOFTUS (c1687-1763), MP for Fethard, 1710-13, Clonmines, 1713-14, Wexford County, 1715-51, who was elevated to the peerage as Baron Loftus, of Loftus Hall, in 1751.

His lordship was sworn of the privy council in 1753; nominated Governor of County Wexford, and advanced to a viscountcy, in 1756, as Viscount Loftus, of Ely.

He married firstly Anne, second daughter of William, Viscount Duncannon, by whom he had issue,

NICHOLAS, his successor;
HENRY, succeeded as 4th Viscount Loftus;
Mary; Anne;
Elizabeth, mother of CHARLES TOTTENHAM.

His lordship wedded secondly, Letitia, daughter of Sir John Rowley, Knight, by whom he had no issue.

His lordship was succeeded by his elder son,

NICHOLAS (1714-66), 2nd Viscount, who was advanced to the dignity of an earldom, in 1766, as Earl of Ely.

His lordship married, in 1736, Mary, eldest daughter and heir of Sir Gustavus Hume Bt, of Castle Hume, County Fermanagh; and dying in 1766, was succeeded by his only son,

NICHOLAS, 2nd Earl, MP for Fethard, 1759-67, who died unmarried in 1769, when the earldom expired, but the viscountcy and barony reverted to his uncle,

THE HON HENRY LOFTUS (1709-83), as 4th Viscount; who was advanced to an earldom, as Earl of Ely, in 1771; and installed a Knight Founder of the Most Illustrious of St Patrick, in 1783.

His lordship espoused firstly, in 1745, Frances, daughter of Henry Munroe, of Roe's Hall, County Down; and secondly, in 1775, Anne, daughter of Hugh Bonfoy, but had no issue.

At his demise, therefore, in 1783, the honours all expired, while his estates devolved upon the son of his sister (the Hon Elizabeth Tottenham), his nephew,

THE RT HON CHARLES TOTTENHAM, who then assumed the surname and arms of LOFTUS, and was created, in two years afterwards, Baron Loftus, of Loftus Hall.

His lordship, Privy Counsellor, Knight of St Patrick, Joint Postmaster-General in Ireland, Governor of County Wexford, was advanced to a viscountcy, in 1789 as Viscount Loftus; and, in 1794, Earl of Ely.

He was further advanced, in 1800, to the dignity of a marquessate, as MARQUESS OF ELY.

His lordship wedded, in 1766, Jane, elder surviving daughter and co-heir of Robert Myhill, of Killarney, by whom he had two sons,

JOHN, his successor;
Robert Ponsonby (Rt Rev), father of CHARLES JOHN.

He was succeeded by his elder son,

2nd Marquess of Ely KP (The National Trust)

JOHN, 2nd Marquess (1770-1845), Knight of St Patrick, 1807, Privy Counsellor, who espoused, in 1810, Anna Maria, daughter of Sir Henry Watkin Dashwood Bt, and had issue,

JOHN HENRY, his successor;
George William;
Adam (Rev), Rector of Magheraculmoney; father of 5th and 6th Marquesses;
Augustus William Frederick Spencer;
Henry Yorke Astley;
Charlotte Elizabeth; Catherine Henrietta Mary; three other daughters.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

JOHN HENRY, 3rd Marquess (1814-57), who married, in 1844, Jane, daughter of James Joseph Hope-Vere, and had issue,

JOHN HENRY WELLINGTON GRAHAM, his successor;
Marion Jane.

His lordship was succeeded by his only son and heir,

JOHN HENRY WELLINGTON GRAHAM, 4th Marquess (1849-89), who wedded, in 1875, Caroline Anne, daughter of George Caithness, though the marriage was without issue, and the titles passed to his cousin,

JOHN HENRY, 5th Marquess (1851-1925), who espoused, in 1895, Margaret Emma, daughter of F A Clark, though the marriage was without issue, and the titles passed to his youngest brother,

GEORGE HERBERT, 6th Marquess (1854-1935);

George Loftus, 6th Marquess (1854–1935);

George Loftus, 7th Marquess (1903–69);

Charles Tottenham, 8th Marquess (1913–2006);

John Tottenham, 9th Marquess (b 1943).

The heir presumptive is the present holder's brother, Lord Timothy Tottenham (b 1948).

The heir presumptive's heir apparent is his son Scott Tottenham (b 1977).

The Ely Papers are deposited at PRONI.

Ely Lodge, demolished in 1870.

The Loftus family relocated to Ely Lodge from nearby Castle Hume, through the marriage of the Hume heiress to Nicholas Loftus, 1st Earl of Ely.

Work began in 1813, under the direction of the celebrated landscape gardener, John Sutherland (1745-1826), in advance of the construction of a new Georgian house by the Dublin architect, William Farrell.

Located on a ‘greenfield site’ on the north side of Ely Island (171 acres), Ely Lodge (above), consisted of a two-storey, five-bay stuccoed block with Tuscan pilasters and flanking single-storey bowed wings.

Antique print of Ely Lodge ca 1869 (Image: eBay)

It was built for John, 2nd Marquess of Ely, as a replacement for the earlier (1729) mansion that stood 1½ miles to the south on the Ross Inner peninsula.

The park extended into Rossnafarran and Drumcose on the west bank of Lower Lough Erne, with two porter’s lodges on the Enniskillen Road, both apparently by Farrell.

One was based on Blenheim’s Eagle Lodge in Oxfordshire; while the other is a Tudor-Picturesque style lodge of ca 1830, with an associated causeway bridge incorporating flood arches.

Farrell also designed a pump house; and possibly the main landing pier, now mostly high and dry; while Sutherland was probably responsible for the Garden House and the original walled garden, located in the woods on the south side of the island.

Sutherland’s landscape, essentially Reptonian in style, was considered to be ‘a perfect example of the serpentine outlines so much admired by him’.

It was later criticised by some advocates of the Picturesque, among them Edmund Murphy, for harmonizing ‘indifferently with the bold projections and deep irregular lines of the natural woods’.

In 1870, Ely Castle was blown up as part of the twenty-first birthday celebrations of the 4th Marquess, whose intention had been to build a new house.

Doubtless he had expended too much of his income on his principal seat, Loftus Hall.

However, in the 1880s the former stable range, lying on the south side of the old house site, was converted into a residence with good views of the lough.

By this stage, the Elys spent most of their time at Loftus Hall and were mainly absentee landlords in County Fermanagh.

Ely Lodge today

George, 7th Marquess of Ely, sold the property ca 1948 to Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Grosvenor DSO TD JP DL, Lord Hugh Grosvenor's younger son, who subsequently succeeded as 5th Duke of Westminster.

The 5th Duke upgraded the former stable-block into a fine residence about 1965.

The 5th Duke's mother was the Lady Mabel Crichton, of Crom Castle, indeed the Duke spent much of his childhood at Crom.

The 5th Duke's son Gerald, 6th Duke of Westminster, was born at Omagh, County Tyrone.

The 6th Duke was at that time styled Earl Grosvenor.

Both he and his sisters spent their childhood at Ely Lodge.

Ely Lodge remained part of the Westminster Estates till about 1987, when Viola, Dowager Duchess of Westminster, Lord-lieutenant of County Fermanagh, was tragically killed in a car accident.

In 1994, Charles Plunkett, the Duchess's land agent, inherited the estate on Her Grace's death, and subsequently sold the estate.

First published in January, 2010.

Ker of Portavo

2026-08-12T12:29:27.657+01:00

THE KERS WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY DOWN, WITH 20,544 ACRES

DAVID KER (1530-1610), a Scottish laird who settled in Ballymena, County Antrim, in 1566, fled Ayrshire following the murder of David Rizzio (private secretary to Mary, Queen of Scots).

By the 18th Century the family had prospered in the linen industry.

