Today (Saturday 27th April 2019) my husband Stephen and I made our first official blog trip. We started in the “ancient east,” going to Slane Castle in County Meath. The land around the Boyne River is beautiful, rolling and fertile. It took almost exactly one hour to drive from our home in Dublin, taking the M1 which I find easier than the M2 through the city’s north side, with which I’m less familiar. Our timing was perfect, we arrived at 2:10pm, in time for the 2:15 tour – there are tours every hour on the quarter hour. [1]
The castle is three storeys over basement, in the Gothic Revival style. There is a bow on the back side of the castle, facing the river, and the basement serves as the ground floor on this side due to the steep slope down to the River Boyne. The bow forms a round tower, but you cannot see it as you approach the castle as the river is behind.
Our guide Matthew told us that the castle was reconstructed and enlarged by William Burton Conyngham (1733-1796). It was built on the foundations of a medieval castle of the Fleming family, replacing an earlier house.
William Burton Conyngham was a classicist and the front hall features Greek columns and key patterns on the walls and many marble Greek sculptures, including a sculpture of King George IV of England, donated by the king himself.
William Burton Conyngham (1733–1796) by Anton Raphael Mengs c. 1754-58, courtesy of wikipedia.
William Burton Conyngham argued with his architects, Matthew told us, so ended up having three architects for his castle: James Gandon, James Wyatt and Francis Johnston. According to Mark Bence-Jones in A Guide to Irish Country Houses, Francis Johnston completed the house for the the second Lord Conyngham’s son, nephew of William Burton Conyngham, Henry (1766-1832), who later became the 1st Marquess Conyngham.
Other architects were consulted at various times, including James Gandon, who most famously designed the Custom House and the Four Courts in Dublin, and Emo in County Laois. Francis Johnston designed the General Post Office in Dublin, and Townley Hall, County Louth. Another architect consulted was a favourite of King George IV, the English Thomas Hopper.
William Burton Conyngham, (1733-1796), Teller of the Irish Exchequer and Treasurer of the Royal Irish Academy Date 1780 Engraver Valentine Green, English, 1739 – 1813 After Hugh Douglas Hamilton, Irish, 1740-1808.
In 1785 the castle was remodelled to the design of James Wyatt (1746 – 1813). Wyatt also designed another house on the section 482 list this year, Curraghmore in County Waterford, and a house not on the list, unfortunately, as I would love to see inside, Abbeyleix House (incidentally, my father grew up in Abbeyleix and we used to enjoy the gardens which used to be open and which were reknowned for the bluebells. Also, coincidentally, according to wikipedia, Wyatt spent six years in Italy, 1762–68, in company with Richard Bagot of Staffordshire, who was Secretary to the Earl of Northampton’s embassy to the Venetian Republic. My family is rumoured to be descended from the Staffordshire Bagots, although I have not found the connection!).
The Conyngham family have owned the castle since 1703.
Slane Castle, County Meath, photograph by Robert French, (between ca. 1865-1914), Lawrence Photograph Collection, National Library of Ireland.
The Flemings of Slane
The Conynghams bought the land in Slane after it was confiscated from the Flemings. In 1175, Richard Le Fleming built a castle at the western end of Slane hill and, three generations later, Simon Fleming was created Baron of Slane. [4]
The Conynghams did not acquire Slane directly after it was confiscated from the Flemings – Terry Trench of the Slane History and Archaeology Society writes that the estate changed hands, at least on paper, seven times between 1641 and 1703. The estate was taken from the Flemings in 1641, when William Fleming, the 14th Baron Slane, joined the Catholic Irish forces in rebellion against the British. He remained loyal to the king, but objected to the laws that the British parliament passed to make the Irish parliament subservient to the British parliament. The estate was restored to William’s son Randall under the Act of Settlement and Distribution of Charles II’s reign, by decree dated 27th March 1663. [5] Many estates that had been confiscated by Cromwell’s parliament were restored when Charles II was restored to the throne in 1660.
The Flemings had their land confiscated again as Christopher, 17th Baron Slane (1669-1726), backed James II in his battles against William of Orange. He served in the Irish Parliament of King James II in 1689, and as colonel in James’s army in Ireland 1689-91, fighting in both the Battle of the Boyne and in Aughrim, where he was taken prisoner by William’s forces. Released, he emigrated and fought in the French and Portuguese armies, as did many of James II’s followers who were attainted and lost their estates, as they needed to be able to earn a living. He was later reconciled with Queen Anne of England (daughter of James II) and returned to Ireland, to live in Anticur, County Antrim. In 1703, Henry Conyngham purchased the estate of Slane.
The Conynghams of Slane
The Conyngham motto, Over Fork Over, recounts the way Duncan hid from Macbeth (familiar to us from Shakespeare). Matthew told us that Duncan hid in straw in a barn, having it forked over him. After that, he managed to defeat Macbeth and to become king. So the Conynghams are descendants of a Scottish king!
Alexander Conyngham moved from Scotland to Ireland when he was appointed in 1611 to be the first Protestant minister to Enver and Killymardin the diocese of Raphoe, County Donegal. [3] He was appointed dean of Raphoe in 1631.
He settled at Mount Charles, County Donegal, on an estate he leased from John Murray, earl of Annandale, the owner of ‘a vast estate’ in Scotland. Conyngham subsequently acquired the Mount Charles property through his marriage to the earl’s grand-neice, Marian, daughter of John Murray of Broughton, in Scotland (see [3]).
Alexander’s son Albert lived at Mountcharles. [2] Albert had fought with William III’s troops in the Battle of the Boyne, against Fleming and James II’s troops.
Albert Cunningham (d. 1691) first colonel of the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons, by Willem Wissing c. 1690, courtesy of British Cavalry Regiments website and wikipedia.
Albert married Mary, daughter of the Right Reverend Robert Leslie, Bishop of Raphoe – this Bishop is the ancestor of the Leslie family of Castle Leslie in County Monaghan, another property on the Section 482 list that I will be visiting. Albert was killed by Irish Royalist rebels, and succeeded by his only surviving son, Henry (1664-1705).
Henry, a military man who also served as MP for County Donegal, purchased the land in Slane in 1703.
He built himself a residence, which he called Conyngham Hall, on the foundations of an older castle formerly belonging to the Flemings.
Henry Conyngham (d. 1705) fought first in James II’s army, but then persuaded his regiment to transfer their loyalty to William III.
Henry’s son Henry (1705-1781) inherited the Slane estate. Henry became an Member of the Irish Parliament and was raised to the peerage in 1753 to the title of Baron Conyngham of Mount Charles, and later became Viscount and eventually, Earl. He died without a son so the Barony passed to his nephew, William Burton (his sister Mary had married Francis Burton).
William Burton (1733-1796) took the name of Conyngham upon inheriting the estate in 1781. It was he who rebuilt Slane Castle.
William Burton Conyngham, engraving After GILBERT STUART courtesy of Adams Country House Collections auction Oct 2023.
His brother Francis Pierpoint Burton also who then took the name of Conyngham in 1781 as he inherited the title to become 2nd Baron Conyngham of Mount Charles, Co. Donegal. He died six years later, in 1787. [see 3]. In 1750 he had married Elizabeth, the daughter of amateur architect Nathaniel Clements, whose work we will see later in other houses on the section 482 list of heritage properties. For himself, Nathaniel Clements built what is now the Áras an Uachtaráin, the residence of our President, Michael D. Higgins, in Phoenix Park in Dublin.
The castle and estate passed to Francis 2nd Baron Conyngham’s son Henry (1766-1832). Henry succeeded as the 3rd Baron Conyngham of Mount Charles, Co. Donegal in 1787. He served as a politician and moved quickly up the ranks of the peerage and was Lord Steward of the Royal household between 1821-30. He married Elizabeth Denison in 1794.
Elizabeth née Denison, Marchioness Conyngham (1769-1861), wife of Henry 1st Marquess.
In 1821 King George IV visited Ireland, and he spent time in the Castle with his lover, Elizabeth, wife of Frances Pierpoint Burton Conyngham. “In return,” as our guide told us, the king made Conyngham a Marquess, although this isn’t quite true as he became Marquess in 1816. [6].
Elizabeth Conyngham (née Denison), Marchioness Conyngham (1769–1861) by George Chinnery, English, 1774-1852.Elizabeth Conyngham née Denison, wife of Henry 1st Marquess by Thomas Lawrence 1821 courtesy of Calouste Gulbenkian Museum.Maria Conyngham (died 1843), daughter of 1st Marquess of Slane by Sir Thomas Lawrence courtesy of Metropolitan museum.
One of the rooms of the castle, the Smoking Room, has two cartoons from the period mocking the King and his consort Elizabeth, drawing them as overweight. In one, she aids her son when he has to move from the Castle of Windsor where he was Royal Chamberlain. It was he who announced to Victoria that she was Queen, upon death of the previous monarch. He was let go from his position when he tried to move his lover into his rooms in Windsor. His mother came to fetch him, with several wheelbarrows, the story goes, and she took all the furniture from his rooms. Somehow she brought a grand piano back from Windsor to Slane Castle where it sat in a specially made arbor for music in the Smoking room, until it was destroyed by a fire in Slane Castle in the 1990’s. One of the Punch style cartoons is of Elizabeth with a wheelbarrow fetching her son from Windsor. I can’t quite remember the other – it had King George IV and herself in a carriage. The Irish were very annoyed that when he came to Ireland he spent his entire time at Slane Castle!
“Neither the king nor his inamorata were in the first flush of youth, and both were equally corpulent. These circumstances however did nothing to dampen their ardour. As was written of them at the time, ‘Tis pleasant at seasons to see how they sit/ First cracking their nuts, and then cracking their wit/ Then quaffing their claret – then mingling their lips/ Or tickling the fat about each other’s hips.’ And according to one contemporary observer, Lady Conyngham ‘lived exclusively with him during the whole time he was in Ireland at the Phoenix Park. When he went to Slane, she received him dressed out as for a drawing-room; he saluted her, and they then retired alone to her apartments.’” [7]
Our tour started with a video of Charles Conyngham, now known as Lord Mount Charles, telling of his childhood in the Castle, growing up in a very old-world upper class manner. He did not join his parents at the dining table until he was twelve years old, dining until then in the Nursery. His nurse, Margaret Browne, came to the Castle at 16 years old, and he held her in such regard that he named his bar after her.
The menu in Browne’s Bar, which gives an explanation of the name, telling of the housekeeper.
Lord Mount Charles described how he started out, when he had to take over the Castle, with a restaurant, which is now the Gandon Restaurant. To further fund the Castle maintenance, Lord Mount Charles started concerts at the venue, beginning with Thin Lizzy in 1981. To seal the deal, the next show was the Rolling Stones! With such august imprimateur, the Castle’s concerts became world-famous and featured many top performers including David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Queen.
Lovely picture of Phil Lynnott of Thin Lizzy carrying a child at Slane.
Henry 1st Marquess Conyngham’s son, Francis Nathaniel Burton Conyngham (1797-1876) inherited the property and the title, to become 2nd Marquess Conyngham. His daughter Frances Caroline Maria married Gustavus William Lambart (1814-1886), who we will come across later as the owner of Beauparc in County Meath, another Section 482 property https://irishhistorichouses.com/2022/07/22/beauparc-house-beau-parc-navan-co-meath/ . The current owner of Slane inherited Beauparc from the Lambarts.
A son, George Henry (1825-1882) became 3rd Marquess Conyngham, and his son, Henry Francis the 4th Marquess. He married the daughter of the 4th Baron Mollens of Ventry, County Kerry. Their son the 5th Marquess died unmarried, so the title passed to his brother, Frederick William Burton, 6th Marquess. The current Marquess is the 8th, who is known as Lord Henry Mount Charles, but is officially 8th Marquess Conyngham since 2009.
A disasterous fire in the castle in 1991 destroyed the roof and one third of the castle.
Newspaper clippings about the fire, in the entry to pub and restaurant.At Slane, April 2019.
The magnificent library with its intricate ceiling and impressive wooden chandelier was saved by two firemen fighting the fire from within the room, battling for nine hours. The smoke was so thick that one couldn’t see the ceiling. I think they deserve a plaque in the room to recognise their effort! Meanwhile the family saved as many priceless historic paintings and antiques as they could, including a huge portrait of King George IV that is now hanging again in the library, by cutting it from its giant gilt frame then taking the frame apart into four pieces in order to get it out through the doors. Lord Mount Charles now suffers with his lungs, probably partially as a result of long exposure to the flames and smoke. It took ten years to reconstruct the castle, but it has been done excellently so traces of the fire barely remain.
Portrait of George IV which was saved from the fire, Slane Castle Tour, Slane, Co Meath, photograph by Nomos Productions, 2022, Courtesy Failte Ireland.
We weren’t allowed to take pictures inside, as usual with these properties. There is a picture of the ornate roof in the library on the wonderful blog of the Irish Aesthete [8].
Mark Bence-Jones describes the room in his 1988 book (published before the fire, but this room remained intact!), A Guide to Irish Country Houses:
“…the great circular ballroom or library which rises through two storeys of the round tower and is undoubtedly the finest Gothic Revival room in Ireland; with a ceiling of Gothic plasterwork so delicate and elaborate that it looks like filigree. Yet this, too, is basically a Classical room; the Gothic ceiling is, in fact, a dome; the deep apses on either side of the fireplace are such as one finds in many of Wyatt’s Classical interiors, except that the arches leading into them are pointed; they are decorated with plasterwork that can be recognised as a very slightly Gothicized version of the familiar Adam and Wyatt fan pattern.“
Slane Castle Tour, Slane, Co Meath, photograph by Nomos Productions, 2022, Courtesy Failte Ireland.Slane Castle Tour, Slane, Co Meath, photograph by Nomos Productions, 2022, Courtesy Failte Ireland.Slane Castle, Slane, Co Meath, photograph by Nomos Productions, 2022, Courtesy Failte Ireland
Of the tales on the tour, I especially enjoyed the story of the funeral of a soldier’s leg. Apparently it was quite the custom to have funerals for body parts – his leg had to be amputated on the field of battle and the soldier brought it back to be buried with a full-scale military funeral. It must have been to do with the fact that a person’s body is to be resurrected on the Last Day, so it’s good to know where all the parts are! Cremation used to be forbidden in the Catholic church, as somehow it would be too difficult for God to put the ashes back together – never mind a disintegrated body!
There is an adjoining distillery in what used to be the stables, and a tour of that can be purchased in combination if desired. Lord Charles’s mother bred horses before the stables were converted. The stables were designed by Capability Brown.
“Henry Conyngham, grandson of General Henry Conyngham who purchased the property, around 1770 invited Capability Brown around 1770 to produce a design both for the landscaping of the parkland at Slane, and also for a new stable block. In the collection of the Irish Architectural Archive in Dublin a drawing survives of Brown’s proposal for the latter. It is not unlike the finished building, but more elaborate than what we see today.” [9]
I found a blog by the Irish Aesthete on a portrait now in Slane, of Lady Elizabeth wife of the first Marqess’s daughter, Lady Maria Conyngham. Reportedly Lady Elizabeth looked very like her daughter – which one would not guess from the unflattering cartoons of her! [10]
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“She probably became his [George IV’s] lover in 1819, when he was Prince Regent, but finally supplanted her predecessor, Isabella Seymour-Conway, Marchioness of Hertford, after he became king in 1820. He became besotted with her, constantly “kissing her hand with a look of most devoted submission.” While his wife Caroline of Brunswick was on trial in 1820 as part of efforts to divorce her, the king could not be seen with Lady Conyngham and was consequently “bored and lonely.” During his coronation, George was constantly seen “nodding and winking” at her. “Lady Conyngham’s liaison with the king benefited her family. Her husband was raised to the rank of a marquess in the Peerage of the United Kingdom and sworn to the Privy Council, in the coronation honours of 1821. He was also given several other offices, including Lord Steward of the Household and the lieutenancy of Windsor Castle. Her second son was made Master of the Robes and First Groom of the Chamber.”