DAVID KER, a merchant, of Ballymena, married Jean, daughter of _______ Boyd, and had issue, eleven children, including

William, of Ballymena;
Hugh. of Dublin;
DAVID, of whom hereafter.

One of his sons,

DAVID KER (1710-70), of Cateaton Street, City of London, and Tottenham, Middlesex, a prominent merchant banker, married, in 1748, Martha, daughter of William Macpheadris (sometimes spelled Mackpheadris), and had issue,

DAVID;
Richard Gervas, MP, of REDHALL, County Antrim;
Martha.

He purchased the Portavo estate in County Down for £23,000 (equivalent to about £4 million in 2019), in 1765, for his eldest son,

DAVID KER (1751-1811), of Portavo, who purchased the MONTALTO demesne about 1800 from the Earl of Moira.

By Maddelena, his wife, daughter of Francesco Guardi, of Venice, he left a son and heir,

DAVID GUARDI KER JP DL (c1778-1844), of Portavo and Montalto, MP for Athlone, 1820-6, Downpatrick, 1835-41, who purchased, in 1844, the De Clifford estate, Downpatrick.

He married, in 1814, the Lady Selina Sarah Stewart, daughter of Robert, 1st Marquess of Londonderry, and had issue,

DAVID STEWART, his heir;
Richard John Charles Rivers, JP, DL, MP for Downpatrick;
Catherine Anne Frances; Madelina Selina.

The eldest son,

DAVID STEWART KER JP DL (1816-78), of Montalto and Portavo, MP for Downpatrick, County Down, 1852-7, High Sheriff of County Down, 1852, Antrim, 1857, wedded, in 1842, Anna Dorothea, daughter of Hans, 3rd Baron Dufferin, and had, with other issue,

ALFRED DAVID, his heir;
Charles;
RICHARD WILLIAM BLACKWOOD, succeeded his brother;
Henry;
Edward;
Robert;
David;
Hamilton Chichester (Rev);
Selina Frances Imogene; Helen; Violet.

He espoused secondly, in 1869, Caroline Hellena, eldest daughter of Parsons Persse, of Castle Turven, County Galway.

Mr Ker was succeeded by his eldest son,

ALFRED DAVID KER JP (1843-77), of Montalto and Portavo. High Sheriff of County Down, 1877, who married, in 1871, Eva Frances Caroline, elder daughter of Thomas, 1st Baron Deramore, by his wife, the Hon Caroline Elizabeth Anne, second daughter and co-heir of George, 4th Baron Dynevor, and had issue,

Sybil Anna; Eva Winifred Selina; Kathleen Elianore Mary; Eva Cecil Violet.

Mr Ker died without male issue, and was succeeded by his brother,

RICHARD WILLIAM BLACKWOOD KER JP DL (1850-1942), of Montalto and Portavo, High Sheriff of County Down, 1880, who wedded, in 1876, Edith Louisa, daughter of William George Rose, of Wolston Heath, Warwickshire, and had issue,

MAJOR DAVID ALFRED WILLIAM KER OBE (1878-1954), of Portavo, High Sheriff of County Down, 1939, who wedded Anna, eldest daughter of John Pollock, DL, of Mountainstown, County Meath, and had issue,

DAVID JOHN RICHARD;
Rosemary.

The son and heir,

CAPTAIN DAVID JOHN RICHARD KER, Coldstream Guards, High Sheriff of County Down, 1952, wedded, in 1948, Virginia Mary Eloise, daughter of the Hon James Knyvett Estcourt Howard, and had issue,

DAVID PETER JAMES, b 1951;
Caroline Moira; Camilla Rosanna Glan.

Ker armorial bearings in Down Cathedral, Downpatrick

THE family of KER (pronounced Carr), of Portavo and Montalto, of whom David Ker (1530-1610) settled at Ballymena, County Antrim in the second half of the 16th Century having fled Scotland after the murder of David Rizzio (private secretary to Mary Queen of Scots) in 1566.

By the 18th Century the family had prospered in the linen industry, and David Ker (1710-1770) a banker and merchant purchased Portavo in County Down for his eldest son, David (1751-1811).

Portavo House (Image: Irish Architectural Archive)

This David Ker was a voracious purchaser of land and by 1800 had acquired a number of estates culminating in the purchase of Montalto from the Earl of Moira in 1800.

He and his brother had taken the Grand Tour together in 1771, where David eloped with a Venetian singer by the name of Madelina Guardi, reputedly the daughter of Venetian painter Francesco Guardi.

Following the death of his young wife, David Ker returned to Italy with his three daughters, leaving his son to be educated at Eton.

In Italy he began to collect in the best traditions of the Grand Tour, purchasing a Raphael portrait and sending ‘three cases’ of purchases from Rome to Ulster, and later another ‘containing a Scagliola table’ in 1794.

This visit, which lasted two years, culminated in David Ker sitting for Angelica Kauffman and, at her suggestion, his daughters sat for Francis Xavier Fabre.

His son, David Guardi Ker, married Lady Selina Stewart, fourth daughter of the 1st Marquess of Londonderry.

This David Ker devoted his life to the collection of books and prints.

He also served as MP for Athlone and later Downpatrick, the seat he purchased from Lord de Clifford in 1844.

His eldest son, David Stewart Ker (1816-1878) started life as one of the richest commoners in Ireland.

He married Anna Dorothea Blackwood, daughter of the 3rd Baron Dufferin and Claneboye, of Clandeboye, County Down.

However, by the time of his death in 1878, he was declared bankrupt and considered ‘quite mad’.

He began the first dispersal of the family collections assembled by his father, grandfather and great-uncle, following the disastrous fire at Portavo in 1844.

First sold were books and prints at Christie’s in a series of seven day sales in 1847, 1848 and 1849, followed by endless dispersals of renowned pictures.

His son Alfred David Ker (1843-1877) did his best, in his short tenure, to bring some order to the family finances, but with his death at the young age of 34, the estates and possessions devolved to Richard Blackwood Ker (1850-1943), his brother, who married Edith Rose of Wolston Grange, Warwickshire.

Dick Ker’s greatest love next to women was horses, and being totally untrained in the management of estates was, like his father, eventually declared bankrupt.

Montalto was then sold in 1912 to the Earl of Clanwilliam, and the family returned to Portavo, where he built a ‘shooting box’ from the ruins of the mansion which had been destroyed by fire in 1844.

Dick Ker was succeeded by David Alfred Ker (1878-1954) who spent most of his life in minority controlled by Trustees.

His son, David Richard (Dick) Ker (1920-1997) finally sold Portavo in 1980, and it is his son David (born 1951) who proceeded to make dispersals from the Ker Collection.

David Ker had an interest in works of art and collecting from an early age, and after a career in property he started the David Ker gallery in 1980; and in 1993 formed Simon C Dickinson Ltd with Simon Dickinson.

*****

The Ker Papers contain a detailed account of the family:-

David Ker, a merchant of Ballymena, Co. Antrim, who had taken a lease of the first fall on Sir Robert Adair's mill-race at Ballymena, c.1710. He married Jean Boyd of Clontfinnan near Clough, Co. Antrim, and had a family of eleven children, of whom three were prominent merchants: William in Ballymena, Hugh in Dublin, and David in London. David Ker settled in London and traded at Cateaton Street, first as Ker & Elmes, then after 1755 as Ker, Elmes & Priest, and later after 1758 as David Ker & Co.

In 1765 he purchased the Portavo estate near Groomsport, in the Ards. He died in 1770 and was succeeded by his son, David, during whose lifetime the firm traded as Ker, Pope & Dyson and later as Ker, Brookland & Priest. In 1785 he purchased the Clough and Magheraknock estates in Co. Down from Arthur Annesley and in 1800 that of Montalto at Ballynahinch, Co. Down, from the 2nd Earl of Moira.

His brother, Richard Gervas Ker, High Sheriff of Co. Antrim in 1791, bought the Red Hall estate at Ballycarry, Co. Antrim, in 1780 from Sir Archibald Edmonstone Bt. David Ker died in 1811, and was succeeded by his son David, who married, in 1814, the daughter 1st Marquess of Londonderry and in 1834 bought the Southwell estate at Downpatrick, Co. Down, from the representatives of Lord de Clifford.

First published in March, 2012.

Donamon Castle

2026-08-12T07:30:44.909+01:00

THE CAULFEILDS WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY ROSCOMMON, WITH 6,632 ACRES

THE REV AND HON CHARLES CAULFEILD (1686-1768), Rector of Donaghenry, County Tyrone, second son of William, 2nd Viscount Charlemont, married Alice, daughter of John Houston, and had issue,

Charles;
JOHN, of whom we treat;
James.

The younger son,

COLONEL JOHN CAULFEILD, of Donamon Castle, County Roscommon, wedded Mary, daughter of Henry Irvine, and had issue,

ST GEORGE, his heir;
Harriet.

Colonel Caulfeild succeeded, in 1778, to the estates of his kinsman, ST GEORGE CAULFEILD, Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, grandson of the Hon Thomas Caulfeild, of Donamon, youngest son of William, 2nd Baron Charlemont.

His only son and heir,

ST GEORGE CAULFEILD (1780-1810), of Donamon Castle, espoused, in 1802, Frances, daughter of Sir Edward Crofton, 2nd Baronet, and had issue,

FRANCIS ST GEORGE, his heir;
Harriet; Frances Henrietta.

The only son and heir,

FRANCIS ST GEORGE CAULFEILD JP (1806-96), married, in 1830, Susannah Anne, daughter of Sir Edward Crofton, 3rd Baronet, and had issue,

ST GEORGE FRANCIS ROBERT, his heir;
Alfred Henry;
Emily Susan; Fanny Florence.

Mr Caulfeild was succeeded by his eldest son,

ST GEORGE FRANCIS ROBERT CAULFEILD, who wedded Louisa Ann, daughter of Thomas Russell Crampton, and had issue, an only child,

ALGERNON THOMAS ST GEORGE CAULFEILD JP (1869-1933), of Donamon Castle, County Roscommon, High Sheriff of County Roscommon, 1899.

DONAMON CASTLE, Roscommon, County Roscommon, is a 15th century castle with a lofty arch between its towers, similar to that at Bunratty Castle.

It was enhanced towards the end of the 18th century with sash windows and Gothic-Georgian battlements.

The Castle was enlarged and altered again the in middle of the 19th century.

In 1939 the Divine Word Missionaries came to Ireland and purchased the castle from the Irish Land Commission.

The Missionary Society constructed several new buildings to create a campus for training people before they went into the field.

The Castle itself is still their home in Ireland.

The training campus is now managed by the Irish Wheelchair Association as a holiday centre.

First published in June, 2018.

BH Memoirs: VI

2026-08-11T12:15:06.096+01:00

REMINISCENCES OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL JOHN MATTHEW BLAKISTON-HOUSTON DL (1898-1984), OF BELTRIM CASTLE, COUNTY TYRONE, AND RODDENS, COUNTY DOWN, BORN AT ORANGEFIELD HOUSE, NEAR BELFAST

I left the Army on the 1st November, 1935, after 19 years service.

The General Election was taking place a fortnight later.

From Chester I rang up Mr J M Andrews, Ulster’s Minister of Finance, in Northern Ireland, one evening to offer my services in the election in any capacity.

Next day I received a wire from Herbert Dixon [later 1st Lord Glentoran] asking me to contest Tyrone and Fermanagh.

It was a two seat constituency and a Lincolnshire farmer called Deane was to be my colleague.

We never had a chance unless there was a split among the nationalist opposition.

Unfortunately elections in Northern Ireland are a contest between the Roman Catholic Nationalists and the Protestant Unionists.

The election agents knew the exact voting strength of each side.

Up till nomination day we thought it might be a three-corner contest, but it turned out to be a straight fight.

Two nationalist abstentionists defeated us by about 52,000 to 46,000 votes.

We stayed at COLEBROOKE with Sir Basil Brooke [later 1st Viscount Brookeborough] for the election.

I had never made a political speech in my life before this election.

Since those days I have had quite a bit of experience in Irish Politics.

I fought a by-election in County Down on SIR DAVID REID's death in 1945, and stood as one of the Official Unionist candidates for County Down in the General Election in 1945.

I never succeeded.

As everyone knows, antagonism between the Roman Catholic anti-British Irish Free State and the Protestant pro-British North has been the dominant factor in every Northern Ireland Election since the passing of the Government of Ireland Act in 1920.

The Roman Catholics in the North with their co-religionists in Eire want Ireland to be one under an Irish Republican Parliament in Dublin; whereas the Ulster Protestants want to retain every tie that binds them to Britain.

The Ulster Unionist Party has been in power since 1921 without a break; Ulster enjoys great prosperity at present.

Agriculture is Ulster’s greatest industry, and while we are represented in Westminster and are constitutionally part and parcel of the United Kingdom, Ulster farmers enjoy the same guaranteed prices for their farm produce as do farmers in England.

From an economic point of view, therefore, we have no desire to join up with Eire.

As Protestants we have no desire to come under the control of a Roman Catholic Government in Dublin.

We are quite happy as we are.

The Ulster Government is strictly impartial to Protestants and Roman Catholics.

Unfortunately there have been one or two cases of local authorities having been not so impartial and uneducated men on both sides are definitely bigoted, but as far as government policy is concerned it is above reproach and why, then, it may be asked is Eire so anxious to absorb Northern Ireland?

On the map of the world Ireland is a very small place and, on the face of it, it seems ridiculous to have it divided into two countries.

The Irishman is intensely proud of having regained the status of Independent Nationhood.

He says “Ireland was a nation when England was a pup” etc.

Now to what extent is this claim true?

It can’t be denied that Ireland kept the flame of Christianity burning at a time when it was practically extinguished in England.

Neither can it be denied that the Penal Laws drove many fine Irishmen out of their native country.

It can’t be denied either, that the severity of those Penal Laws is still responsible for the present day hatred of England.

It is claimed that the Protestants of the North are not Irishmen at all but that they are all descendants of the Scottish and English Planters in the reign of Queen Elizabeth and the early Stewarts.

There is certainly some foundation for this, but purity of race in my belief can only be rightly claimed by a very few Celts who have been driven by a succession of invaders into the mountains and to the Atlantic Coast.

All the Eastern and Southern Counties were subjected to invasions by Danes, English, Scottish and others long before Ulster was touched.

Each invasion left its mark on the original inhabitants but like China, Ireland seemed to absorb them and they in their turn became “more Irish than the Irish”.

They adopted the Irish language and the Christianity of Ireland.

Fundamentally the Northerner is a materialist and the Southerner is a sentimental theorist.

Throughout history, however, except possibly for a very short time, Ireland never was a nation.

It was an agglomeration of three or four provinces or tribes usually warring against each other under rival chiefs.

Being unable to co-operate they never were able to keep invaders out and no one personality arose strong enough to defeat his competitors and to weld Ireland into a nation.

Far the greatest and most important claim Irishmen can make is that Ireland with England and Scotland were the foundation members of the Great British Empire.

Ireland has every right to make this claim.

It is not till one travels in America or in the British Dominions that one realises what Irishmen have done.

An Irishman is only half a man in Ireland.

We have argued the Irish question from many angles and as one always does, when Ireland is concerned, looked back into medieval history.

We have got no nearer a solution, and I’m beginning to think the present partition is the best we are likely to get for many years to come.