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Last weekend Stephen and I finally visited the wonderful Altamont garden. I have been wanting to visit for a long time, especially because my ancestors farmed nearby.
The walk through the walled garden, arboretum and woods to the Slaney river surprised and delighted me in its variation. Previous owner Corona North gifted the property to the state when she died in 1999. She was named after her father’s favourite variety of Rhododendron, and she continued his development and care of the garden. Her last words to her oldest friend, Rosemary Skrine were, “Well, I’ve achieved what I wanted to achieve. It’s safe now”.
The OPW website tells us of Altamont:
“A large and beautiful estate covering 16 hectares in total, Altamont Gardens is laid out in the style of William Robinson, which strives for ‘honest simplicity’. The design situates an excellent plant collection perfectly within the natural landscape.“
The Robinsonian style of gardening is to work with nature, as opposed to imposing order. Born in Ireland in 1838, William Robinson first worked as a gardener in Curraghmore, County Waterford, now another Section 482 property open to the public on certain dates in the year (see my entry https://irishhistorichouses.com/2020/08/01/curraghmore-portlaw-county-waterford/ ).
Robinson progressed to become the foreman gardener in Ballykilcavan, County Laois, employed by Sir Hunt Johnson-Walsh. In 1862 Robinson found employment at the Royal Botanic Society’s garden at Regent’s Park in England. He resigned four years later in order to further his knowledge of gardening, and to write. He travelled in France and later more widely in Europe and the United States, and published books on horticulture. His most important work is The Wild Garden (1870).
The OPW description continues: “For example, there are lawns and sculpted yews that slope down to a lake ringed by rare trees and rhododendrons. A fascinating walk through the Arboretum, Bog Garden and Ice Age Glen, sheltered by ancient oaks and flanked by huge stone outcrops, leads to the banks of the River Slaney. Visit in summer to experience the glorious perfume of roses and herbaceous plants in the air.
“With their sensitive balance of formal and informal, nature and artistry, Altamont Gardens have a unique – and wholly enchanting – character.” [1]
The Ireland Genealogical Project website, a great source for County Carlow genealogy, tells us that Altamont may have been the site of a medieval convent, a “sister house” to a monastery nearby. [2] In The Carlow Gentry, Jimmy O’Toole writes that it might date back to the sixteenth century. [3]
The Ireland Genealogical Project website tells us that a wall containing a window on “the Dark Walk” are remains of a chapel, although the stained glass in the window is believed to date from Victorian times. Other fragments of the chapel have been incorporated into the house (beneath the library and above the front bedroom window of the south wing, the website tells us).
Unfortunately the house is not open to the public but as it is owned by the state we can only hope that the Office of Public Works will eventually allow us inside. The National Inventory tells us the interior retains joinery from around 1760, and decorative plasterwork from around 1880.
I haven’t discovered why it is called Altamont. Originally the estate was named Rose Hill, but in the 1777 Taylor & Skinner map it is identified as “Soho.” In the late eighteenth century the estate was renamed Altamont. The Irish Genealogical website tells us this was due to some connection with the Brownes, Earls of Altamont of Westport House, County Mayo, later Marquesses of Sligo. John Browne (c. 1709-1776) was created Earl of Altamont, County Mayo in 1771. His grandson John Denis Browne (1756-1809) was created Marquess of Sligo. However, I’m not sure if there is a connection between the Brownes and Altamont in County Carlow.
Robert O’Byrne tells us that in thelater part of the 18th century Altamont was occupied by the Doyles. O’Byrne writes that “curiously Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s father, a mid-19th century illustrator and watercolourist, was called Charles Altamont Doyle.” I wonder if the Doyles who owned what is now called Altamont were related to the author of the Sherlock Holmes novels? Did the name “Altamont” run in the family, and is this why the name of the property changed to Altamont? [4]
Before that, the property was owned by the St. George family. The website The Peerage by Darryl Lundy tells us that Benjamin Burton Doyne, a Justice of the Peace and High Sheriff of County Carlow in 1775 lived at Altamont. He was the son of Robert Doyne (1705-1754) of Wells House in County Wexford, another lovely property open to the public (see my entry https://irishhistorichouses.com/2025/05/29/wells-house-and-gardens-county-wexford-open-for-tours/ )
The National Inventory tells us that the house was built around 1760, incorporating fabric of an earlier house. The house has a central part of seven bays with a three bay bow in the centre of the entrance facade. The side extensions were added around 1871. [5] Robert O’Byrne tells us that by the later part of the 18th century the property was owned by Dawson Borror whose father had been a landscape architect. Borror initiated changes to the demesne and gardens, including the creation of the lake, to provide local employment in the aftermath of the Great Famine. Borror also extended the house, adding a wing on the north side for a library and other rooms, and then making further alterations in the early 1870s.
The Record of Protected Structures tells us the Doric doorcase and radial fanlight were added when the house was redecorated in the early 19th century. The front door also dates from this period.
The rear of the house has a three bay full height semicircular bow, which is not centrally placed. The centre has a lovely double curved staircase to what may have once been the entrance door of the house, as the house originally faced north, but after the building of a new road to the east it was reversed and new avenues laid down with handsome gates and surrounding beech plantations. [7]
Feilding Lecky-Watson, from a local Quaker family, acquired Altamont in 1924. John Watson, born in 1649, became a member of the Society of Friends, and built the first meeting house at Kilconnor in County Carlow. He was imprisoned because Quakers objected on principle to the payment of tithes to the Established Church, and along with Catholics, some of them were jailed in Carlow during the tithe war. The Leckys of Ballykealy were another Quaker Carlow family who intermarried with the Watsons. [8]
Feilding Lecky-Watson was from a house in Carlow called Lumclone. He worked as a tea planter in what was then called Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). There, he grew to love rhododendrons. Back in Ireland, he became an expert in the species, cultivating plants for the botanical gardens at Glasnevin, Kew and Edinburgh. [9] His daughter Corona inherited the house in 1943 and continued his work in the garden, planting rhododendrons, magnolia and Japanese maples. Before her death, Corona handed Altamont over to the Irish state to ensure its preservation.
The double herbacious border is near the entrance to the gardens. There’s also a shop selling plants, and a café. We went for a walk first, then treated ourselves to slices of coffee and carrot cake in the café.
Feilding Lecky-Watson erected the Myshall Gate at the far side of the lake. The gates were salvaged from Myshall House, one time home of the Cornwall Bradys, cousins of Lecky-Watson. My great great grandparents married in Myshall church in 1843! A newer church in Myshall has replaced the one in which they married. Myshall House was burnt down in 1922. The two granite balls placed on top of the stone piers were moved from what was the Archery Lawn, now the lawn by the Azalea Walk.
Around the lake are mature conifers that were planted in the 1800s, including a giant Wellingtonia which commemorates the Battle of Waterloo. [9] Stephen and I enjoyed learning from the identifying tags on the trees. The garden is a haven for wildlife, including red squirrels, otters and peacocks – though the only peacock we saw was inside a window of the house!
The landscape completely changed when we found ourselves in the Ice Age Glen – it really did feel like we had stepped into another world. Suddenly we were on the side of a hill surrounded by boulders. Then we reached a clearing and were on a grassy towpath by the River Slaney.
We could have walked further along the Slaney but chose to head back as our stomachs were growling and I looked forward to sampling the café. We tackled the granite hand-cut 100 steps back toward the gardens. We crossed some delightful bridges along the way and stopped to admire a dolmen.
We didn’t walk the route that passes the Temple. Robert O’Byrne tells us that the building was erected by Corona North in 1998, shortly before she died, and is constructed of local granite with six Doric columns supporting a domed roof. The temple is situated at the topmost point of a field to the rear of the house offering eastward views towards the distant Wicklow Mountains.
[3] O’Toole, Jimmy. The Carlow Gentry: What will the neighbours say! Published by Jimmy O’Toole, Carlow, Ireland, 1993. Printed by Leinster Leader Ltd, Naas, Kildare.
[7] Reeves-Smith, Terence. Irish Gardens. Apple Tree Press.
[8] p. 199, O’Toole, Jimmy. The Carlow Gentry: What will the neighbours say! Published by Jimmy O’Toole, Carlow, Ireland, 1993. Printed by Leinster Leader Ltd, Naas, Kildare.
[9] p. 8, Living Legacies: Ireland’s National Historic Properties in the Care of the OPW. Government Publications, Dublin 2, 2018.
orange: “whole house rental” i.e. those properties that are only for large group accommodations or weddings, e.g. 10 or more people.
green: gardens to visit
grey: ruins
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1. Ballydugan House, County Down – weddingvenue
2. Barr Hall Barns, Portaferry, County Down– self-catering accommodation
3. Castle Ward, County Down – accommodation in holiday cottages
4. Culloden, County Down – hotel
5. Florida Manor, 22 Florida Road, Killinchy, Newtownards, Co Down, BT23 6RT Northern Ireland– self-catering accommodationin cottages, not the house itself
10. St John’s Point Lighthouse Sloop, Killough, County Down– Irish Landmark accommodation
11. Tullymurry House, Tullymurry road, Donaghmore, Newry, County Down – whole house holiday accommodation
12. Tullyveery House, County Down– whole house holiday rental
13. Tyrella, Downpatrick, County Down, BT30 8SU – accommodation
donation
Help me to pay the entrance fee to one of the houses on this website. This site is created purely out of love for the subject and I receive no payment so any donation is appreciated!
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1. Ballydugan House, County Down– accommodation
They no longer have a website but it’s listed on booking.com
“At Ballydugan we can provide accommodation and an oasis of relative calm for the Bride’s immediate family. Also if absolute adherence to tradition is important then we have Ballymote Country House nearby, where we can ensure that the paths of the Bride and Groom will not cross prior to the wedding.“
2. Barr Hall Barns, Portaferry, County Down– self catering
“Barr Hall Barns are 18th Century period cottages in an outstanding tranquil location with panoramic views across Strangford Lough to the Mourne Mountains.
“We are based just outside the seaside village of Portaferry, at the very southern tip of the Ards Peninsula, overlooking Barr Hall Bay which is protected by the National Trust.
“With idyllic walking routes right at our doorstep, come escape to an area of natural outstanding beauty and enter the truly magical setting of Barr Hall Barns.“
3. Castle Ward, County Down– cottage holiday rental
The house is not available for accommodation! But you can visit it. Castle Ward, County Down, 13 August 2006, Picture by David Cordner http://www.davidcordner.com: Tourism Northern Ireland (see [1])
Potter’s Cottage, Castle Ward, County Down, photograph courtesy of National Trust.
Quaint, two-bedroom Potter’s Cottage is in what was the working farmyard of Castle Ward Estate, on the shores of Strangford Lough. The cottage was occupied by a potter in the 1960s, but long before this was an integral part of the farmyard, being the place where the feed was prepared for the livestock housed there.
It’s a very short stroll to the shore of the largest sea lough in the British Isles. You’ll have the whole of the estate to explore with 820 acres of woodland, miles of footpaths, an 18th-century mansion and formal gardens all set along the shores of the beautiful Strangford Lough. In spring and summer 2025, you’ll find an independently-run traditional Finnish sauna on the estate.
Potter’s Cottage, Castle Ward, County Down, photograph courtesy of National Trust.Gamekeeper’s Lodge, Castle Ward, photograph courtesy National Trust.
Castle Ward Gamekeeper’s Lodge is surrounded by woodland and meadow in a tucked-away part of the Castle Ward estate. The lodge has distinctive stone details and a porch that catches the sun. You’ll see original features inside too – including ornamental brass gas lamps and the gamekeeper’s gun cupboard.
One of the many trails that criss-cross the estate passes the cottage, so you can explore it all on foot looking out for red squirrels and other wildlife. There are trails for every level of walking, and it’s also a great place to bring or hire bikes. You could bring a kayak or canoe to launch onto Strangford Lough, to explore its many islands and spot seals and sea birds.
Castle Ward was once known for its eccentric owners and unusual mansion house, and you’ll have free entry here and at all other National Trust places during your stay.
Downpatrick Gate Lodge, Castle Ward, photograph courtesy National Trust.
Downpatrick Gate Lodge is a secluded period cottage, built in the late 1700s. It sits beyond gothic, wrought-iron gates, on a quiet avenue on the Castle Ward estate; you’ll see the Ward arms on its western gable. There’s a woodburning stove in the sitting room, a view of the stars from the bed, and a roll-top bath for a relaxing soak. The cottage is surrounded by woodland and grazing land, with bay windows to take in the rolling views.
“When Bernard and Lady Anne inherited the estate in 1759 they set about building themselves a fine new house, one which would be symbolic of their union and exist as a statement of the Ward family’s bold and forward-thinking place in the world. Castle Ward was completed in 1766 and by 1781 they had been created Viscount and Viscountess Bangor in the Peerage of Ireland.“
“Please check the homepage for opening times of the mansion house before planning your visit, as they may change seasonally. There is no need to book your visit in advance.“
4. Culloden, County Down – hotel
Culloden Estate and Spa, photograph courtesy of Hastings Hotel 2017, Ireland’s Content Pool (see [1])
The website tells us: “Standing high on the Holywood Hills, with sweeping views overlooking Belfast Lough and the County Antrim Coastline, the majestic Culloden Estate and Spa is located on the outskirts of Belfast city centre. Built as the official palace for the Bishops of Down in the 18th century, this five-star hotel and spa in Belfast features 12 acres of beautifully secluded gardens, a palatial spa, three restaurants, and more, making it the perfect blend of historic grandeur and modern luxury. And your new favourite sanctuary.“
Culloden Estate, County Down, photograph courtesy the hotel website.Culloden Estate, County Down, photograph courtesy the hotel website.Culloden Estate, County Down, photograph courtesy the hotel website.Culloden Estate, County Down, photograph courtesy the hotel website.
5. Florida Manor, 22 Florida Road, Killinchy, Newtownards, Co Down, BT23 6RT Northern Ireland – self-cateringcottages and birch cabins – not the house itself.
The house itself is not available for accommodation.
The website tells us: “Dating back to 1676, Florida Manor, an original Irish Georgian Estate has undergone sympathetic refurbishment. Within the estates original stone perimeter wall lies 200 acres of extensive landscaped grasslands, private lakes, walkways and bridal paths.“
You can stay at cottages or birch cabins atFlorida Manor, County Down photograph courtesy of the house’s airbnb website.
Mark Bence-Jones writes in his A Guide to Irish Country Houses (1988):
p. 297. “(Gordon/IFR) A C18 house consisting of a three storey principal block with a recessed centre, linked to lower wings by curved sweeps with balustrades and pilasters. Projecting enclosed porch, also balustraded and with Ionic columns. quoins. Originally the seat of the Crawfords; passed by marriage to the Gordons C18. The house became ruinous in the present century but has been restored as two dwellings.”
You can stay at cottages or birch cabins atFlorida Manor, County Down photograph courtesy of the house’s airbnb website.
“Nestled in 200 acres of countryside to the West of the village of Killinchy lies the spectacular Florida Manor estate. The Grade B+ Listed Manor house, listed some 42 years ago, retains its original stables courtyard, two gate lodges, a steward’s house and extensive landscaped grounds. The buildings have been the subject of an extensive phased programme of restoration works to bring the demesne back to life. The centrepiece of the estates’ architectural asset is the impressive three storey Palladian Mansion built in c. 1780-1800 enhanced by an Ionic columned portico entrance and an impressive compendium of Victorian Chimney pots.
“The origin of the Manor of Florida extends back to 1638 when it was created on lands previously acquired by Sir James Montgomery (2nd son of Viscount Montgomery) from Con O’Neill. Where the name ‘Florida’ was apparently derived from Sir James’ love of flowers. During the Commonwealth (1649-60) the lands were placed in the custody of a Colonel Barrow, but returned to Montgomery hands after much quarrelling in 1664.
“It is thought the Manor came into the possession of the Crawford family and passed to Robert Gordon through marriage, in c.1770. Information supplementing the buildings listing document outlines that the Manor was unquestionably built by one of the Gordons in c.1780-1800 and probably constructed around an earlier Montgomery dwelling. In the later 1800s, with the passing of successive Land Acts, much of the lands began to be sold off and by at least 1917 the demesne and its buildings had been acquired by a William Devenney, a local farmer who appears to have lived in the steward’s house. Thus the Manor of Florida, unoccupied, fell into disrepair until after the Second World War it was bought by Milo Pickaar, who renovated a number of the buildings.“
You can stay at cottages or birch cabins atFlorida Manor, County Down photograph courtesy of the house’s airbnb website.Florida Manor, County Down photograph courtesy of the house’s airbnb website.Florida Manor, County Down photograph courtesy of the house’s airbnb website.
The website tells us: “Kiltariff Hall is a Victorian Country House on the outskirts of the small market town of Rathfriland. Built by our great-grandfather William Fegan in 1888, the house is set at the end of a short drive and is surrounded by mature oak, sycamore and pine trees. It is run myself, Catherine and my sister Shelagh who grew up in Kiltariff when it was a working farm. We are both passionate and knowledgeable about the Mourne area and believe that providing good locally produced food is key to ensuring guests enjoy their stay.“
Narrow Water, photograph by Chris Hill 2005 for Tourism Ireland, Ireland’s Content Pool (see[1]).
The website tells us:
“Narrow Water Castle is the private home of the Hall family who have lived at Narrow Water since 1670, originally in the Old Narrow Water Keep situated on the shoreline of Carlingford Lough which is now a national monument.
“As a private home the castle is not open for public admission. It does however occasionally open its doors for weddings and exclusive events.
“In 1816 construction began on the new Castle by Thomas Duff, a well-known Newry architect who also designed the Cathedrals in Newry, Armagh and Dundalk. The Elizabethan revival style castle is made from local granite and built next to the existing house, Mount Hall (1680). It was completed in 1836.
“The self catering apartments are located in the original hub of the castle (Mount Hall), dating back to 1680. Mount Hall joins the Elizabethan revival part of the castle to the courtyard.“
“Number 2: The apartment opens into an elegant open plan, living room and dining room with open fire. We have used several antique pieces of furniture to hint of times gone by. We are happy to provide logs if our guests wish to use the fire.
“There are two spacious, beautifully furnished bedrooms, one of which is en-suite.
“Number 6: This 2 bedroom luxury apartment is the perfect place to escape and unwind. Both bedrooms are en-suite. There is a grand open plan living /dining area with a unique feature skylight and exposed beams. The living area is adorned with antique furniture has a wood burning stove for cosy nights by the fire. The modern kitchen is fully equipped and the dining area seats six comfortably. A quality sofa bed allows this apartment to accommodate up to six guests. This apartment is on the first floor with access via the original stone staircase dating to the 1680s.“
Slieve Donard hotel, Newcastle, County Down, photograph by Robert French, (between ca. 1865-1914), Lawrence Photograph Collection, National Library of Ireland.
The website tells us: “Slieve Donard was originally built by the Belfast and County Down Railway as an ‘end of the line’ luxury holiday destination. Construction started in 1896 and was completed and officially opened on 24th June 1898 at the cost of £44,000. It was one of the most majestic hotels of its time and was almost self-sufficient with its own bakery, vegetable gardens, pigs, laundry and innovatively a power plant, which also provided electricity for the railway station.“
Slieve Donard hotel, Newcastle, County Down, photograph by Robert French, (between ca. 1865-1914), Lawrence Photograph Collection, National Library of Ireland.Slieve Donard hotel hall, Newcastle, County Down, photograph by Robert French, (between ca. 1865-1914), Lawrence Photograph Collection, National Library of Ireland.Slieve Donard hotel staircase, Newcastle, County Down, photograph by Robert French, (between ca. 1865-1914), Lawrence Photograph Collection, National Library of Ireland.
“Slieve Donard typified the idea of Victorian grandeur and luxury with its Drawing Room, Grand Coffee Room, Reading and Writing Room, Smoking Room, Billiard Room and Hairdressing Rooms—you can’t help but conjure up scenes of great style and decadence. ‘One could even partake of seawater baths, douche, spray, needle and Turkish baths all provided by an electric pump straight from the sea.“
Slieve Donard hotel drawing room, Newcastle, County Down, photograph by Robert French, (between ca. 1865-1914), Lawrence Photograph Collection, National Library of Ireland.Slieve Donard hotel, Newcastle, County Down, photograph by Robert French, (between ca. 1865-1914), Lawrence Photograph Collection, National Library of Ireland.Slieve Donard hotel dining room, Newcastle, County Down, photograph by Robert French, (between ca. 1865-1914), Lawrence Photograph Collection, National Library of Ireland.Slieve Donard hotel billiard room, Newcastle, County Down, photograph by Robert French, (between ca. 1865-1914), Lawrence Photograph Collection, National Library of Ireland.
“In 2021, Adventurous Journeys (AJ) Capital Partners acquired Slieve Donard Resort and Spa, which will become the first Marine & Lawn Hotels & Resorts property in Northern Ireland and the fourth hotel in the collection.“
Slieve Donard hotel and spa, courtesy of Hastings Hotel, 2017, Ireland’s Content Pool. (see[1])
10. St. John’s Point Lighthouse Sloop, Killough, County Down– Irish Landmark accommodation
St John’s Lighthouse Killough by Bernie Brown 2014 for Tourism Ireland. (see [1])
Tullymurry House, County Down, photograph from the house’s website.
“Nestled amidst rolling parklands and orchards, Tullymurry House stands as a timeless witness to centuries gone by, its elegant Georgian form now graces the landscape. It has evolved through the ages, whilst retaining the soul of the past. This historic house has occupied its site since the 17th century; the original dwelling was built circa 1650 and evolved through the centuries to its present Georgian form – circa 1740.
“The very bones of the house tell their tale — roof timbers, hand-hewn from nearby trees, speak of craftsmanship and care. 52 acres of fertile farmland stretch beyond the house, where once the rhythm of rural life filled the air. The house stands on an area of land known as the Tullymurry Triangle, marked by Donaghmore Presbyterian Church, the Church of Ireland and McGaffin’s corner.“
Tullymurry House, County Down, photograph from the house’s website.
“Tullymurry was a mixed working dairy, beef, and arable farm, its fields abundant with potatoes, grain, and orchard fruit, sustaining both family and farmhands alike. In the kitchen — the true heart of the home — candles and soaps were once lovingly handmade, their warm glow and scent infusing every corner with lavender and beeswax, mixed in with the delicious smells of homemade bread baking on the griddle.
“The Weir family were the owners who established Tullymurry, and they married into the Marshall family, comprising two brothers. One of the brothers was responsible for landscaping the beautiful gardens and “Park” Field with its magnificent trees, the other brother was a bit too fond of gambling and the “devil’s buttermilk” – alcohol, and unfortunately, ended up insolvent in 1890.
“Joseph McMinn a farmer from Castle Ennigan, near Rathfriland bought the farm and Tullymurry House in 1895, his brother Robert McMinn standing surety on the deal from Haddon Partnership, Insolvency Practitioners from London. In 1903 Jospeh fell in love and married Margaret Heron from Rathfriland, she moved into Tullymurry House as a bride. Joseph raised the ceiling in the kitchen to allow bacon and ham to hang, and you can still see the hooks in the ceiling to this day.
Tullymurry House, County Down, photograph from the house’s website.
“They were blessed with 5 children – Joseph, Malcolm (born 1908), Robert, Bessie & Mary. Malcolm, who is the grandfather of the current owner David McMinn, trained as a doctor and tended his patients in the kitchen. He used to ride his bicycle to Belfast and on one eventful afternoon encountered one of the cows which had been sold at market earlier in the day. The cow so loved Tullymurry House, she escaped twice, to return to the farm.
“The house’s music room, still resonates with the memories of Mary McMinn (David’s Aunt) who lived with her brother Joseph in Tullymurry, who would have hosted and played for the local church choir from Donaghmore Presbyterian Church (which you pass on the way to the house), their voices rising in harmony beneath the ornate plaster ceilings. Joseph and Mary ran the farm – all the business was conducted in the kitchen, where all the cooking was once done on an open fire, until Jospeh installed the Range when Mary was ill. She was not best pleased and saw no need for it.“
The Music Room, Tullymurry House, County Down, photograph from the house’s website.
“Dr Malcolm McMinn relocated to England and bought a general practice in Lydbrook, Gloucestershire. He married Annie Caldwell from Ballynaskeagh near Banbridge in 1938 and she joined him in England just before WWII. Joseph and Mary didn’t get married, they stayed at Tullymurry House to help their mother, who had been sadly widowed at a young age.
“When labourers or workmen called, they never got further than the kitchen, the fire was there along with a table, telephone and radio and all business was conducted there and if you arrived at mealtimes, you got fed as well. Up until 2005 there was no fridge freezer or running water – the well and pump was out along the edge of the Well Field, windows froze over on the inside in winter. The pantry was the coldest room in the house and when a new fridge freezer was installed Mary was not impressed, she didn’t like change and continued to set the milk on top of the fridge. To make matters worse the fridge freezer was delivered on a Sunday, and she was scandalised as to what the neighbours would think.
“Most visitors were not allowed into the main part of the House, so when the House was completely renovated by David’s father Richard McMinn in 2012 and central heating installed, along with the spa in what was the cowshed, Tullymurry House opened to the public and the locals couldn’t wait to explore the rest of the House which very few ever got to see.
Tullymurry House, County Down, photograph from the house’s website.
“And among the many tales woven into Tullymurry’s fabric, none is more captivating than that of the family Bible — lost for generations, only to find its way home again, as though guided by the house’s enduring legacy.
“David McMinn (4th generation) with his lovely wife Kristin and daughters Emma and Olivia (5th generation) are now the custodians of Tullymurry House. In the footsteps of his father, David undertook a refurbishment of the House in 2025 and is in the process of returning the gardens to their original landscape design. This is just the latest chapter in this much-loved House.
“Through the centuries, the Marshall, Weir, and McMinn families have each left their mark on Tullymurry, bound by love, legacy, and the deep sense of belonging that only a place like this can inspire. Today, the house stands not just as a piece of history, but as a living story — elegant, enduring, and forever welcoming and the McMinn Family invite you to step inside and be part of its long-cherished history.
“Everyone falls in love with Tullymurry House, it’s like a warm embrace and like the many stories above, you will, no doubt want to return again and again.
“We look forward to welcoming you.
The McMinn Family”
Tullymurry House, County Down, photograph from the house’s website.
12. Tullyveery House, County Down– holiday rental and weddings
Tullyveery House, County Down, photograph courtesy of the house’s website, by Simple Tapestry.
The website tells us:
“Tullyveery House is an exclusive and intimate wedding and private events venue nestled in the rolling drumlins of County Down, convenient to Belfast. The family-owned Georgian House and Victorian courtyard area surrounded by mature private grounds and gardens provide a stunning rural backdrop overlooking the Mourne Mountains.
“Tullyveery House remains a family home and working farm. The Georgian house, built between 1825 and 1828, was extended between 1867 and 1890.
“Thomas Heron (1711-1776), one of the grandsons of a trio of brothers, decided in 1752 to move from his home at Killinchy and rent land and a house in Tullyveery townland, near Killyleagh.
“Surviving farm survey maps made in 1760 show a dwelling and a farm of over 100 acres, the majority of which was let out to under-tenants. The family continued to expand and prosper, by growing flax and having it spun into thread in the local area, prior to carting to Belfast.
“Thomas had a son, Francis (1750-1810), who was raised at Tullyveery, decided to move his household to an existing and somewhat better quality house at Ardigon townland, about a mile away, leaving Tullyveery as the ‘junior’ house. The Tullyveery freehold was subsequently bought in 1804.
“Thomas’s son, James (1785-1839), inherited Tullyveery in 1816 and, as a 31 year old bachelor, then built between 1825-1828 the Georgian house that stands there today. In 1866-1867, his son, also called James, eventually demolished the remains of the single-story thatched house and used the square-cut stone masonry to face the existing courtyard buildings, now being used today to host weddings and events. A large three-story Victorian rear extension was finally added in the 1890s.
“More recently, in 1973, the custodianship of Tullyveery passed to Colin Heron, from his father. Colin’s career resulted in him spending extended periods of time away from Tullyveery during which Michael, Colin’s brother, maintained the house and grounds, and operated a working farm. Colin returned to live in Tullyveery permanently in 2000. In 2012 he decided to diversify from farming. After much research and consideration, he decided to offer a private alternative to a hotel wedding and opened the home and grounds to couples for weddings and events. Colin also worked with TV’s Apprentice Nick Hewer as he travelled around Northern Ireland helping farms diversify on the BBC programme ‘The Farm Fixer’, which spurred him on to pursue this new path for Tullyveery.
“In 2019 the custodianship of Tullyveery was passed down to the next generation and Charles (Colin’s nephew) is looking forward to taking Tullyveery from strength to strength. However, the vision for, and philosophy of, Tullyveery has not changed and you can be assured of the same high standards, seamless weddings and memorable parties that Tullyveery has become renowned for.
“The latest project at Tullyveery has been to convert our private Orchard Garden into a space suitable for ceremonies, receptions and parties. Charles remembers sneaking into the Orchard as a child to ‘steal’ apples and to go into the fruit cage to pick fresh raspberries and gooseberries. It is fantastic to now be able to share this space with our guests while also adding a much needed covered garden area to the list of spaces available.“
Tyrella House, County Down, photograph courtesy of the house’s website.
The website tells us:
“Tyrella House is a luxury B&B and wedding venue located in the heart of picturesque County Down, with its necklace of pretty fishing villages. A fine 18th century house surrounded by glorious wooded parkland with its own private beach just a short walk from the house, Tyrella offers a tranquil and relaxing getaway.
Tyrella House has been owned by the Corbett family for over 60 years, and was bought by John Corbett after the Second World War to train race horses.
His son, David Corbett began running B&B in the 1990s, which continues to this day. In 2020, the day to day running of the B&B was taken over by his son, John and his wife Hannah.“
Tyrella House, County Down, photograph courtesy of the house’s website.Tyrella House, County Down, photograph courtesy of the house’s website.
orange: “whole house rental” i.e. those properties that are only for large group accommodations or weddings, e.g. 10 or more people.
green: gardens to visit
grey: ruins
donation
Help me to pay the entrance fee to one of the houses on this website. This site is created purely out of love for the subject and I receive no payment so any donation is appreciated!
€15.00
The province of Ulster contains counties Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, Derry, Donegal, Down, Fermanagh, Monaghan and Tyrone.