In spite of the fact that Eire was started off on her career with no National Debt and that she has been spared sharing in any cost of the two world wars, yet her economic position is not sound.

That is another very strong reason why she is so anxious to join up with the industrious North.

The Southern Irishman is one of the most pleasant companions in the world.

He is kind and full of good cheer and humour and is popular wherever he goes in the world.

It is a great relief to escape from the ever-present materialistic outlook of the modern world and there are few places where this can be done better than in Eire.

My father used to say “an Irishman is a man who honestly believes what he knows to be false.”

I have studied some of them for a long time now and am certain he was right.

First published in January, 2015. Extracts by kind permission of RP Blakiston-Houston OBE JP DL

The Hamilton Baronetcy (1683)

2026-08-11T07:24:34.497+01:00

JOHN HAMILTON (1576-1639), of Corraneary, County Cavan, and Hamiltonsbawn, County Armagh, next brother of JAMES HAMILTON (created Viscount Claneboye, 1622), married Sarah, daughter of Sir Anthony Brabazon, Governor of Connaught, and had issue,

HANS, his heir;
James;
Francis, of Tullybrick;
Mary; Eleanor.

The eldest son,

THE RT HON SIR HANS HAMILTON, Knight, of Hamiltonsbawn, MP for County Armagh, 1661-66, High Sheriff of County Armagh, 1669, married Magdalene, daughter of Sir Edward Trevor, Knight.

Sir Hans was created a baronet in 1662, designated of Monilla, County Armagh.

He had an only daughter, SARAH, married to Sir Robert Hamilton, Knight, of Mount Hamilton, County Armagh.

Sir Hans died suddenly in 1682, when the baronetcy expired, and the estates devolved upon Sir Hans's son-in-law,

SIR ROBERT HAMILTON, Knight, of Mount Hamilton, who was appointed Sir Hans's successor as custos rotulorum of the county.

Sir Robert was created a baronet in 1683, designated of Mount Hamilton, County Armagh.

Sir Robert, Privy Counsellor, 1685, died in 1703, and was succeeded by his son,

SIR HANS HAMILTON, 2nd Baronet (1673-1731), MP for Armagh County, 1703-13, Carlingford, 1713-14, who married Jane, eldest daughter of Clotworthy, 2nd Viscount Massereene, and had an only daughter and heiress,

ANNE HAMILTON, who married John Campbell, of London, banker, goldsmith, and founder of the great house of Coutts and Co, of the Strand, who assumed the surname of HAMILTON to possess her estate and was well known in the family as "Campbell Hamilton".

Sir Hans died at Utrecht, when the baronetcy expired.

First published in February, 2011.

Ballydrain House

2026-08-10T07:37:25.999+01:00

HUGH MONTGOMERY OWNED 3,909 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY ANTRIM

The family of Montgomery claims to be a branch of the great Scottish house of MONTGOMERY.

ROBERT EGBERT MONTGOMERY (1711-92), of Glenarm, County Antrim, married, in 1742, Isabella Stewart, and had issue,

HUGH, his heir;
William;
James;
Rose; Jane.

The eldest son,

HUGH MONTGOMERY (1743-1832), of Glenarm, who wedded, in 1785, Margaret, daughter of John Allen, of Kilmandil, County Antrim, and had issue,

John, his heir, of Benvarden, Co Antrim;
HUGH, of whom we treat;
Alexander, of Potter's Wall, Co Antrim;
Thomas, JP, of Birch Hill, Co Antrim;
Barbara; Isabella; Marion; Victoria.

Mr Montgomery's second son,

HUGH MONTGOMERY (1794-1867), of Ballydrain, County Antrim, married Emily, daughter of John Ferguson, of Ballysillan, and had issue,

Hugh (1830-54), killed in action;
John Ferguson (1832-76), accidentally killed;
Alexander Richard, d 1861;
James Charles, d 1870;
THOMAS, his heir;
GEORGE, of whom hereafter;
Emily Sarah; Mary Isabella; Florence Jane; Eva Victoria; Blanche Marjorie; Ellen Georgina.

Mr Montgomery's fifth son,

THOMAS MONTGOMERY JP DL (1837-1909), of Ballydrain, High Sheriff of County Antrim, 1885, wedded, in 1866, Isabella, daughter of the Rev Thomas Walker, and had issue,

Hugh Ferguson (d 1908);
Emily Sarah; Mary Isabella; Florence Jane; Eva Victoria; Blanche Marjorie; Ellen Georgina.

The sixth son of Hugh Montgomery and Emily Ferguson,

GEORGE MONTGOMERY (1843-c1881), Captain, Royal Horse Artillery, wedded Blanche, third daughter of John Eveleigh Wyndham, of Sock Dennis, Somerset, and had an only son,

HUGH WYNDHAM MONTGOMERY (1875-1965), High Sheriff of County Kildare, 1911, who married, in 1898, Annie Selina Emma, daughter of Thomas Benyon Ferguson by his wife, Emma Amelia Cary, sister of 12th Viscount Falkland, and had issue,

GEORGE WYNDHAM CLAUD, his heir;
Noel Hugh, b 1910;
Shelagh Blanche; Daphne Lena.

The eldest son,

GEORGE WYNDHAM CLAUD MONTGOMERY (1899-1978), espoused, in 1923, Estella M Crane, of Dorchester, Dorset.

The Montgomerys sold Ballydrain in 1918.

BALLYDRAIN HOUSE, Dunmurry, now Malone Golf Club, is situated opposite Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park on the outskirts of south Belfast.

The early history of the demesne, from the beginning of the 17th century until 1834, is bound up with that of the Stewart family. The first house to be built on the site, in 1608, was a bawn (or fortified farmhouse) by William Stewart, whose family was of Scottish lesser royal blood.

Little remains from those early days, except the family tombstones in Drumbeg Parish Church and a stone inscribed 'A Free Howse 1675' in the church porch. John Stewart died in 1691. The property then passed to his son Thomas (1660-1715); and later to Thomas's son John (1701-84), who married Jane Legge (1698-1778).

John and Jane had seven children. One of the grandchildren, George, inherited Ballydrain. George married Martha Rainey and had two sons, William and Robert, both of whom died abroad in early life.

Shortly before his death in 1805, George sold Ballydrain to his cousin, John Younghusband.

The estate remained in Mr Younghusband's possession until 1834, when he sold it to Hugh Montgomery for £13,500 (£1.3 million in today's money).

Image: Hugh Montgomery, of Benvarden

The present house is thought to have been built in 1835, though documents of 1837 record that Montgomery was in the process of erecting 'a fine castle' on the estate, an indication that the house was still incomplete in 1837.

The building was certainly finished by 1843, as evidenced in a survey of the estate carried out by Hugh Hanna.

Hugh Montgomery's 'fine castle' was not erected on the site of the 18th century house, but some distance north-east of this.

The house was built in the Tudor-Revival style, with coursed but undressed stone, tall diamond-set chimney stacks, shouldered gables and mullioned windows.

The new owner of Ballydrain, Hugh Montgomery (1794-1867), was the second son of Hugh Montgomery (1743-1832) of BENVARDEN, County Antrim, President of Belfast Chamber of Commerce 1802-03 and founder, in 1809, of Montgomery's Bank, forerunner of the Northern Bank.

The bank was located at Donegall Place, neat Fountain Lane.

Like his father, Hugh was involved with the Northern Bank, being a director for forty-three years.

After his death in 1867 the estate became the property of his second son, John Ferguson Montgomery, (the eldest son, Hugh, having been killed in the Charge of the Light Brigade, at the battle of Balaclava, October 1854).

John Ferguson Montgomery (1832-76) was, by all accounts, a dashing figure: Nicknamed 'Rufus', on account of his red hair and beard, he was an outgoing character, cheerfully extrovert and a fearless sportsman.