Down:
1. Audley’s Castle, County Down
2. Bangor Castle Park, County Down
3. Castle Ward, County Down
4. Dundrum Castle, County Down
5. Hillsborough Castle, County Down
6. Montalto Estate, County Down
7. Mount Stewart, County Down
8. Newry and Mourne Museum, Bagenal’s Castle, County Down
9. Portaferry Castle, County Down
donation
Help me to pay the entrance fee to one of the houses on this website. This site is created purely out of love for the subject and I receive no payment so any donation is appreciated!
€15.00
Places to visit in County Down:
1. Audley’s Castle, Castle Ward, County Down
Audley’s Castle, Castle Ward by Bernie Brown for Tourism Ireland 2014.
“The castle is named after its late 16th-century owners, the Audleys, an Anglo-Norman family who held land in the area in the 13th century, It was sold, with the surrounding estate, to the Ward family in 1646 and used in 1738 as an eye-catching focus of the long vista along Castle Ward’s artificial lake, Temple Water.
The site comprises of a number of paths to allow you to get to the Castle.“
2. Bangor Castle Park, County Down
Bangor Castle, County Down, photograph by Robert French, [between ca. 1865-1914], Lawrence Photograph Collection, National Library of Ireland.
“This impressive building was built for the Hon Robert Edward Ward [1818-1904] and his family in 1852. It is presently the headquarters of Ards and North Down Borough Council who use the mansions spectacular grand salon as the council chamber. The building is situated in the grounds of Castle Park alongside North Down Museum and is just a short walk from Bangor Castle Walled Garden.
“CS Lewis visited North Down on many occasions throughout his life and regularly returned to the area. He enjoyed the beautiful view over Belfast Lough from the grounds of Bangor Castle. As Lewis himself once said “Heaven is Oxford lifted and placed in the middle of County Down”.
Bangor Castle, County Down, photograph courtesy of Glenn Norwood, North Down Brorough Council.
Mark Bence-Jones writes in his A Guide to Irish Country Houses (1988):
p. 30. “(Ward, sub Bangor, V/PB; Bingham, Clanmorris, B/PB) An Elizabethan-Revival and Baronial mansion by William Burn, built 1847 for Robert Ward, a descendant of 1st Viscount Bangor. Mullioned windows; oriels created with strapwork; rather steep gables with finials. At one end, a battlemented tower with a pyramidal-roofed clock turret. Partly curved quoins, very characteristic of Burn. Inherited by Robert Ward’s daughter and heiress, Matilda Catherine, wife of 5th Lord Clanmorris [John George Barry Bingham, 5th Baron Clanmorris of Newbrook, County Mayo]. Featured in Peers and Plebs by Madeleine Bingham. Now owned by the town of Bangor.”
3. Castle Ward, County Down
Castle Ward, County Down, 13 August 2006 Picture by David Cordner http://www.davidcordner.com :Tourism Northern Ireland (see [1])
“The current Castle Ward is a particularly unusual building, famed for having been built with two completely different architectural styles, both inside and out.
“One half is built in the classical Palladian style, with the other half which faces out across Strangford lough built in the more elaborate Gothick style.“
Castle Ward, County Down, photograph by Robert French, (between ca. 1865-1914), Lawrence Photograph Collection, National Library of Ireland.Castle Ward.Castle Ward, County Down, photograph by Robert French, (between ca. 1865-1914), Lawrence Photograph Collection, National Library of Ireland.
“The story told for the reason behind this unusual decorative scheme is that the original builder of the house, Bernard Ward, 1st Viscount Bangor, did not agree with his wife Lady Anne [Anne Bligh (1718-1789, daughter of John Blight 1st Earl of Darnley] on the décor. Bernard was more classical in taste with Lady Anne prefering the fashionable Gothick style, leading them to split the house down the middle. This story is compounded by the fact that they separated not long after the house was finished with Anne leaving Castle Ward for good. This hint of scandal has carried this story through the years, but let us consider instead that Anne and Bernard set out to build the house exactly as it is – not a marriage of compromise, but a triumph of collaboration.“
Castle Ward, courtesy of National Trust.Bernard Ward, 1st Viscount Bangor.
“When Bernard and Lady Anne inherited the estate in 1759 they set about building themselves a fine new house, one which would be symbolic of their union and exist as a statement of the Ward family’s bold and forward-thinking place in the world. Castle Ward was completed in 1766 and by 1781 they had been created Viscount and Viscountess Bangor in the Peerage of Ireland.
“Lady Anne’s grandfather was the nephew of the Duchess of York – wife of King James II, and a first cousin of Queen Anne. This royal ancestry shows itself in the choice of the Gothick style. The ceiling in the Morning Room is copied from the Henry VII Chapel in Westminster Abbey where Anne’s maternal family were permitted to be buried due to their royal blood. Rather than the house becoming known as an architectural monstrosity, the couple aimed for it to be a masterpiece, striving against convention and rooting the Ward family as bold, modern thinkers with an impressive past.
“The unusual combination of styles has long been a point of joy or novelty for guests, having a ‘marmite’ appeal. On a visit to Castle Ward, writer and poet John Betjeman referred to the ceiling in the Boudoir as “like sitting under a cow’s udder”, and the comment has stuck. Others comment on the otherworldly feeling created in the exotic grandeur of the Gothick side.
“Please check the homepage for opening times of the mansion house before planning your visit, as they may change seasonally. There is no need to book your visit in advance.“
Michael Ward, Father of Bernard Ward of Castle Ward.Anne Hamilton (1692-1760), mother of Bernard Ward, 1st Viscount Bangor. She was the wife of Michael Ward (1683-1759) and daughter of James Hamilton (1640-1707) and Sophie Mordaunt (1654-1735).Anne Hamilton (1692-1760) wife of Michael Ward.Sophia Ward, a sister of Bernard Ward of Castle Ward, she married Arthur Upton (1714/5-1763) of Castle Upton, County Antrim.
The website also tells us more about owner Anne Ward:
“Castle Ward – the story of a warring couple, divided in opinion and styles leading to a house with two sides. Perhaps the story is a little more complicated – here we delve deeper into the background of Lady Anne Bligh, co-architect of Castle Ward.
“Given that Lady Anne Ward was co-creator of the dichotomous style of Castle Ward, it is surprising how few of her possessions or papers are left in the collection. Hers’ remains a hidden history. Having left Castle Ward and her husband Bernard in 1770 shortly after the completion of the house, she has become a symbol of mystery and speculation, made notorious and unusual because of her independence of mind and spirit.“Given that Lady Anne Ward was co-creator of the dichotomous style of Castle Ward, it is surprising how few of her possessions or papers are left in the collection. Hers’ remains a hidden history. Having left Castle Ward and her husband Bernard in 1770 shortly after the completion of the house, she has become a symbol of mystery and speculation, made notorious and unusual because of her independence of mind and spirit.
“The public expression of her personal tastes in the Gothick style at Castle Ward, clashed dramatically with her husband’s preferred classical style, and this has resulted in the condemnation of Lady Ann as unusual. History has found it difficult to understand the architectural choice that was reached by Lady Anne and Bernard, seeming as a legacy to their failed marriage. Whilst Bernard is remembered as the maker of the classical side of the house, symbolically representing reason, balance and order, Lady Anne in contrast represents an ‘otherness’ which she expressed in Gothick architecture – seemingly conveying her fantastical, whimsical and unconventional personality.
“The Royal blood from her maternal grandparents gave Lady Anne the hauteur and confidence to do as she pleased. Her grandfather, the Earl of Clarendon was the nephew of the Duchess of York, wife of James II, and a first cousin of Queen Anne. Queen Anne was her mother Theodosia’s Godmother, and as such Theodosia was allowed to marry in Westminster Abbey. This was something Lady Ann was keen to highlight in her choice of architecture at Castle Ward, even copying the plasterwork from the Henry VII Chapel and recreating it in the Morning Room as a reminder of her royal connections.
“The Earl of Clarendon also prompted perception of the family as “eccentric” by accounts of them acting out their role as Colonial Governor of New York dressed in articles of women’s clothing which challenged social boundaries of the period. Historians have been unable to confirm the accuracy of these accounts nor the motivations behind the Earl’s alleged presentation of gender non-conformity. Whatever the accuracy or reason, contemporaries condemned the Earl and considered it to be a sign of ‘great insanity’, however the Earl remained protected and often handsomely rewarded by their cousin Queen Anne. This connection provided crucial protection from critics.
“Elizabeth Hastings, Countess of Moira who knew the family decribed them as having ‘an hereditary malady’. Members were noted as experiencing varied mental health issues. Lady Anne was accused of having ‘a shade of derangement in her intellects’. Her brother, Lord Darnley, was convinced he was a teapot and was reluctant to engage in sexual activity lest ‘his spout would come off in the night’; Lady Anne’s son Nicholas was declared ‘a lunatic’ in 1785 but details about this are scant.
“Lady Anne’s relationship with a woman, prior to her two marriages [she was previously married to Robert Hawkins-Magill of Gill Hall, County Down], has also been the source of popular speculation and of academic debate. At 21, Lady Anne embarked on a six year relationship with Letitia Bushe, a woman considered much inferior in status and wealth, but much more experienced in the world with a great intellect and close friend of Mrs Delany. From the surviving correspondence of Letitia Bushe, it is clear that she was besotted with Lady Anne who was some fifteen years her junior, writing in 1740:
‘This Day twelvemonth was the Day I first stay’d with you, the night of which you may remember pass’d very oddly. I cannot forget how I pity’d you and how by that soft road you led me on to love you… that first Sunday at Bray, when you were dressing and I lay down on your Bed – ‘twas then I took first a notion to you’.
“Academic research has suggested that this instance of same-sex love and desire provided Lady Anne with ‘an alternative outlet for emotional needs and energies, free of the complex web of economic and social considerations that surrounded relations between men and women of the propertied classes’ at this time.
“Sadly none of Lady Anne’s correspondence to Letitia Bushe survives – in true Lady Anne style she remains an enigma, true to herself regardless of tastes or conventions, and a symbol of ‘the three-dimensional complexity of human life’.“
Mark Bence-Jones writes in his A Guide to Irish Country Houses (1988):
p.78. Castleward: “Ward, Bangor, V/PB) A grandmid-C18 house of three storeys over basement and seven bays; built 1760/73 by Bernard Ward (afterwards 1st Viscount Bangor), and his wife, Lady Anne, daughter of 1st Earl of Darnley, to replace an earlier house. Probably by an English architect; and faced in Bath stone, brought over from Bristol in Mr Ward’s own ships. It seems that the Wards could not agree on the style of their new house; he wanted it to be Classical; but she was of what Mrs Delany called “whimsical” taste and favoured the fashionable new Strawberry Hill Gothic. The result was a compromise. The entrance front was made Classical, with central feature of a pediment and four engaged Ionic columns rising through the two upper storeys, the bottom storey being rusticated and treated as a basement. The garden front, facing over Strangford Lough, was made Gothic, with a battlemented parapet, pinnacles in the centre, and pointed windows in all its three storeys and seven bays – lancet in the central breakfront, ogee on the other side. All the windows have delightful Strawberry Hill Gothic astragals. This front of Castleward, and Moore Abbey, Co Kildare, are the only two surviving examples of mid-C18 Gothic in major Irish country houses which are not old castles remodelled. The interior of Castleward is remarkable in that the rooms on the Classical side of the house are Classical and those on the Gothic side Gothic; thus the hall – now the music room – has a Doric frieze and a screen of Doric columns; whereas the saloon has a ceiling of fretting and quatrefoils, pointed doors and a Gothic chimneypiece. The dining room, with its grained plaster panelling, is Classical and the sitting room is Gothic with spectacular plaster fan vaulting. Mr Ward, however, managed to be one up on his wife in that the staircase, which is in the middle of the house, is Classical; lit by a Venetian window in one of the end bows. If we believe Lady Anne, this was not the only time when he got his own way at her expense, for, having left him, as it turned out, for good, she wrote accusing him of bullying her. In C19, a porch was added to one of the end bows of the house, making a new entrance under the staircase; so that the hall became the music room. In the grounds there is a four storey tower-house, built at the end of C16 by Nicholas Ward; also a temple modelled on Palladio’s Redentore, dating from ante 1755; it stands on a hill, overlooking an early C18 artificial lake, or canal. On the death of 6th Viscount, 1950, Castleward was handed over in part payment of death duties to the Northern Ireland Government, who gave it, with an endowment, to the National Trust. The house and garden are now open to the public, and the Trust has set up various projects in different parts of the estate.”
Edward Ward, son of Bernard, 1st Viscount Bangor.Arabella Crosbie, wife of Edward Ward (1753-1812), daughter of William, 1st Earl of Glandore.Edward Ward, 3rd Viscount Bangor, son of Edward (1753-1812), nephew of Nicholas, 2nd Viscount Bangor.Harriet Margaret Maxwell is the wife of the 3rd Viscount Bangor, and daughter of Reverend Henry Maxwell, 6th Baron Farnham of Farnham estate in County Cavan(now a hotel).Edward Ward, 4th Viscount Bangor, courtesy of National Trust.
“Hillsborough Castle has been a grand family home and is now the official home of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and a royal residence. Members of the Royal Family stay at Hillsborough when visiting Northern Ireland.
“Viewed by some as a politically neutral venue, Hillsborough has played an important role in the Peace Process in Northern Ireland since the 1980s.
“In 2014, Historic Royal Palaces took over the running of Hillsborough Castle and Gardens and began an ambitious project to restore the house and gardens to its former glory.
“Hillsborough, originally the settlement of Cromlyn (meaning Crooked Glen) in mid-Down, became part of the Hill family estates in the early 1600s. Moyses Hill, the landless second son of an English West Country family, joined the army to seek his fortune in Ireland, where he supported the Earl of Essex, a military leader sent by Elizabeth I.
“At this time, the land was still in the hands of Irish chiefs of the Magennis family. But the defeat of Irish chieftain Hugh O’Neill in 1603 opened the way for men such as Moyses Hill to establish themselves as landowners in Ireland. The Hills bought some 5,000 acres of land, then gradually added to this over the next 20 years until the whole area around the present Hillsborough had passed from the Magennises to the Hills.
“Successive generations of this ambitious family began to rise, politically and socially, in Ireland. Within 50 years they were one of the most prominent landowning families in the area; their estates stretched for over 130 miles from Larne, north of Belfast to Dun Laoghaire, south of Dublin, around 115, 000 acres in total.
“Wills Hill was the first Marquess of Downshire and his diplomatic skills as a courtier cemented the family’s position in society.“
Wills Hill, 1st Earl of Hillsborough, (1718-1793), later 1st Marquess of Downshire, After Hugh Douglas Hamilton, Irish, 1740-1808. Photograph courtesy of National Gallery of Ireland.
“From 1768-72 he held the post of Secretary of State for the Colonies. He had grown very powerful in government and served the royal family, for which he was awarded his title in 1789.
“Wills Hill famously hosted American founding father Benjamin Franklin, but contrary to popular myth, when they met at Hillsborough in 1771, the two men got along well together.
“Wills Hill built not only this house but also the Courthouse in The Square. He also built the terraces around The Square and other buildings in the town.
“Hillsborough is unusual for an Irish Big House as it is not a country house around which a town grew; rather it was built as a townhouse, forming one side of a neat Georgian square.
“The road to Moira once passed directly below the windows, and opposite the house were a variety of shops, houses and the Quaker Meeting House.
“The 3rd and 4th Marquesses, also commissioned a lot of work on the house, giving it the outward appearance it has today.“
Hillsborough Castle & Gardens, Tourism Northern Ireland 2017 (see [1])
“When the house was being altered in the 1840s, the family decided to expand the gardens and so rebuilt the road, houses and Quaker Meeting House all further away. The old road was absorbed into the landscaping of the gardens, and the south side of the house was opened out to allow views of the ‘picturesque’ gardens.