He was well-known in Turf circles throughout the British Isles, being familiarly called 'The Captain', a title he was permitted to use after his retirement from the Queen's Royal Antrim Rifles.

His tragic early death was the result of an accident at the Maze racecourse in 1876.

After his death, Ballydrain passed to his brother Thomas, Hugh Montgomery's fifth son (the third and fourth sons, Alexander Richard and James Charles having died in 1861 and 1870).

Shortly after coming into possession of Ballydrain, Thomas Montgomery began a series of alterations to the house: the main entrance door was moved from beneath the oriel window and put into a projecting porch with a Tudor arch which was part of a major insertion with a dominant gable.

The garden front was also altered, the first floor oriel window being removed and replaced by a central two-storey canter bay inserted between the one-storey bays of the ground floor.

The alterations were very well handled and gave the building a unity and clarity it had hitherto lacked.

Though family tradition held the architect to be Sir Thomas Drew, the alterations were in fact the work of William Henry Lynn.

Thomas also added a conservatory (designed by James Boyd & Sons, of Paisley, in 1880) and a billiards-room.

Montgomery coat-of-arms on headstone at
Drumbeg parish church (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

After Thomas Montgomery's death in 1909 (his only son, Captain Hugh Ferguson Montgomery having died in 1908), his wife Isabella continued to reside at Ballydrain until her death in 1917.

The estate then passed to Thomas's nephew, Hugh Wyndham Montgomery, who sold it, in 1918, to John Barbour Morrison, director of the Ulster Spinning Company.

The house was inhabited until about 1940 and, like Wilmont, was occupied by the Army during the 2nd World War.

Following Mr Morrison's death in November, 1947, Ballydrain became the property of his son, John Maynard Morrison, of Mullaghbuoy, Donaghadee and his (John Barbour's) brother, James Morrison, of Balloo, Groomsport, County Down.

Though the land continued to be farmed, the house lay empty for several years, until the estate was purchased by Malone Golf Club in 1960.

Play commenced on the course on the 2nd June, 1962, and the house was officially opened, as Malone Clubhouse, on the 19th September of that year, by the Rt Hon Sir Basil Brooke Bt, Prime Minister of Northern Ireland.

Part of the grounds and the house were changed considerably by the golf club: One of the main alterations was the removal of the flower garden to make way for a car park; while the walled garden was turned into tennis courts and a bowling green.

The gate lodge at the main entrance was demolished. However, while the character of the estate - with its magnificent trees and lake - has been allowed to remain reasonably intact, this unfortunately has not been the case with the house: the Tudor chimneys and balustrades have been removed, as have the mullioned windows; and the main entrance has been altered considerably.

The present Ballydrain site is Malone Golf Club's fourth location since it was founded in 1895, moving from Newforge Lane, to Stranmillis, to the Upper Malone Road, and finally to its current location on the Upper Malone Road.

First published in December, 2010.

Ballymenoch's Fate

2026-08-09T07:39:14.360+01:00

The Belfast Newsletter reported on the 4th July, 1914:-

BEAUTIFUL MANSION NEAR BELFAST GUTTED: DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT £20,000 (£1.9 million in 2024).

BALLYMENOCH HOUSE [Holywood, County Down], one of the largest and most stately mansions in Ulster, was totally gutted by fire yesterday. Between five and six o'clock yesterday morning it was discovered that the building was on fire.

Although the brigade remained on the scene until half-past three yesterday afternoon, they were unable to do any effective work after the water supply failed; and when they left, the whole of the roof collapsed.

About four o'clock, when the fire seemed to have spent itself, huge sheets of flame commenced to shoot up from the cellars, and burnt fiercely until everything of a combustible nature had been destroyed.

No explanation can be given for the origin of the fire, but two copies of The Suffragette, the organ of the militant women, were found in the grounds, and on the windows of the conservatory, which are painted white, the words 'Votes for Women' had been written.

First published in June, 2020.

Old Market House, Belfast

2026-08-08T07:27:28.533+01:00

BELFAST'S old Market House stood at 1, High Street, at the corner of Cornmarket (which itself runs from 1, High Street to Arthur Square).

In his indispensable Central Belfast: A Historical Gazetteer, Marcus Patton, OBE, remarks,

"The 17th century Market House was built in 1639 of "small red bricks" with sandstone dressings, and extended to provide a proper courthouse on the first floor after 1663. This was the first public hall in the town. It had an arcaded ground floor and three-stage tower with ogival-roofed turret and weathercock, and a hanging clock."

An observer, John Smyth, once recalled that

"The front of the Market House was seldom without a skeleton in chains; the corner of it never without a ghastly head rotting in the open air."

The tower had a peal of bells which were probably rung at the beginning and end of market days; and for the funerals of prominent citizens.

High Street and Market-house, Belfast, 1786, by J M Carey (Image: Ulster Hall)

The Market House, a building of considerable importance to the civic and political development of Belfast between the 17th and 19th centuries, was leased by Adam McClean in 1802.

The late historian Sir Charles Brett remarked that McClean, a local landowner who possessed many plots and leases in the centre of Belfast, accumulated his holdings from the Donegall family in the 1820s; and "it appears he was one of those who sought to benefit from the second Marquess’s financial difficulty by acquiring good, long leases at low rents which he then built up."

McClean demolished the Market House in 1812 and constructed two houses in its place.

The site was acquired in the 1860s by the tea merchant, Forster Green, of Derryvolgie House, Malone Road, Belfast, who built a new emporium (above left) with granite plinth, arcaded ground floor and stucco upper floors.

Robust chimneys and urns adorned the balustraded parapet.

This block was demolished in 1929-30, to be replaced by a purpose-built store for F W Woolworth & Co, which operated from the building 1915-2003.

The building was sold for £17.9m and subsequently underwent significant internal refurbishment.

The retail chain Dunnes Stores have occupied the present building since late 2003.

First published in July, 2014.

McCance of Knocknagoney

2026-08-07T12:13:54.248+01:00

THE McCANCES OWNED 371 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY DOWN

The family of McCance is said to have moved from Scotland to Ulster about 1710.

DAVID McCANCE (1684-1747), of Woodbourne, Dunmurry, County Antrim, married Isabella __________ (c1669-1724), and had issue,

JOHN McCANCE (1711-86), of Dunmurry, who wedded firstly, Rachel _______, and had issue,

DAVID of whom hereafter;
John, of Farmhill, Dunmurry;
William (1746-1810), of SUFFOLK HOUSE.
Mary, m James Stouppe.

The eldest son,

DAVID McCANCE (1736-93), of Knocknagoney, County Down, married Jane Wilson, and had issue,

JOHN, his heir;
Sarah; Rachel.

The only son and heir,

JOHN McCANCE (1784-1807), of Knocknagoney, espoused, in 1803, Mary Eliza, daughter of the Rev Samuel Martin Stephenson, of Belfast, and had issue,

DAVID, his heir;
John (1806-81), died unmarried.

The elder son,

DAVID McCANCE (1805-71), of Knocknagoney, married, in 1838, Emily, youngest daughter of William Stevenson, of Springfield, County Antrim, and had issue,

William (1840-71), died unmarried;
JOHN, of whom presently;
Mary, m Major J P Ewing.

The younger son,

JOHN McCANCE JP (1843-1922), of Knocknagoney House, Lieutenant-Colonel, Royal Irish Rifles, High Sheriff of County Down, 1890, wedded, in 1873, Margaret Davidson, eldest daughter of Henry Harrison, of Holywood House, County Down, and had issue,

DAVID, his heir;
Henry Harrison (1885-1944);
Elizabeth.