“Successive generations of the Hill family enjoyed the house as a family home, renovating and redecorating in the latest styles and improving the gardens.
“However, by the end of the 19th century they were spending more time on their estate in England, at Easthampstead Park in Berkshire or their seaside home at Murlough House in County Down. The sixth Marquess’ uncle and guardian, Lord Arthur Hill remained at Hillsborough Castle to look after his nephew’s estate. The family first rented out Hillsborough in 1909, then sold it completely in 1925.
“It was bought by the British government, for around £24,000 (equivalent to £1.3m today) to be the residence of the Governor of Northern Ireland.
“Following Partition in 1921, Governors were appointed to represent the monarch in Northern Ireland, replacing the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland who had previously lived at Dublin Castle. The house became known as Government House, remaining the official residence of the Governors for over 50 years.”
Mark Bence-Jones writes in his A Guide to Irish Country Houses (1988):
p. 152. “(Hill, Downshire, M/PB; Dixon, Glentoran, B/PB) A large, rambling, two storey late-Georgian mansion of a warm, golden-orange ashlar; its elevations rather long for their height. It appears to incorporate a much smaller house of ca 1760, but was mostly built later in C18, to the design of R.F. Brettingham, by Wills Hill, 1st Marquess of Downshire, a prominent member of Lord North’s Cabinet at the time of the American War. The work was not completed until 1797, four years after 1st Marquess’s death. In 1830s and 1840s, the house was enlarged and remodelled, to the design of Thomas Duff, of Newry, and William Sands. The pedimented portico of four giant Ionic columns in the middle of the long seventeen bay garden front – originally the entrance front – which is the principal exterior feature, dates from this period; as does the present appearance of the pedimented front adjoining to the left, with its asymmetrical projecting ends; as well as the treatment of the elevations of the two ranges at right angles to each other which form two sides of the entrance forecourt; one of them having a rather shallow single-storey portico of four pairs of coupled Ionic columns. The forecourt, with its magnificent mid-C18 wrought iron gates and railings, brought here 1936 from Rich Hill, Co Armagh, is on one side of the main square of the charming little town of Hillsborough, which is reminiscent of the Schlossplatz in a small German capital. Although the house backs onto a sizeable demesne, with a lake, the park is on the opposite side of the town. Its chief feature is Hillsborough Fort, a star-shaped fort built by Col Arthur Hill ca 1650. The gatehouse of the fort was rebuilt most delightfully in the Gothic taste ca 1758, perhaps to the design of Sanderson Miller himself. Hillsborough Castle became the official residence of the Governor of Northern Ireland 1925, and consequently became known as Government House; from then, until 1973, when the post of Governor was abolished, it was occupied by successive Governors (all PB); namely, 3rd Duke of Abercorn, 4th Earl Granville, 2nd Lord Wakehurst, Lord Erskine of Rerrick, and Lord Grey of Naunton; during this period, the house was frequently visited by members of the British Royal Family. In 1934 the house was seriously damaged by fire, and in the subsequent rebuilding the principal rooms were done up in a more palatial style, with elaborate plasterwork. The future of the house is now uncertain.”
“For the first time in its history, this mystical and enchanting estate, set in magnificent natural surroundings, is open to visit.
“Nestled in the picturesque County Down countryside, Montalto is a privately-owned demesne steeped in history dating back to the 1600s. It is famously the site of ‘The Battle of Ballynahinch’ which took place during the Irish rebellion in 1798. It is also home to an exotic plant collection initially created by ‘The Father of Irish Gardening’, Sir Arthur Rawdon.
“Montalto Estate aims to reconnect visitors with nature through access to a range of captivating gardens and beautiful walks and trails. The visitor experience includes: public access to the estate’s beautiful gardens along with unique and surprising garden features; historic walks and trails; and an exciting play area where children can explore, learn and wonder at their natural surroundings. A purpose built centre, designed in keeping with the look and feel of the estate, includes a welcome area featuring interpretation of the estate’s history; a stylish café offering flavoursome and beautifully presented food; and a shop that offers a mix of estate produce, local craft products and many other unique and exceptionally designed items.
“The beautiful gardens include an Alpine Garden, a Winter Garden, a Cutting Garden, a Walled Garden, a Formal Garden and the Orchard situated within a wildflower meadow. Both the Winter Garden and Alpine Garden will always be accessible whilst the other gardens will be accessible whenever possible as they are working gardens. Four champion trees are located around the lake and the pinetum and over the past three years over 30,000 trees have been planted here.
“Active families will enjoy the Woodland Trail and low wood. The impressive purpose built tree house, which was handcrafted onsite, features rope bridges, monkey bars and treetop views kids of all ages will enjoy. Mini explorers can enjoy the smaller tree house and natural play area. Everything within this area has been designed to fuel the imagination through exploration and discovery.
“For tranquil and picturesque walks you can enjoy the stunning views of The Lake Walk and The Garden Walk. Catch a glimpse of some of the wonderful wildlife that calls Montalto Estate their home or simply take in the beautiful seasonal displays and reconnect with nature.”
“Montalto, nestled beautifully in the heart of the picturesque Co. Down countryside, is a privately-owned demesne which dates back to the early 1600s.
“In pre-plantation times the estate was originally owned by Patrick McCartan. However, due to his involvement in the 1641 Rebellion, his Ballynahinch lands were confiscated, and in 1657 the townland was purchased by Sir George Rawdon [and Patrick McCartan was executed]. Circa 1765, his descendant Sir John Rawdon – First Earl of Moira [1720-1793] – built a mansion property on the estate: this is the house that we now know as Montalto House.
“Sir John’s ancestor, Sir Arthur Rawdon – The Father of Irish Gardening – had earlier amassed a large collection of exotic foreign plants at Moira Castle. Many of Sir Arthur’s plants were transferred to Montalto when his grandson Sir John moved onto the estate.
“During the Battle of Ballynahinch (part of the 1798 Rebellion), rebels occupying Montalto House are attacked by the militia. The mansion sustains some fire and artillery damage. Francis Rawdon-Hastings – 2nd Earl of Moira and Montalto resident – is a respected British military officer during the American War of Independence. He is a close friend of the Prince Regent, later King George IV. For ten years he is Governor General of India, carrying huge military and political responsibilities. He sells the Montalto Estate soon after the 1798 Rebellion and later becomes 1st Marquess of Hastings in 1816.“
John Rawdon 1st Earl of Moira married three times: first to Helena Perceval, daughter of John Perceval 1st Earl of Egmont, Co. Cork; next to Anne Hill, daughter of 1st Viscount Hillsborough, and finally to Elizabeth, daughter of Theophilus Hastings, 9th Earl of Huntingdon, England. His heir is Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings.
Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 2nd Earl of Moira, courtesy of Lady Lever Art Gallery.
“In 1803 David Ker of Portavo purchased the estate. In 1910 Richard – the last of the Kers to reside at Montalto – is finally forced to sell the estate.In 1912 Arthur, [Arthur Vesey Meade] 5th Earl of Clanwilliam [County Tipperary], purchases Montalto for £20,000.
“The Earl fights in the Boer War (where he is badly wounded), and with the Guards in France in WW1. His wife Lady Muriel cares for wounded Allied officers during their convalescence at Montalto.
“In 1979 the house is purchased by the Hogg Corry Partnership. In 1988 Corry withdraws. In 1995 it is purchased by the Wilson family. Working with local architects Hobart and Heron, as well as John O’Connell – a leading conservation architect from Dublin, specialising in Georgian architecture – they setabout a programme of works to restore the house, grounds, and outbuildings to their former glory.
“The estate has been almost exclusively, a family home since Lord Moira built the first house here. Nowadays Montalto offers visitors the use of 400 acres of rolling Irish countryside, which includes wonderful trails and gardens and a chance to explore this historic demesne and reconnect with nature.“”The estate has been almost exclusively, a family home since Lord Moira built the first house here. Nowadays Montalto offers visitors the use of 400 acres of rolling Irish countryside, which includes wonderful trails and gardens and a chance to explore this historic demesne and reconnect with nature.“
Mark Bence-Jones writes in his A Guide to Irish Country Houses (1988):
p. 209. “(Rawdon, Moira, E/DEP; Ker/IFR; Meade, Clanwilliam, E/PB) A large and dignified three storey house of late-Georgian aspet; which, in fact, was built mid-C18 as a two storey house by Sir John Rawdon, 1st Earl of Moira, who probably brought the stuccodore who was working for him at Moira House in Dublin to execute the plasterwork here; for the ceiling which survives in the room known as the Lady’s Sitting Room is pre-1765 and of the very highest quality, closely resembling the work of Robert West; with birds, grapes, roses and arabesques in high relief. There is also a triple niche of plasterwork at one end of the room; though the central relief of a fox riding in a curricle drawn by a cock is much less sophisticated than the rest of the plasterwork and was probably done by a local man. 2nd Earl, afterwards 1st Marquess of Hastings, who distinguished himself as a soldier in the American War of Independence, and was subsequently Governor-General of India, sold Montalto 1802 to David Ker, who enlarged the windows of the house, in accordance with the prevailing fashion. In 1837, D.G. Ker enlarged the house by carrying out what one would imagine to be a most difficult, not to say hazardous operation; he excavated the rock under the house and round the foundations, thus forming a new lower ground floor; the structure being supported by numerous arches and pillars. It was more than just digging out a basement, as has been done at one or two other houses in Ulster; for the new ground floor is much higher than any basement would be; the operation made the house fully three storeyed. Entrance front of two bays on either side of a central three sided bow; the front also having end bows. Shallow Doric porch at foot of centre bow. Ground floor windows round-headed; those above rectangular, with plain entablatures over the windows of the original ground floor, now the piano nobile. Parapeted roof. The right hand side of the house is of ten bays, plus the end bow of the front; with a pilastered triple window immediately to the right of the bow in the piano nobile, balanced by another at the far end of the elevation. The left-hand side of the house is only of three bays and the bow, with a single triple window’ the elevation being prolonged by a two storey wing with round-headed windows. Various additions were built at the back of the house and at the sides during the course of C19; a ballroom being added by D.S. Ker, grandson of the David Ker who bought the estate. In 1837 ground floor there is an imposing entrance hall, with eight paired Doric columns, flanked by a library and a dining room. A double staircase leads up to the piano nobile, where there is a long gallery running the full width of the house, which may have been the original entrance hall. Also on the piano nobile is the sitting room with the splendid C18 plasterwork. Montalto was bought ca 1910 by 5th Earl of Clanwilliam, whose bridge refused to live at Gill Hall, the family seat a few miles to the west, because of the ghosts there. In 1952, the ballroom and a service wing at the back were demolished.”
7. Mount Stewart, County Down
Mount Stewart, County Down, by Art Ward for Tourism Northern Ireland, 2016. (see [1])
Bagenal’s Castle, County Down, Courtesy of Tourism Northern Ireland, 2010. (see [1])
The Discover Northern Ireland website tells us:
“Bagenal’s Castle is a sixteenth century fortified house and adjoining nineteenth century warehouse. It houses Newry and Mourne Museum and Newry Visitor Information Centre.
“During restoration work on the Castle many original features were uncovered including fireplaces, windows, doorways, gun loops and a bread oven. These have been interpreted for the visitor and drawings were commissioned to illustrate how the various living quarters of the castle would have functioned in the sixteenth century. Highlights include a restored Banqueting Room which is used throughout the year for seasonal and family events.“During restoration work on the Castle many original features were uncovered including fireplaces, windows, doorways, gun loops and a bread oven. These have been interpreted for the visitor and drawings were commissioned to illustrate how the various living quarters of the castle would have functioned in the sixteenth century. Highlights include a restored Banqueting Room which is used throughout the year for seasonal and family events.
“The Museum’s diverse collections include material relating to prehistory, Newry’s Cistercian foundations, Ulster’s Gaelic order and the relationship with the English Crown; the building of a merchant town and the first summit level canal in the British Isles. You can also discover the history of the ‘Gap of the North’, the historic mountain pass between Ulster and Leinster located to the south of Newry. One of the key main exhibitions, ‘A Border Town’s Experience of the 20th Century’, examines local attitudes to major political and economic events of the 20th century. There are also permanent exhibitions on farming, fishing and folklore in the Mournes and South Armagh.”
“Portaferry Castle is a 16th-century tower-house, built by the Savage family and prominently located on the slope overlooking Portaferry harbour within sight of Strangford and Audley’s Castles across the water. Simpler than the earlier ‘gatehouse’ tower house, it is square in plan with one projecting tower to the south where a turret rises an extra storey and contains the entrance and stair from ground floor to first floor.
There are three storeys and an attic, and like early tower-houses it has spiral stairs. However, like some later tower houses it lacks a stone vault as all floors were originally made of wood.“
orange: “whole house rental” i.e. those properties that are only for large group accommodations or weddings, e.g. 10 or more people.
green: gardens to visit
grey: ruins
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Places to Stay, County Donegal
1. Bruckless House Gate Lodge, Bruckless, County Donegal
2. Castle Grove, County Donegal – hoteland wedding venue
3. Cavangarden, Ballyshannon, Co Donegal – B&B
4. Dunmore, Carrigans, Co Donegal – weddings and accommodation
5. Lough Eske Castle, near Donegal, Co Donegal – hotel
6. Rathmullan House, Co Donegal – hotel
7. Railway Crossing Cottage near Donegal town: Irish Landmark property
8. Rock Hill, Letterkenny, Co Donegal – hotel
9. St. Columb’s, St Mary’s Road, Buncrana, Co Donegal
10. St John’s Point Lighthouse cottage, Dunkineely, County Donegal– Irish Landmark property
11. Termon House, Dungloe, County Donegal, whole house rental
12. Woodhill House, Ardara, County Donegal
Whole House Rental, County Donegal:
1. Drumhalla House, Rathmullen, County Donegal – whole house rental and wedding venue
Places to Stay, County Donegal
1. Bruckless House Gate Lodge, Bruckless, County Donegal– self catering holiday rental, airbnb
No longer listed on Hidden Ireland accommodation, it is listed on airbnb.
“Open all year round, Bruckless House Gate Lodge is available to rent for self-catering holidays. Situated on 18 acres of parkland, the Gate Lodge is surrounded by its own garden just off the private driveway leading to Bruckless House. Guests can stroll down the avenue to reach the rocky shoreline of Bruckless Bay. They are always welcome to call at Bruckless House with its informal gardens and cobbled yard, where poultry wander between the Connemara Ponies.
“The Gate Lodge is comprised of four rooms in total. Bruckless Gate Lodge has an open plan living room and kitchen with an open fireplace, a full-sized bathroom and two bedrooms. There is a television set provided and all rooms have electric storage heating. Free wireless Internet connection is also available to guests at Bruckless Gate Lodge.
“Bruckless House was built in mid-18th century by a Plantation family, Nesbitt, but quickly passed into the hands of an Irish family, the Cassidys. It remained with them right into the 20th century. Legend has it that a Gate Lodge was built along with the House and that it was located at the then main entrance, near the River Stank off the present-day main road. Today there are no signs of this building – it was probably demolished to make way for the tracks of the County Donegal Railway. By 1894 the main entrance had been removed to the present location, using a bridge to cross the railway, but no Gate Lodge was built until the new century.“
2. Castle Grove, County Donegal – hotel
Castlegrove, County Donegal. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
“Castle Grove Country House is steeped in charm and elegance, tastefully upholding the traditions of centuries past.