The elder son,

DAVID McCANCE (1876-1953), of Knocknagoney House, married Elizabeth, daughter of _______ Patrick, and had issue, an only child,

Anne Dickson CBE MP

ANNE LETITIA McCANCE (Mrs Anne Dickson CBE MP), born in 1928, who wedded, in 1951, James Johnson Dickson, and had issue, four children.

Knocknagoney House (Image: A R Hogg/ Ulster Museum)

KNOCKNAGONEY HOUSE, Belfast, built in 1880, replaced Clifton House.

Clifton was built by the Haliday (Halliday) family in the 18th century, and was still in their possession in the 1850s. John Harrison, Senior, bought Clifton in 1854, together with the neighbouring Holywood House and a number of other properties. Clifton House was demolished ca 1880, to become the present Knocknagoney House.

Knocknagoney House was the residence of the McCances until ca 1953, when the grounds became the location of Orchard Caravans.

The house became the Windsor Hotel in the 1960s.

The house is now police administration offices, and the grounds are the site of a large Tesco store.

McCance arms courtesy of the NLI.

The Richardson-Bunbury Baronets

2026-08-07T07:30:33.079+01:00

Family of Bunbury

The family of Bunbury derives its name from the Manor of Bunbury, in the parish of Nantwich, Cheshire. Its pedigree is said to be derived from a cadet of the house of St Pierre in Normandy. HENRY DE BONEBERI, who lived in the reign of KING STEPHEN, was reputedly the ancestor of THOMAS BUNBURY, of Bunbury and of Stanney, Cheshire.

THOMAS BUNBURY (1605-68), youngest son of Sir Henry Bunbury, Knight, of Stanney, married firstly, Eleanor, daughter of Henry Birkenhead, of Backford, by whom he had four sons and six daughters.

He wedded secondly, Margaret, daughter of William Willcox, by whom he had five sons and two daughters.

He was succeeded by his third son, by his first wife,

BENJAMIN BUNBURY, of Killerig, County Carlow, who settled in Ireland with his younger brother, Joseph, and two of his sisters.

He espoused Elizabeth, widow of Matthew Sheppard, of Owles, Leicestershire, and had issue, with a daughter,

JOSEPH, of Johnstown, ancestor of BUNBURY, of that place;
Benjamin, of Killerig, ancestor of BUNBURY, of that place;
Thomas, of Croghna;
William;
MATTHEW, of whom hereafter.

Mr Benjamin Bunbury obtained Killerig and other lands from the Earl of Arran, 1669. His will was proved in 1711.

His fifth son,

MATTHEW BUNBURY, of Killfeacle, County Tipperary, married Anne Blount, and had, with other issue, two sons,

BENJAMIN, his successor;
Thomas.

Mr Bunbury died in 1733, and was succeeded by his elder son,

BENJAMIN BUNBURY, of Kilfeacle, who wedded, in 1724, Mary, daughter of John Kelly, of Clonreher, Queen's County, and had with three sons, issue,

ELIZABETH, of whom hereafter;
Diana, married Sir J Tydd Bt.

Mr Bunbury died in 1765. His three sons dsp.

His eldest daughter,

ELIZABETH BUNBURY, of Kilfeacle, espoused St George Richardson, MP, and had issue (see below).

Family of Richardson

THE estate of Drum in the parish of Kildress, County Tyrone, was in the possession of ALEXANDER RICHARDSON, at the time of Pynnar's Survey of Ulster, 1618-19.

WILLIAM RICHARDSON, of Drum, County Tyrone, High Sheriff of County Tyrone, 1662, acquired Augher by marriage with Mary, daughter and co-heir of the Rev Archibald Erskine, of Augher Castle, County Tyrone, Rector of Errigal Keerogue, son of Sir James Erskine MP, and grandson of Sir Alexander Erskine, of Gogar.

By her he had, with other issue,

ARCHIBALD, of whom presently;
Alexander, of Drum.

The eldest son.

ARCHIBALD RICHARDSON (ante 1660-post 1693), of Castlehill, Augher, and Springtown, High Sheriff of County Tyrone, 1680, MP for Augher, 1692-3, was attainted by JAMES II, 1689.

He wedded Jane, daughter of James Galbraith, of Rathmoran, County Fermanagh, and had, with other issue, an eldest son,

WILLIAM RICHARDSON JP, of Castlehill and Springtown, High Sheriff of County Tyrone, 1716, who married Lettice, daughter of William Wray, of Castle Wray, and Ards, County Donegal, by Angel his wife, second daughter of Colonel James Galbraith, MP, and had, with other issue,

1. James MERVYN, of Castlehill and Springtown, High Sheriff of County Tyrone, 1734, assumed the name of MERVYN, and espoused firstly, in 1733, Arabella, daughter of Thomas Edwards, of Castlegore, County Tyrone; and secondly, in 1739, Anne, widow of Hugh Edwards, of Castlegore; and thirdly, daughter of Audley Mervyn, MP, of Castle Mervyn, County Tyrone. Mr Mervyn died in 1753, having by her had an only child.
2. ST GEORGE, of whom presently.

The second son and eventual heir,

ST GEORGE RICHARDSON (post 1711-77), of Augher, MP for Augher, 1755-60, Captain, 6th Dragoon Guards (the Carabiniers), married Elizabeth, third daughter of Benjamin Bunbury, of Kilfeacle, County Tipperary (see above), and had issue,

WILLIAM RICHARDSON (c1749-1830), of Augher, County Tyrone, MP for Augher, 1783-90, Ballyshannon, 1798-1801, High Sheriff of County Tyrone, 1789.

Mr Richardson was created a baronet in 1787, designated of Augher, County Tyrone.

He married firstly, in 1775, Eliza, daughter of the Rev Galbraith Richardson, and had issue,

JAMES MERVYN, his successor;
Anne; Letitia.

Sir William wedded secondly, Mary, daughter of William Newburgh, and had further issue,

Maria Isabella.

He was succeeded by his son and heir,

SIR JAMES MERVYN RICHARDSON-BUNBURY, 2nd Baronet (1781-1851), of Castle Hill, County Tyrone, High Sheriff of County Tyrone, 1831, who espoused, in 1810, Margaret, daughter of John Corry Moutray, of Favour Royal, County Tyrone, and had issue,

JOHN, his successor;
William, great-grandfather of 5th Baronet;
Alfred;
Diana; Catherine; Caroline; Isabella; Mary; Emily; Letitia Augusta.

Sir James assumed, in 1822, the additional surname and arms of BUNBURY.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

THE REV SIR JOHN RICHARDSON-BUNBURY, 3rd Baronet (1813-1909), who married, in 1838, Maria, daughter of William Anketell, of Anketell Grove, County Monaghan, and had issue,

Mervyn Matthew (1841-89), father of 4th Baronet;
Matilda Anne; Olivia Emma.

Sir John's eldest son predeceased him, and he was succeeded by his grandson,

SIR MERVYN WILLIAM RICHARDSON-BUNBURY, 4th Baronet (1874-1952), who died unmarried, when the baronetcy devolved upon his cousin,

SIR (RICHARD DAVID) MICHAEL RICHARDSON-BUNBURY, 5th Baronet (1927-2017), Lieutenant-Commander RN, who married, in 1961, Jane Louise, daughter of Colonel Alfred William Pulverman, and had issue,

Roger Michael (1962-94);
THOMAS WILLIAM.

Sir Michael was succeeded by his younger son,

SIR THOMAS WILLIAM RICHARDSON-BUNBURY, 6th and present Baronet (1965-), Headmaster, Papplewick School, who wedded, in 2001, Sally Ann, daughter of Rex Lofts, and has issue,

HARRY WILLIAM (b 2002);
Archie Oliver;
Mollie Olivia; Lily Charlotte.

SPUR ROYAL, or Augher Castle, near Augher, County Tyrone, is a square, three-storey, plantation castle with an unusual triangular tower in the centre of each of its sides.

It was built ca 1615 by Sir Thomas Ridgeway, afterwards Earl of Londonderry (1st creation).

Augher Castle was burnt in 1689; though it was restored about 1832 by Sir James Richardson-Bunbury, 2nd Baronet, who added two castellated wings; thus transforming the old castle into a late-Georgian mansion house.

The Gothic-Medieval-Revival style mansion is built onto the original tower house.

It comprises two storeys with corner bartizans, crenellated parapets and late medieval windows.

The central range is recessed with crenellated balconies over a central, tall, pointed, arch doorway.

The mansion house is set in it own grounds and perched at a height overlooking the Lake.

An estate stone wall abounds the village side, with two entrances to the estate.

On the north-east side of the lake sits the stable-yard with coach houses, a four bedroom cottage, and a large walled garden with hanger and further large storage barn.

The house commands a fine prospect over the garden and lake.

The estate manager’s house is accessed via a separate avenue and it sits amongst a copse of trees over looking the lake.

Spur Royal has passed through many hands in recent times and very little ground remains with the house.

During the Victorian era, the demesne comprised 635 acres.

A large portion of the present holding is taken up by the lake, which makes for a spectacular setting for the house.

It is surrounded by lawns and shelter trees.

Few mature trees remain of a once ‘tastefully wooded’ site.

The walled garden is concreted.

There is a gate lodge of ca 1840.

Former residence ~ Quarrymead, Hillcrest Road, Hythe, Kent.

First published in May, 2012.

Birr Castle

2026-08-06T12:09:48.084+01:00

THE EARLS OF ROSSE WERE THE SECOND LARGEST LANDOWNERS IN THE KING'S COUNTY, WITH 22,513 ACRES

This noble family, of English origin, was brought into Ireland towards the close of ELIZABETH I's reign.

Its members have, at different periods, filled the highest political employments in the state; have taken distinguished parts in the senate; have become eminent upon the Bench and at the Bar; and have twice been enrolled amongst the baronetage of the kingdom, and twice elevated to the peerage.

WILLIAM PARSONS, of Norfolk, father of Lady Poynings (wife of Richard, Lord Poynings), and mother of Sir Edward Poynings KG (1459-1521), was grandfather (it is presumed) of

SIR WILLIAM PARSONS, 1st Baronet (c1570-1650), ancestor of the extinct Earls of Rosse, settled in Ireland ca 1590, with his brother, Sir Laurence Parsons, ancestor of the later earls.

Sir William, being a Commissioner of Plantations, obtained very considerable territorial grants from the Crown.

In 1602, he succeeded Sir Geoffrey Fenton as Surveyor-General of Ireland; and in 1610, he obtained a pension of £30 per annum for life.

In 1611, he was joined with his brother, Laurence, in the supervisorship of the crown lands, with a fee of £60 per annum for life.

In 1620, presenting to JAMES I, in person, surveys of escheated estates, in his capacity of surveyor-general, he received the honour of knighthood, and was created a baronet, designated of Bellamont, in the same year.

Sir William represented the county of Wicklow in parliament in 1639, and was nominated Lord Justice with Lord Dillon in 1640; but that nobleman being soon removed, he was re-sworn with Sir John Borlace, Master of the Ordnance.

He continued in the government until 1643, when he was removed, charged with treason, and committed to prison, with Sir Adam Loftus and others.

Sir William died in Westminster, and was succeeded by his grandson,

SIR WILLIAM PARSONS, 2nd Baronet, of Bellamont, County Dublin (only son of Richard Parsons by his first wife, Lettice, eldest daughter of Sir Adam Loftus, and granddaughter maternally of Walter Vaughan).

This gentleman married Catherine, eldest daughter of Arthur, Viscount Ranelagh; and dying in 1658, was succeeded by his only surviving son,

SIR RICHARD PARSONS, 3rd Baronet, who was elevated to the peerage, in 1681, in the dignities of Baron Oxmantown and Viscount Rosse, with remainder to the male issue of his great-grandfather.

His lordship wedded firstly, Anne Walsingham; secondly, Catherine, daughter of George, Lord Chandos, both of whom died issueless; and thirdly, in 1685, Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Sir George Hamilton, and niece of Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, by whom he two sons and three daughters.

He died in 1702, and was succeeded by his elder son,

RICHARD, 2nd Viscount (1702-41), who was created, 1718, EARL OF ROSSE.

His lordship married, in 1715, Mary, eldest daughter of Lord William Paulet, brother of Charles, 2nd Duke of Bolton, by whom he had two sons and a daughter; and was succeeded by his elder son,

RICHARD, 2nd Earl; at whose decease, in 1764, without issue, all the honours expired, and the representation of the family devolved upon Sir William Parsons, 4th Baronet, of Birr Castle, MP for the King's County; who married and had issue,

LAURENCE, 3rd Earl, born in 1758,

William Parsons, 3rd Earl (1800–67)

Lawrence Parsons, 4th Ear (1840–1908)

William Edward Parsons, 5th Earl (1873–1918)

Lawrence Michael Harvey Parsons, 6th Earl (1906–79)

William Clere Leonard Brendan Parsons, 7th Earl (b 1936).

The heir apparent is the present holder's son Lawrence Patrick Parsons, styled Lord Oxmantown.

The 7th and present Earl is a descendant of the 1st Baronet.

Lord and Lady Rosse live at Birr Castle.

During the period 1979-2007, Lord and Lady Rosse facilitated many decades of research by Dr Anthony Malcomson, former director of the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, and latterly sponsored by the Irish Manuscripts Commission, to enable the production, for the first time, of a comprehensive calendar of the Rosse Papers in 2008.

The archive is held in the Muniment Room of Birr Castle.

The Calendar is of inestimable value for researchers delving into the history of the Parsons family, including English settlement of the Irish midlands in the 17th century; the Williamite wars; early Irish nationalism; the Royal Navy in the 18th century; 19th century science and astronomy; and the fate of the landed gentry in the early 20th century.

BIRR CASTLE demesne, and the historic town of Birr, County Offaly, lie in the centre of Ireland.

The Castle is private, though the famous gardens of the demesne are open every day.

The demesne includes Ireland's Historic Science Centre whose galleries show what Ireland's leading historic scientists have contributed to astronomy photography, engineering and the art of gardening.

Birr Castle’s most spectacular high ceilinged rooms are its tapestried hall, its great Gothic music saloon overlooking the river, its yellow drawing room and long red dining room.

Other features inside include a unique staircase of the 1660s, an early panelled bedroom and dungeons.

Surrounding the castle is Ireland’s largest heritage garden with rivers, waterfalls, a fountain and lake with a Canadian log cabin, cloisters with urns and statuary.

Beyond that a riverbank wilderness and native woods; a Georgian country house in its own park; even a romantic ruined manor court.

Birr Castle was built on medieval foundations in the 1620s. It has been redeveloped many times over the years with more recent parts of the castle dating to the 19th century.

As such the castle has many stylistic perspectives. The façade of the castle is Gothic.

The reception rooms are high ceilinged and date mainly from the early 19th century with a spectacular Gothic ‘saloon’ or drawing room overlooking the River Camcor.

There is a medieval basement and dungeons beneath the Castle as well as battlements along the roof.

The 100 acre demesne has a huge variety of rare and beautiful trees and plants from all over the world. Some highlights include: The Camcor and Little Brosna Rivers and the Lake.

The Fernery with a waterfall, streams and fountain.

The formal gardens feature the hornbeam cloisters, Bavarian urns and decorative seats.

The walled gardens feature Box Hedges that are over 350 years old.

They are also, according to The Guinness Book of Records, the tallest hedges in the world. Other features include: Orchards, bridges, arboretum, outdoor grass stage (teatre Verde), herbaceous borders, lakeside log cabin, Georgian mansion and derelict manor court and stable muse, bog land, country cottages, moat, drawbridge.