“We have 15 en suite guest bedrooms, all of which are carefully furnished with rare antiques, luxury fabrics, televisions, Egyptian cotton sheets, soft towels and indulgent toiletries.” They also do weddings and have a restaurant.
Castle Grove, County Donegal, photograph courtey of website.
Mark Bence-Jones writes in his A Guide to Irish Country Houses (1988):
p. 70. “(Campbell-Grove/IFR) A two storey Georgian house, repaired and modernized by Thomas Brooke (nee Grove) ca. 1825. Tripartite pedimented doorcase, with Doric columns and pilasters. Attractive early C19 conservatory of glass and wood flanking entrance front.”
Castle Grove, County Donegal, photograph courtey of website.
The website tells us:
“Castle Grove Country House Hotel is one of the few remaining family run private estates in the North West of Ireland. Located six miles north of Letterkenny, it provides the perfect base to explore the beautiful scenery of Donegal and the Wild Atlantic way.
“This near-original Georgian house was built in 1695 and is situated at the end of a mile-long avenue on the shores of Lough Swilly. The 250 acre grounds are made up of farmland and extensive gardens that were designed by Capability Brown.
“The Grove family estate dates to 1656 when William Grove resided at Castle Shanaghan, approximately 1 mile from the current location. During the ‘Siege of Derry’ James II lauded William Grove for his military knowledge, which led to the family house being burnt down after the siege.“
“After the ‘Siege of Derry’ in 1690, Castle Grove House was built in 1695 nearer Lough Swilly and was later added to between 1750 and 1780.“
“The ownership of Castle Grove throughout the years is as significant as the history of the house. It remained in the Grove family until 1970 when the last of the family died.
“The Grove/Boyton family played a pivotal role in the election of Daniel O’Connell to Parliament in 1828. Another famous son who left Castle Grove to achieve greatness was General Richard Montgomery who left the British Army in 1772 and emigrated to America where he later led the cavalry in the Battle of Quebec where he was slain in 1775. His bravery was later honoured by having his remains interred at St. Pauls cathedral in New York City.
“In 1970 Castle Grove passed to a relative who used it as a private home until 1989 when it was sold to the current owners, The Sweeney’s.“
Castle Grove, County Donegal, photograph courtey of website.
Castle Grove, County Donegal, photograph courtey of website.Castle Grove, County Donegal, photograph courtey of website.Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
“Cavangarden House, a spacious Georgian period residence offering B&B accommodation dates back to 1750 when it was built by the Atkinson family and it still retains the character of that by-gone age, with antique furniture, majestic gardens and a private tree-lined entrance.
“Located in the tranquil Donegal countryside the house is now owned by the Mc Caffrey family and is surrounded by a working farm of 380 acres.“
Cavangarden, County Donegal, photograph courtesy of website.
Mark Bence-Jones writes in his A Guide to Irish Country Houses (1988):
p. 81. “Atkinson/LFI1958) A two storey gable ended house built 1781 by John Atkinson. Entrance front of one bay on either side of a central bow, to which an enclosed pillared porch was later added. Attic lit by windows in gable-ends; gable-ends truncated, making the roof partly hipped.”
The Atkinsons owned an estate in Co. Donegal from 1613, when William Atkinson (c.1580-c.1660) was granted several townlands to the north-east of Ballyshannon. They made their main residence at Creevy, but their house there was burned down in 1690 by supporters of King James II when Thomas Atkinson (c.1624-1702) and his son Thomas (1655-1738) were attainted by the Irish parliament for their support of William of Orange. The majority of their property was restored to the family in 1698, with the notable exception of Creevy, and they built a new house at Cavangarden, which remained the family’s seat until the 20th century.
The property passed from Thomas Atkinson (d. 1738) to his elder son, John Atkinson (1682-1748), and then to John’s son, Thomas Atkinson (1713-83). Thomas’s son, John Atkinson (1754-1833) seems to have been the first of the family to be a Justice of the Peace, and was probably responsible for building the present house at Cavangarden, even though the date traditionally given for it is a couple of years earlier than the date of his inheritance. (see https://landedfamilies.blogspot.com/2016/10/236-atkinson-of-cavangarden.html )
Dunmore House, County Donegal.Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
The website tells us that Agatha Christie (1890-1976) apparently visited Dunmore and enjoyed its gardens on a few occasions as a guest of the McClintocks of Dunmore, to whom she was related through marriage! The website informs us that the siege of Derry is a key event in the history of the area and that the army of King James II may have burnt the original house as it retreated.
The Suite, Dunmore Gardens, County Donegal, photograph courtesy of Dunmore Gardens.
In 1709 the McClintocks demolished the ruins of Dunmore although the cellars remained and thus predate the existing house. The house as we know it was built in 1742.
The house was purchased by the current owner’s grandfather, and was turned into a guest house and wedding venue in 2017. There is also a log cabin for accommodation.
The bedroom suite, Dunmore, photograph courtesy of Dunmore Gardens.
The website tells us: “The history of Dunmore starts with the Ulster plantations. Dunmore is situated just outside Carrigans, near Derry. It overlooks the Foyle and is just down the road from the castle of Mongavlin, where Red Hugh O’Donnell was born. After the flight of the Earls in 1607, when the O’Neills and the O’Donnells fled, the estates of these great Gaelic lords were confiscated and distributed among planters. Carrigans was a planter town. And it was the Scottish Stewarts and Cunninghams who settled in the area.
“The Harveys of Malin Head, who had been merchants in Bristol, originally owned Dunmore. Their daughter, Elizabeth, married William McClintock [1657-1724], apparently in 1685.“
A gatepost shows four key dates associated with Dunmore:
1620
1678 dh (David Harvey)
1709 wm (William McClintock)
1742 jm (John McClintock).
Mark Bence-Jones describes Dunmore House in Burke’s Guide to Country Houses 1978 as “A gable ended mid C18 house which Dr Craig considers may be by Michael Priestly. 2 storey with an attic lit by windows in the gable ends, 5 bay front with central venetian window above tripartite doorway later obscured by a porch. Lower 2 storey wing added later. Staircase extending into central projection at the back of house.”
There is also separate Log Cabin accommodation, Dunmore.Entrance to Dunmore House, County Donegal. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
“Robert McClintock, 1804 -1859 [grandson of William], built the walls of the walled garden in the early 19th century. Certainly there was work on the walls as famine relief. There is a plague on the wall of the garden with the date of 1845.
“The oldest known picture of Carrigans village shows a mill. The mill was apparently built on the ruins of Carrigans castle.
“In the 20th century Robert McClintock lived at Dunmore. He was a keen and talented engineer. He built a series of interconnected ponds and a collection of sundials, scattered through the walled gardens. He also invented the Bangalore torpedo while in the British Indian Army unit, the Madras Sappers and Miners, at Bangalore, India, in 1912. They were a means of exploding booby traps and barricades left over from the Boer and Russo-Japanese Wars and were used at the Battle of the Somme.“
Dunmore House, County Donegal. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.Dunmore House, County Donegal. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
5. Lough Eske Castle, near Donegal, Co Donegal – 5 * hotel
Lough Eske Castle in County Donegal, photograph by Robert French, Lawrence Photograph Collection, National Library of Ireland.
The Castle was largely gutted by fire in 1939, but has been rebuilt and renovated and is now an upscale hotel.
Mark Bence-Jones writes in his A Guide to Irish Country Houses (1988):
p. 192. “(Brooke, sub Brookeborough, V/PB; White/LGI1912) A Tudor-Baronial castle of 1866 by FitzGibbon Louch, built for the Donegal branch of the Brookes whose progenitor built Donegal Castle. Of ashlar; two storeys built over high basement, with four storey square tower at one end. Imposing Gothic porch betwen two oriels; battlemented parapet with two curvilinear blind gables. Tower with machicolations, crow-step battlements and curved corbelled oriels. Lower two storey battlemented range with corner turret at other end of front. Sold 1894, after the death of Thomas Brooke, to Major-Gen H.G. White. Largely gutted by fire 1939; but one wing remains intact and is still occupied.” As we can see, it has been rebuilt since Mark Bence-Jones wrote.
Lough Eske, County Donegal, photograph courtesy hotel website.Lough Eske, County Donegal, photograph courtesy hotel website.
The National Inventory tells us that after the fire in 1939 Lough Eske wasunoccupied and derelict until c. 2007. It was rebuilt and multiple modern extensions were added to the rear (north-west) and to the south-west elevation.
David Hicks has a chapter about Lough Eske Castle in his book Irish County Houses: Chronicle of Change (Collins Press, Cork, 2012). He tells us that it was built for Thomas Young, who inherited the property from his mother’s brother, Thomas Grove, who had taken the name Brooke when he inherited the Lough Eske property from his uncle Henry Vaughan Brooke (1743-1807). As a condition of inheriting the property, Thomas Young also had to adopt the Brooke name and coat of arms, so he became Thomas Young Brooke.
The family are descended from Basil Brooke (1567-1633) who lived in Brooke Manor in County Donegal. He was granted Donegal Castle and large amounts of land in Donegal, including the land on which Lough Eske was built.
Lough Eske Castle in County Donegal, photograph by Robert French, Lawrence Photograph Collection, National Library of Ireland.
His son Henry (d. 1671) lived in Brookeborough, County Fermanagh. He was granted land in Fermanagh after he fought to suppress the 1641 uprising. He married three times and had several children. Henry’s son Basil Brooke (1638-1692) married and had a son, Henry Brooke (1692-abt. 1725). He married Elizabeth Vaughan, daughter of Colonel George Vaughan of Buncrana, County Donegal. They had a son, Basil Brooke (abt. 1705-1768), who married Jane Wray from Castle Wray, County Donegal. Their children were Henry Vaughan Brooke and Rose Vaughan Brook.
Henry Vaughan Brooke (1743-1807) inherited Lough Eske. His sister was Rose Vaughan Brooke. She married James Grove (1725-1793) of Castle Grove, County Donegal. It was their son Thomas Grove who took the name Brooke. He, however, died childless in 1830, so the property passed to Thomas Young, son of Jane Grove (Thomas Grove Brooke’s sister) and Thomas Young.
Lough Eske, County Donegal, photograph courtesy hotel website.Lough Eske Castle, County Donegal, Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
Thomas Young Brooke (1804-1884) placed the Brooke coat of arms over the front door of the castle which he had built. It was built on the site of an old Jacobean house. His architect, Fitzgibbon Louch was from Derry. The National Inventory tells us that the present edifice replaced earlier houses on the same site, which where built in 1621 and 1751. It is possible that the building retains fabric from the earlier 1751 house as the south-east part of the house occupies much the same footprint as the earlier building. The 1621 house, the Inventory tells us, “was probably built for the Knox family, who owned the Lough Eske Castle until 1717 when it passed, through marriage, into the ownership of the Brooke family.”
Lough Eske Castle hotel, photograph by Brian Morrison, 2014 for Tourism Ireland, Ireland’s Content Pool (see [3]).Thomas Young Brooke (1804-1884) placed the Brooke coat of arms over the front door of the castle which he had built.Lough Eske Castle, County Donegal, Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
The entrance front of the castle is 130 feet long, and the front door is under a carved stone porch.
Lough Eske Castle, County Donegal, Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.Lough Eske Castle, County Donegal, Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
The hotel website tells us a bit of the history:
“The O’Donnells, a powerful 14th-century Donegal clan, had their seat at the original Lough Eske Castle, with wealthy landowners ruling from the castle and Edwardian glamour played out. In the 1860s, the last resident of the castle, Thomas Brooke, inspired by Victorian Gothic style, set about creating a comfortable and refined residence, with dramatic turrets, exquisite stained-glass windows and intricate stone carvings, to create Lough Eske Castle as we know it today. So grand was the transformation that the great and the good, including novelist and playwright Oscar Wilde, enjoyed the hospitality of the Brooke family.
“Over time, the property fell into disrepair, with its decline hastened by fire. By the early Noughties, nobody wanted the crumbling ruins, or could see its future clearly. That is with the exception of Donegal man, Pat Doherty, who saw clearly a unique opportunity – and a bright future. His vision to restore the castle to its original splendour and to provide hospitality on a grand scale in the scenic county of his birth was realised in 2007, when Lough Eske Castle received its first hotel guests.
“To discover more about the history of the castle and grounds, guests can take a guided Castle history tour or explore the estate’s lakeside woodland trails by foot or on the hotel’s complimentary bicycles.”
Green Drawing Room, Lough Eske, County Donegal, photograph courtesy hotel website.Lough Eske, County Donegal, photograph courtesy hotel website.Library, Lough Eske, County Donegal, photograph courtesy hotel website.
The National Inventory description continues:
“Set back from road in extensive mature wooded and landscaped grounds to the south-west corner of Lough Eske, and to the north-east of Donegal Town. Mature parkland to the south and wooded grounds to the west and the south-west. Modern gravel forecourt to the south-east. Associated outbuildings to the rear, walled garden to the north-east, gate lodges to the east and to the south/south-west , memorial cross to the east, and two-storey building to the north. Rubble stone boundary wall to estate, now largely ruinous. Remains of earlier castle in grounds to the east. [this is an O’Donnell castle]
“This rambling Elizabethan-style or Tudor Revival house, with its dramatic roofline of Tudoresque chimneystacks, turrets, curvilinear gables, machicolations and crenellated parapets, is one of the more important elements of the built heritage of County Donegal. It is well-built using local ashlar sandstone masonry and it is extensively detailed with carved and cut sandstone of the highest quality (the sandstone is apparently from Monaghan’s Quarry near Frosses, and was transported to the site along a road specifically constructed for the task). The central three-storey block with the entrance porch flanked by canted-bay windows is symmetrical, but the other elevations of the main block, the tower, and the ancillary wings are irregular, which creates an interesting and complex plan with contrasting elevations and perspectives.““
Lough Eske Castle, County Donegal, Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.Lough Eske Castle, County Donegal, Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.Lough Eske Castle, County Donegal, Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
The National Inventory continues: “Lough Eske Castle is a notable example of the nineteenth century penchant for dramatic architecture, and is built in a highly effective revivalist fifteenth/sixteenth/early seventeenth-century architectural idiom that compliments the spectacular site and perhaps references the history of the surrounding area (the history of the Brooke family who arrived as part of the Plantation at the start of the seventeenth century and of Donegal Castle in particular). Lough Eske Castle was originally built to designs by Fitzgibbon Louch (1826 – 1911) for Thomas Brooke. The main contractor involved was Albert Williams, and the clerk of works was a Michael Stedman. The finely carved coat-of-arms/family crest over the main doorway is of the Brooke family.”
Lough Eske Castle, County Donegal, Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.Lough Eske Castle, County Donegal, Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.Lough Eske Castle, County Donegal, Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.Lough Eske Castle, County Donegal, Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
When Thomas Young Brooke died in 1884 the castle was advertised for sale. It was purchased by Major General Henry George White in 1894, who moved his family here from Wales. His son Major Henry White (d. 1936) inherited the castle in 1906. A Celtic high cross marks his father’s grave on the property.
Henry extended the castle in 1911, adding a ballroom wing, and he modernised it with electricity and new plumbing.
The family left the castle during the Irish Civil War, since many big houses were being burned down. The contents were sold and the house placed on the market.
The National Inventory continues: “The estate later passed into the ownership of the Knee family who ran a hotel here from 1930 until 1939. The castle was largely burnt-out during a disastrous fire in 1939, and remained derelict until c. 2007 when it was renovated and extended to form a hotel. The façade was re-created in these works using the original designs. This fine edifice forms the centrepiece of an extensive collection of related structures along with the outbuildings to the rear, the walled garden to the north-east, gate lodges to the east and to the south/south-west , memorial cross to the east, and a two-storey building to the north, and represents an important element of the built heritage and history of the local area.”
The castle was sold after the fire to Scott Swan, David Hicks tells us, who renovated and lived in one of the wings. It was sold again and lay empty for years until Donegal man Pat Doherty, CEO, chairman and founder of Harcourt Developments, who renovated it to be a five star hotel.
Rathmullan House, County Donegal, photograph courtesy of Rathmullan House website.
My friends love to visit this hotel when they visit from Pennsylvania! I haven’t been there yet. The website introduces it:
“At Rathmullan House we are proud to say that we have welcomed generations of guests and friends for almost 60 years. Set in 7 acres of tranquil wooded grounds overlooking Lough Swilly and at the beginning of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way coastline, our location is idyllic, but it is our genuine hospitality that sets us apart.
“With the second generation of the Wheeler family now looking after the 4 star hotel, they have retained many classic features and traditional elements but with the modern touches that you expect. Good food with a relaxed personal service are the corner stones which Rathmullan House has been built on.
“Our award winning restaurant, The Cook & Gardener restaurant is renowned for its locally sourced and expertly cooked food, with many ingredients source from our own Walled Garden.”
Rathmullan House, County Donegal, photograph courtesy of Rathmullan House website.
The website tells us:
“The original house was built in typical Georgian style around 1760s and was part of the Knox family estates. Bishop Knox of Derry and Raphoe [William Knox (1762-1831)] built the house as a bathing place when he left the priory in Rathmullan to move to Prehen in Derry.“
Prehen Park, County Derry, sale June 2025, photograph courtesy Savills.
Bishop Knox’s father was Thomas Knox, 1st Viscount Northland of Dungannon in County Tyrone and his mother Anne Vesey came from Abbeyleix House in County Laois. His brother Thomas was 1st Earl of Ranfurly of Renfew in Scotland.
Rathmullan House, County Donegal, photograph courtesy of Rathmullan House website.
The website continues: “Later in the 1800s it became the country residence of the Batt family who were linen brokers and founders of the Belfast bank, now the Northern and Northern Irish Bank. The Batt family townhouse in Belfast is now Purdysburn Hospital.
“Thomas Batt’s substantial renovations in 1870 doubled the house in size. The three bay windows were added and the grounds extensively planted. The Batt family resided here until the 1940’s. After the war the Holiday Fellowship used the house as a centre for walking holidays until the train service to Buncrana ceased.
“Bob and Robin Wheeler bought the house in 1961. After lovingly transforming the dormitories back into the original bedrooms, they opened the house in 1962 as a 22 bedroom hotel. The original pavilion dining room designed by the late Dr Liam Mc Cormick was built in 1969 with a swimming pool and a new bedroom wing added in the 1990’s. In 2004, the new regency bedroom wing opened along with The Gallery Room and the Cook & Gardener restaurant was renovated and redesigned.
“Mark and Mary are now the second generation to run the house and take pride in keeping as many original features whilst adding in modern comforts for their guests.“
It looks gorgeous – I hope I can stay there someday!
Rathmullan House, County Donegal, photograph courtesy of Rathmullan House website.Rathmullan House, County Donegal, photograph courtesy of Rathmullan House website.Rathmullan House, County Donegal, photograph courtesy of Rathmullan House website.
7. Railway Crossing Cottage near Donegal town – Irish Landmark property
The website tells us of the history of Rockhill House:
“Rockhill House can trace its roots to the 17th Century plantation of Ulster. Seat of the Chambers family for 172 years, the property was acquired in 1832 by the aristocratic ornithologist, John Vandeleur Stewart. Stewart engaged famed Dublin architect, John Hargrave [c. 1788-1833], to design a radical extension and remodelling of the house, and the new owner carried out comprehensive draining, planting and cultivation of the lands to create the lush, Georgian idyll that remained in his family until the 1936 break-up of the Estate and sale of the property and 100 acres to the Commissioner of Public Works.“
Rockhill House, County Donegal, photograph courtesy of hotel website.
“A headquarters of the Irish Defence Forces through to early 2009, the Army’s exit began a period of vacancy that allowed Rockhill House to slip into disrepair and decay. The Estate, too, was a shadow of what it was during its days of care and plenty under the Stewarts.
“When today’s owners, the Molloy family, got the keys in 2014, a vast task met them. When they first stepped into the house, it was possible to stand in the basement and see the roof, three storeys above!
“This began a three-year labour of love for the Molloys, whose sensitive restoration, while being true to Rockhill’s rich past, now takes it into a great new heyday. Once again, the great halls and galleries of the Big House are filled with light and the colours and textures of its Georgian tastemakers.
“Original features – from cornices, ceiling roses, and spiral staircases to picture rails, ironwork and fireplaces – have been salvaged where possible, and historically replicated wherever the original has been lost to time. The Estate is springing back to life, with verdant gardens adorned with Temple and fountain; and lost woodland walks uncovered for new exploration.”
Rockhill House, County Donegal, photograph courtesy of hotel website.Rockhill House, County Donegal, photograph courtesy of hotel website.
The Letterkenny Historical Society website gives a more detailed history of the house and its occupants:
“In the Plantation of Ulster, an English Knight Sir Thomas Coach was granted 1,500 acres on the south side of the River Swilly called ‘Lismongan’. While we might associate that solely with the small area of Lismonaghan today, the land in fact stretched out much further than that to take in the areas of Rockhill and Scarrifhollis also.
“Coach’s son, Captain Thomas Coach, also held lands in Cabra, Co. Cavan and from the 1660s onwards, he confined his family business primarily to there. After bequeathing the estate to his son, Colonel Thomas Coach, the overall 1,500 acres then came into the possession of the Pratt family through marriage. Joseph Pratt was originally married to Frances Coach, sister to the Colonel but in 1686 was re-married to Elizabeth Coach, daughter to the Colonel. Upon Colonel Coach’s death in 1699, the lands of Lismonaghan passed to the Pratts who remained in the area right up until the nineteenth century.
“Rockhill, or Corr as it was known then, being approximately 240 acres in size, was just a small part of this overall 1,500 acres of the Coach family estate. In a grant of 26 July 1693, John Chambers was granted the lands of Rockhill from Thomas Coach, grandson to the original patentee.
“Thus the Chambers family came to occupy Rockhill at the end of the seventeenth century and they built a manor house on their lands, on the site of the current Rockhill House. These Chambers were descended from William Chambers who had been the Curate of Leck in 1633.“
Rockhill House, County Donegal, photograph courtesy of hotel website.Rockhill House, County Donegal, photograph courtesy of hotel website.Rockhill House, County Donegal, photograph courtesy of hotel website.
The website continues: “Daniel Chambers sold the estate at Rockhill to John Vandeleur Stewart of Ards on 21 February 1832 for £900 and retired to Loughveagh House on his other estate at Gartan (where Gartan Outdoor Pursuits centre now stands) but sold that in 1845 and moved to Dublin where he died in 1850.
“John Vandeluer Stewart was appointed High Sheriff of Donegal in 1838 and made extensive renovations to the former Chambers house, so closely modeled on the Stewart family home of Ards House that they came to be almost ‘sister houses’. The Stewart estate stretched from Oldtown to Bomany and up to Letterleague where the ruins of the former gatehouse can still be seen. Flax, beet, corn and potatoes were cultivated on the estate with a large orchard near to the house while coursing and hunting on the estate was offered for £10 annually. The Rockhill Coursing Club was set up in 1890 with Sir Thomas Lecky as President. The Rockhill Stakes, The Letterkenny Stakes and The Swilly Stakes were competed for annually at Crieve Meadows, with competitors arriving with their greyhounds from all over the northwest.
“John Vandeluer Stewart died in 1872 and the estate passed to his eldest son, Major General Alexander Charles Hector Stewart, who was High Sheriff of Donegal in 1881. Upon his death in 1917, the Rockhill estate was left in trust to his daughter Kathleen Stewart, but his brother Sir Charles John Stewart effectively became the administrator of the estate as she lived in Sussex with her husband Philip Arthur McGregor.
“Sir Charles John Stewart and his wife, Lady Mary Stewart had two sons, John and Gerald, who were both killed within six weeks of one another in World War I. Upon their sons’ deaths in 1915, they were so heartbroken that they seemed to lose interest in returning to the estate of Rockhill. The land steward Robert R. Robinson tended to the management of the estate in Sir Charles John’s seasonal absences.
Rockhill House, County Donegal, photograph courtesy of hotel website.
“With nobody occupying the estate, Rockhill House was taken over by Anti Treaty IRA troops upon the outbreak of Civil War in Ireland in 1922. Across the river, Ballymacool House was also taken over with the Boyds being forcibly removed from their home. The Pro Treaty forces launched an attack on both houses on 22 June 1922 and removed the insurgents.
“Owing to this political unrest in Ireland, the loss of his sons and an overall lack of interest from the family in the estate, Sir Charles John Stewart finally left Rockhill in 1927 and moved to Scotland. The family home then served as a Preparatory Irish College for student teachers until 1930 but the estate soon fell into decline and was sold in various lots on 19 January 1937 to the Commissioners of Public Works. The Department of Defence then came to occupy the main estate of 29 acres from the 1940s and housed the Army on a permanent basis from 1969 until 2009 when it closed due to government cutbacks on military expenditure. The house has recently been extensively refurbished and reopened as an elegant Country House and Estate.
“For more on the history of Rockhill House, Lt. Col. Declan O’Carroll’s book, “Rockhill House: A History” is highly recommended.“
Rockhill House, County Donegal, photograph courtesy of hotel website.Rockhill House, County Donegal, photograph courtesy of hotel website.Rockhill House, County Donegal, photograph courtesy of hotel website.Rockhill House, County Donegal, photograph courtesy of hotel website.Rockhill House, County Donegal, photograph courtesy of hotel website.
9. St. Columb’s, St Mary’s Road, Buncrana, Co Donegal B&B
“St Columbs House B&B is a beautifully restored 6 bedroom period house located on the Wild Atlantic Way in the historic seaside town of Buncrana on the Inishowen peninsula. It has a Catholic Church across the road and on its doorstep is a variety of bustling restaurants, bars and a variety of shopping, all just a short walk away.“
10. St John’s Point Lighthouse cottage, Dunkineely, County Donegal– Irish Landmark property
SJ Schooner: “Schooner is located on St. John’s Point Lighthouse station in Co. Donegal. It’s quite a thrill driving down to St. John’s Point Lighthouse, to see it looming at the end of one of the longest peninsulas in Ireland. Stay at Schooner and enjoy all that St. John’s Point, Donegal and surrounds have to offer.” Sleeps 4. From €442 for 2 nights.
and SJ Clipper: “Clipper is located on St. John’s Point Lighthouse station in Co. Donegal. It’s quite a thrill driving down to St. John’s Point Lighthouse, to see it looming at the end of one of the longest peninsulas in Ireland. Stay at Clipper and enjoy all that St. John’s Point, Donegal and surrounds have to offer.” Sleeps 4. From €442 for 2 nights.
Termon House, a former 18th century land agent’s house in Maghery, near Dungloe, is located in the heart of the Gaeltacht area. Sleeps 6. From €487 for 2 nights.
“Woodhill House is an historic coastal manor house dating back in parts to the 17th century. The 6th century religious relic, St. Conal’s Bell, was mysteriously stolen from Woodhill House in 1845.
“The house which overlooks the beautiful Donegal Highlands is set in its own grounds with an old walled garden. It is half a mile from the sea and a quarter of a mile from the coastal town of Ardara on the ‘Wild Atlantic Way’. The house offers unusual and interesting accommodation with private bathrooms, 3 star rated. There is a fully licensed lounge bar, which has occasional music sessions for tourists and locals alike. Woodhill House is well known for its high quality and reasonably priced restaurant which accommodates house guests and the general public. The menu is French/Contemporary Irish based using fresh Irish produce, especially seafood from nearby Killybegs.”
Whole House Rental, County Donegal
1. Drumhalla House, Rathmullen, County Donegal– whole house rental and wedding venue
Drumhalla House, County Donegal, photograph courtesy of house website.
“Steeped in history, the house was originally built in 1789 by Dr Knox of Lifford. The house and grounds have now been beautifully restored by the present owner and offer luxury accommodation as well as a unique, private location for a variety of functions including weddings and corporate events.Drumhalla House offers superior 5 star accommodation and is a much sought after and unique wedding venue.
“Panoramic views over Lough Swilly and the renowned Kinnegar beach provide the perfect backdrop for your wedding day. The beautifully maintained grounds and lawns at Drumhalla House make it perfect for your guests to enjoy and explore.
Drumhalla House, County Donegal, photograph courtesy of house website.
“Allow our Country Manor House, complete with 5 star accommodation at Drumhalla to transform your wedding ideas into the fairytale you always dreamed of.
“All of our bedrooms are individual and unique and everything one would expect in a much loved Manor House. The rooms are very comfortable and traditional in style and filled with carefully chosen furnishings. They are located on the 1st floor of the house and provide varied views over the gardens and beach.“
Drumhalla House, County Donegal, photograph courtesy of house website.Drumhalla House, County Donegal, photograph courtesy of house website.
orange: “whole house rental” i.e. those properties that are only for large group accommodations or weddings, e.g. 10 or more people.
green: gardens to visit
grey: ruins
donation
Help me to pay the entrance fee to one of the houses on this website. This site is created purely out of love for the subject and I receive no payment so any donation is appreciated!
Glenveagh Castle, County Donegal, photograph by Gareth Wray, 2020 for Tourism Ireland, Ireland’s Content Pool
The website tells us about the gardens:
“The two major elements of the Garden, the Pleasure Gardens and the Walled Garden were constructed in the late 1880’s. The original Victorian Garden layout remains intact. It was for Mrs. Cornelia Adair that the gardens were constructed. Mrs. Adair had a Gardener’s House constructed at the top of the Walled Garden and employed a Kew trained gardener to lay out the gardens. Some of the planting in the Pleasure Grounds such as the purple maples and the shelter belt of Scots pine trees were planted at this time.…”
“…Glenveagh is well known today for its rich collection of trees and shrubs specialising in southern hemisphere species and a diverse Rhododendron collection. Displays of Rhododendrons are at their best from late March to the end of May. A large collection of old narcissi varieties from Donegal gardens fills the walled garden in March and April. Displays of colour in the Walled Garden are at their best through the summer months. Fine specimens of the white flowered Eucryphia adorn the gardens in late summer. Dramatic autumn colour follows in October.“
orange: “whole house rental” i.e. those properties that are only for large group accommodations or weddings, e.g. 10 or more people.
green: gardens to visit
grey: ruins
2026 Diary of Irish Historic Houses (section 482 properties)
To purchase an A5 size 2026 Diary of Historic Houses (opening times and days are not listed so the calendar is for use for recording appointments and not as a reference for opening times) send your postal address to jennifer.baggot@gmail.com along with €20 via this payment button. The calendar of 84 pages includes space for writing your appointments as well as photographs of the historic houses. The price includes postage within Ireland. Postage to U.S. is a further €10 for the A5 size calendar, so I would appreciate a donation toward the postage – you can click on the donation link.
€20.00
The province of Ulster contains counties Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, Derry, Donegal, Down, Fermanagh, Monaghan and Tyrone.