A main feature of the demesne is the "Great Telescope" of the 3rd Earl, an astronomical telescope with a 72" reflector.

When completed in 1845, it was the largest telescope on earth, and capable of capturing more light and seeing further into space than any telescope had done before.

It was dismantled in 1914, but was restored by the state in the 1990s as an Irish scientific icon.

There is a long history of photography at the castle. Mary Rosse (1813-85) was the earliest acclaimed female photographer in world.

Her dark room, in which she developed her own photos, is still preserved in the castle exactly as she left it in the 1890s.

Lord Snowdon, who was, as Anthony Armstrong-Jones, partly brought up at Birr, returned to it as a setting for Viyella and other catalogues in the 1980s.

The gardens are host to wedding photography most weekends in the summer.

Former residence ~ Womersley Park, Doncaster.

Former town residence ~ 25 Eaton Terrace, SW1.

First published in June, 2011. Rosse arms courtesy of European Heraldry.

Cromore House

2026-08-06T07:34:27.098+01:00

ROBERT ACHESON CROMIE MONTAGU JP (1854-1931), of Cromore, County Londonderry, Lieutenant-Commander RN, married, in 1880, Annie Margaret, daughter of Gilbert McMicking, of Miltonise, Wigtownshire and had issue,

JOHN MICHAEL CROMIE, his heir;
George Frederick (1883-1958), Lieutenant RN;
Cuthbert Francis;
Austin Robert;
Walter Philip;
Gilbert Paul;
Alexander Cyril, Sub-Lieutenant RN;
Mary Helen; Mary Emily Winifred.

Mr Montagu was the eldest son of the Rt Hon Lord Robert Montagu by Mary Ellen his first wife, daughter and heir of John Cromie, of Cromore, and grandson of George, 6th Duke of Manchester.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

JOHN MICHAEL CROMIE MONTAGU DL (1881-1966), who wedded, in 1907, Libia, daughter of Señor Martin Montes, of Quilmes, Argentina, and had issue,

ROBERT ALEXANDER (1917-);
Alicia May (1919-2005).

*****

JAMES CROMEY is recorded as having three hearths at Tullaghgore, County Antrim, in 1669.

MICHAEL CROMIE, a merchant living in Dublin, acquired land at Tullaghgore in 1738 from the 5th Earl of Antrim.

Portstewart was founded in 1792 by John Cromie, who named it after his maternal ancestors, the Stewarts of Ballylesse. Portstewart developed into a modestly sized seaside resort in the mid-19th century under the influence of John Cromie. Its development and character was influenced greatly by the "sabbatarian" sensitivities of the Cromies and the consequent resistance to a railway connection in the mid 19th century. Portstewart's name is relatively modern and came into being from 1734 onwards when Alexander McDonnell, 5th Earl of Antrim, gave the lease of a boat slip and surrounding lands to the Stewarts of Ballylease, a branch of the Royal Stewarts and the same Stewarts who owned Ballintoy.

The Cromore estate passed to the Montagu family through the marriage of Ellen, daughter and heiress of John Cromie, to the Rt Hon Lord Robert Montagu MP, younger son of George, 6th Duke of Manchester (see Tandragee Castle).

CROMORE HOUSE, near Coleraine, County Londonderry, is a two-storey mansion which dates from ca 1777.

The earliest part of the house comprises the four central bays; the extensions were added about a century later.

The first occupant appeared to be G A Wray.

John Cromie certainly occupied the house in 1834, when improvement work was undertaken with cut sandstone and the two-storey wings which were installed to either side of the original mansion; and single-storey entrance porches that flank each extension.

The building work might also have included the two-storey, L-shaped stable-block situated to the north-east of the house.

The outbuildings to the extreme north-east of the house (presently restored and utilised as holiday cottages) were erected in the same period, presumably as part of the same general improvement work throughout Mr Cromie’s estate.

All of these additions were completed by 1860.

A schoolhouse was built on Cromie’s land in the 1830s, though was demolished between 1888-94.

Cromore House (Image: Facebook)

John Cromie continued to live at Cromore House until his death in 1875, at which time administration of the Cromie estate, including all his lands in the Portstewart and Portrush region, passed to his representatives.

Mrs Cromie, of Cromore, presumably his widow, owned 3,315 acres in County Londonderry, and 3,756 acres in County Antrim.

At this time the estate’s gate lodge was constructed.

Robert Acheson Montagu came to live at Cromore in 1886, residing there until 1931.

Mr Montagu retired from the Royal Navy to settle at Cromore House, near Portstewart.

The mansion comprised thirty "inhabited" rooms and possessed a large number of out-offices, including four stables, four cow-houses, a dairy, four piggeries and a barn which were located in the estate's numerous outbuildings.

Robert Montagu purchased Cromore House outright in 1907.

In 1911, it was noted that he resided at the estate with his wife and daughter, employing a number of servants to manage the house.

Robert Montagu continued to reside at Cromore House until his death in 1931.

The surviving gate lodge was erected for a new avenue with access to the then new railway line.

There is an older, surviving screen and walling contemporary with the house.

The walled garden, probably contemporary with the house, is not kept up and the glasshouses have gone.

In the 1870s, the estate comprised 3,315 acres.

Following its sale by the Montagu family in the mid-20th century, Cromore became a residence for post-graduate university students.

It operated as a residential care home till 2014.

The outbuildings located to the far north-east of Cromore House, formerly utilised as farm buildings, have been renovated and converted into apartments known as Cromore Village.

First published in November, 2010.

BH Memoirs: V

2026-08-05T12:05:28.325+01:00

REMINISCENCES OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL JOHN MATTHEW BLAKISTON-HOUSTON DL (1898-1984), OF BELTRIM CASTLE, COUNTY TYRONE, AND RODDENS, COUNTY DOWN, BORN AT ORANGEFIELD HOUSE, BELFAST

After a little leave at home I rejoined the 11th Hussars at Tidworth.

In the spring I got engaged to be married to Lettice Stobart, daughter of Harry Stobart of [Thornton Hall] Yorkshire.

I had applied for the adjutancy of the Yorkshire Dragoons but was turned down on the grounds that I was a bachelor.

I had wanted to be in Yorkshire to see Lattice but I could not very well give this reason to the Colonel of the Yorkshire Dragoons!

We were married in July, 1931.

Then I was appointed Adjutant of the Cheshire Yeomanry and was to take over on 1st November, 1931.

After we were married we spent a fortnight in Norway and as it was not worth setting up a house for three months we started living in the Everleigh Hotel near Tadworth.

The rooms were small and the roofs were low and I kept bumping my head, so we decided to pitch a camp on Salisbury Plain and live in it.

We borrowed a large marquee from the Quartermaster and five bell tents.

We engaged an ex-naval chef and I had my soldier servant.

We had a map reference for a postal address but actually we were only 500 yards from Trevor Smail’s house.

George Paul spent a few weeks with us as a guest and during manoeuvres we had visitors from far and wide.

My mother-in-law came and spent a few days with us.

Then we moved up to Eccleston at the Duke of Westminster’s [Eaton Hall] gate and we lived there for the next four years.

Mary and Anne were both born there.

I worked hard with the Cheshire Yeomanry and enjoyed the work with these enthusiastic yeomen.

The men were particularly keen.

We hunted with both the Cheshire and Sir Watkin Wynn’s hounds but mostly with the latter.

I did a bit more flying while at Chester and obtained my “A” certificate but I was never a good pilot.

During the time I was at Chester my father died at Roddens.

After this I had to cross over to Ireland for a three day visit each month to attend to the farms and the estate.

First published in January, 2015. Extracts by kind permission of RP Blakiston-Houston OBE JP DL