For places to stay, I have made a rough estimate of prices at time of publication:
Places to stay, County Derry
1. Ardtara Country House and restaurant, County Derry – B&B
2. Brown Trout Inn, Aghadowey, Nr Coleraine Co. Derry, BT51 4AD
3. Roselick Lodge, County Derry– whole house rentalfor 8 guests, three nights minuminimum
Whole House Rental or Wedding Venues, County Derry
2. Drenagh House, County Derry – whole house rental, 22 guests
donation
Help me to pay the entrance fee to one of the houses on this website. This site is created purely out of love for the subject and I receive no payment so any donation is appreciated!
€15.00
Places to stay, County Derry
1. Ardtara Country House and restaurant, County Derry -B&B
“Ardtara is over 120 years old, but its story goes back much further. Back to the origins of the linen industry in Northern Ireland. The house was built by Harry Clark as a romantic and lively family home around 1896. Harry was a restless adventurer who was coerced to join his family’s linen business with promises of global travel and the freedom to pursue his ambitions. Clark’s linen business was already over 150 years old at the time and was famous for producing fine linens from Flax using the ancient process of beetling.”
Ardtara, County Derry, photograph courtesy of website.
2. Brown Trout Inn, Aghadowey, Nr Coleraine Co. Derry, BT51 4AD
“Whether it’s for a drink, dinner, a weekend break or a round of golf we want you to enjoy the Brown Trout experience.
“At the Brown Trout Inn we know that relaxing means different things to different people. For some, food and drink is all-important. Our menu offers fresh locally sourced produce ranging from ‘taste of Ulster’ favourites like honey-grilled gammon and buttery champ to slow-roasted lamb shanks and not forgetting fresh fish, including grilled trout of course.
“For others, putting their feet up is the closest thing to heaven. Our Courtyard accommodation offers space, comfort and quality – the cottages hold NITB four-star status. All our accommodation is easily accessible for wheelchair users and guests with disabilities and all rooms are dog-friendly. Wifi access is free throughtout the hotel.“
3. Roselick Lodge, County Derry – whole house rentalfor 8 guests, three night minimum
“Dating back to 1830, this sympathetically restored Georgian property offers a tranquil rural setting midway between Portstewart and Portrush. Whilst retaining many of the original features and charm, the open plan extension has been adapted to suit modern living. The accommodation comprises three main reception areas, a Magnificent Family Kitchen /Living and Dining area, a cosy and tastefully decorated Snug with open fire, access to south facing Orangery and large secluded cottage gardens. Upstairs are four well proportioned bedrooms sleeping up to eight guests and a spacious first floor balcony with sea views. Minimum 3 night stay.“
Roselick Lodge, County Derry, photograph courtesy of website.Roselick Lodge, County Derry, photograph courtesy of website.Roselick Lodge, County Derry, photograph courtesy of website.
Drenagh, County Derry, photograph courtesy Tripadvisor.
Nestled in beautiful parkland where you will find our grand Georgian Mansion House which is perfect for weddings, family get togethers, corporate events and much more.
Mark Bence-Jones writes about Drenagh House (formerly Fruit Hill) in A Guide to Irish Country Houses (1988):
p. 107. “(McCausland/IFR) The earliest major country house by Charles Lanyon, built ca 1837 for Marcus McCausland, replacing an early C18 house on a different site. Of significance in the history of C19 Irish domestic architecture in that it is a competent late-Georgian design by an architect whose buildings in the following decade are definitely Victorian. Two storey; o an attractive pinkish sandstone ashlar. Five bay entrance front with the centre bay recessed and a single-storey Ionic portico in which the outer columns aer coupled. Adjoining front of six bays with two bay pedimented breakfront; the duality of the elevation being emphasised rather than resolved by the presence of three giant pilasters, supporting the pediment. Rear elevation of one bay between two three sided bows, with fanlighted tripartite garden door. Lower service wing at side. Balustraded parapet round roof and on portico. Single-storey top-lit central hall with screen of fluted Corinthian columns; graceful double staircase with elegant cast iron balusters rising from behind one of these screens. Rich plasterwork ceilings in hall, over staircase and in drawing room; simpler ceilings in morning room and dining room. At the head of the stairs, a bedroom corridor with a ceiling of plaster vaulting and shallow domes goes round the central court or well, the lower part of which is roofed over to form the hall. Very large and extensive outbuildings. Vista through gap in trees opposite entrance front of house to idyllic landscape far below, the ground falling steeply on this side; straight flight of steps on the axis of this vista leading down to bastion terrace with urns. Chinese garden with circular “moon gate,” laid out by Lady Margaret McCausland 1960s. Gate lodge by Lanyon with pedimented Ionic portico.”
Charles Lanyon (1813-1889) courtesy of Queen’s University Belfast.Drenagh, County Derry, photograph courtesy Tripadvisor.Drenagh, County Derry, photograph courtesy Tripadvisor.Drenagh, County Derry, photograph courtesy Tripadvisor.Drenagh, County Derry photograph courtesy Tripadvisor.Drenagh, County Derry, photograph courtesy Tripadvisor.Drenagh, County Derry, photograph courtesy Tripadvisor.
orange: “whole house rental” i.e. those properties that are only for large group accommodations or weddings, e.g. 10 or more people.
green: gardens to visit
grey: ruins
2026 Diary of Irish Historic Houses (section 482 properties)
To purchase an A5 size 2026 Diary of Historic Houses (opening times and days are not listed so the calendar is for use for recording appointments and not as a reference for opening times) send your postal address to jennifer.baggot@gmail.com along with €20 via this payment button. The calendar of 84 pages includes space for writing your appointments as well as photographs of the historic houses. The price includes postage within Ireland. Postage to U.S. is a further €10 for the A5 size calendar, so I would appreciate a donation toward the postage – you can click on the donation link.
€20.00
The province of Ulster contains counties Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, Derry, Donegal, Down, Fermanagh, Monaghan and Tyrone.
For places to stay, I have made a rough estimate of prices at time of publication:
Help me to pay the entrance fee to one of the houses on this website. This site is created purely out of love for the subject and I receive no payment so any donation is appreciated!
“Built around 1619 by Sir Baptist Jones, Bellaghy Bawn is a fortified house and bawn (the defensive wall surrounding an Irish tower house). What exists today is a mix of various building styles from different periods with the main house lived in until 1987.” Open on Sundays.
“Hezlett’s picturesque thatched cottage exterior hides a fascinating early timber frame dating from 1690, making it one of the oldest vernacular domestic buildings in Northern Ireland. The story of the house is told through the experiences of the people who lived there.“
The house at Liffock became home to the Hezletts in 1766 and stayed within the family for the next 200 years until the National Trust acquired it in 1976. The National Trust website tells us:
“Isaac Hezlett (1720-1790) was the first Hezlett to live in the cottage at Liffock. He acquired the dwelling and some land in 1766. At this point in his life he was married to his second wife Esther and had two sons; Samuel from his first marriage with Margaret Kerr and Jack, half-brother to Samuel.When Samuel’s father died, he inherited the farm at the age of 37 and about five years later he married Esther Steel. She was 22 years his junior and they had eight children.Samuel was intimidated by local insurgents to join the United Irishmen; his half-brother Jack was an ardent supporter. He was threatened to be hanged from the Spanish chestnut tree in his own garden.By 1798 the rebellion was at its height and the two brothers were on opposite sides of the war. 30,000 lives were lost when the rebels were finally defeated. Jack escaped to the recently created United States of America while Samuel remained with his family in their home at Liffock until he died in 1821.
“Samuel’s eldest son Isaac (1796-1883) married Jane Swan (1805-1896) in 1823. He built a two-storey extension to form a new self-contained unit for his mother and sisters. This extension could be regarded as forerunner of what we call today a ‘granny-flat’. Isaac also increased the acreage farmed at Liffock.Hugh (1825-1906), Samuel and Jane’s eldest son, increased the acreage of the farm once more. By putting his education to good use he made the farm more productive; more cash crops were grown and the herds of dairy cattle and sheep were increased. The outputs from the farm which generated income included the cash crops of flax, barley, potatoes, oats and turnips, in addition to wool, milk, calves, pigs and eggs. Hugh also oversaw an extensive re-modelling of the farmyard and outbuildings.In 1881 the Gladstone Land Act paved the way for further Acts which enabled tenant farmers to buy the land they had hitherto rented. So by the early 20th century the Hezletts were not tenant farmers but owner-occupiers.
“In 1976, with funds provided by Ulster Land fund and the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society the National Trust acquired the house from the third Hugh Hezlett (1911-1988).”
3. Mussenden Temple, Downhill Demesne, County Derry
Mussenden Temple by Matthew Woodhouse 2015 for Tourism Ireland.
“Downhill Demesne delves into a life and landscape steeped in history and nature. There’s much to explore as you enter this enchanting estate. Wander around the 18th-century demesne and discover dovecotes and gardens as you stumble upon a spectacular temple.”
Downhill Demesne, County Derry, photograph byPocket Squares
The house of Downhill is now a ruin.
Downhill House, County Derry, photograph byPocket Squares
The National Trust website tells us:
“2018 marked the 250th anniversary of the arrival of Frederick Augustus Hervey in the Diocese of Derry. He was consecrated as Bishop in St Columb’s Cathedral in March 1768. Frederick was a man of many parts as well as being a cleric he was a scientist with a deep interest in volcanology; he was a collector of art; he travelled extensively and spoke German, French and Italian fluently; he took a keen interest in Irish politics and music; he was a powerful proponent of religious equality; and he was a builder of churches, bridges and roads.
“He is remembered by us for his association with the Giant’s Causeway and the creation of the Downhill Demesne. A keen volcanologist, Frederick ‘discovered’ the Giant’s Causeway in the sense that he publicised what was then an isolated, seldom-visited spot and was the first to study it in a wider scientific context and pass on his findings to his learned friends throughout Europe. He also created Downhill House and the Mussenden Temple, Northern Ireland’s most iconic building, as his country retreat.
“The Earl Bishop is largely regarded as being his own architect at Downhill but it was the Cork born Michael Shanahan who drew up most of the building plans and was, for most of the time, his buildings works superintendent. The mason James McBlain executed all the decorative carving and much of the subsequent building for the Earl. Italian stuccadores were also employed, chief among whom was Placido Columbani.
“Downhill is characterised by a three storey front, facing south and with two long wings at the back of this. Originally these wings terminated in domes topped with ornamental chimney-pots. The wings were continued in ranges of outbuildings, forming inner and outer yards, and ending towards the sea in two immense curving bastions of basalt.
“The main house block was faced with freestone from Dungiven quarries, about 30 miles away. The basement is rusticated and the storeys above decorated with pairs of Corinthian pilasters, topped by Vitruvian scroll course, a cornice and parapet.
“Sadly the interior of the house shows little of its original character. The house was almost entirely gutted by a fire which broke out on a Sunday in May 1851. The library was completely destroyed and more than 20 pieces of sculpture had been ruined. Most of the paintings were rescued, but a Raphael, The Boar Hunt, was reported destroyed.
“In his later years, the Earl Bishop spent very little time in Ireland. His Irish estates were administered by a distant cousin, Henry Hervey Aston Bruce, who succeeded him following his death in 1803.
“In 1804 Henry Hervey Aston Bruce was created a baronet and Downhill remained with the Bruce family until at least 1948, though the family rarely lived there after around 1920.“
“The only other occupation of the house came about during WWII when the site was requisitioned by the RAF. The house was subsequently dismantled after the war and its roof removed in 1950.”
Frederick Augustus Hervey also built Ballyscullion in Derry and Ickworth in Suffolk, England. He built them not only to indulge his love of architecture, but to house his large collection of paintings, furniture and statues. He first encountered his architect, Michael Shanahan, when he was Bishop of Cloyne in Cork. David Hicks tells us in his Irish Country Houses, a Chronicle of Change that Hervey took Shanahan on a trip to Italy between 1770-1772 in order to make sketches of various items of interest that could be incorporated into his home. Shanahan took up residence in the Hervey estate in Derry and acted as the Earl Bishop’s architect in residence.
Mussenden Temple, Downhill Demesne, County Derry, photograph byPocket Squares
The Bishop created Mussenden Temple in memory of Mrs Frideswide Mussenden, a cousin who died in 1785. Shanahan was the architect. It is believed that the Bishop used it as a private library, and permitted local Catholics to use the ground floor for mass. He left Downhill and Ballyscullion to Mrs Mussenden’s brother, Reverend Henry Aston Bruce. In doing so, he disinherited his wife and son, with whom he had quarrelled.
Frideswide Mussenden was born Frideswide Bruce. Her parents were Henrietta Aston and James Bruce. Henrietta Aston was daughter of Rev. Hon. Henry Hervey-Aston, son of John Hervey, 1st Earl of Bristol, who was the brother of Bishop Frederick Augustus’s father. The Bishop’s heir was therefore only distantly related, quite a blow to the disinherited wife and son.
He was disinherited by his father the 4th Earl of Bristol.
Reverend Bruce who inherited Downhill and Ballyscullion dismantled the latter in 1813, perhaps due to window taxes, and transferred its furniture and art to Downhill. A fire in 1851 destroyed Downhill and much of its contents. The house was rebuilt to some degree to the design of John Lanyon between 1870-74.
Reverend Bruce was created a British Baronet in 1804. His son became 2nd Baronet and grandson, 3rd Baronet of Downhill. It was passed to the 4th, 5th and 6th Baronets. By the 1950s most of the contents of the house has been sold and the house dismantled and surrounding land sold. The estate is now in the care of the National Trust.
4. Springhill House, County Derry
Springhill House and Gardens Courtesy of Tourism Northern Ireland 2007.
“Springhill has a beguiling spirit that captures the heart of every visitor. Described as ‘one of the prettiest houses in Ulster’, its welcoming charm reveals a family home with portraits, furniture and decorative arts that bring to life the many generations of Lenox-Conynghams who lived here from 1680. The old laundry houses one of Springhill’s most popular attractions, the Costume Collection with some exceptionally fine 18th to 20th century pieces.
New Visitor Reception offering a retail and grab and go catering offer. Celebrated collection of costumes, from the 18th century to 1970s. Visit our second-hand bookshop and pick up a bargain.
Walks: Beautiful walled gardens and way marked paths through the parkland. Children’s adventure trail play park and natural play area. A variety of events throughout the year. There are three walks available: Beech Walk, Snowdrop Walk, Sawpit Hill Walk.“
Visitor Facilities: Historic house, garden, shop, refreshments, guided tours. Suitable for picnics and country walks. Programme of events available. House: admission by guided tour (last admission 1 hour before closing). Open Bank Holiday Mondays and all other public holidays in Northern Ireland. Closed 25 and 26 December. Visitor Centre has café and shop. See Information tab for full Opening Times and Prices. Access for visitors with disability and facilities for families. Dogs welcome on leads in grounds/garden only. Available for functions.
Mark Bence-Jones writes about Springhill House in A Guide to Irish Country Houses (1988):
p. 263. “(Lenox-Conyngham/IFR) A low, white-washed, high roofed house with a sense of great age and peace; its nucleus late C17, built ca 1680 by “Good Will” Conyngham [1660-1721], who afterwards played a leading part in the defence of Derry during the Siege. Altered and enlarged at various times; the defensive enclosure or bawn with which it was originally surrounded was taken down, and two single storey free-standing office wings of stone with curvilinear end-gables were built early C18 flaking the entrance front, forming a deep forecourt. Col William Conyngham, MP, added two single-storey wings to the house ca 1765, which was when the entrance front assumed its present appearance: of seven bays, the windows on either side of the centre being narrower than the rest, and with a three sided bow in each of the wings. In the high roof, a single central dormer lighting the attic. The hall has C18 panelling; behind the hall is an early C18 staircase of oak and yew with alternate straight and spiral twisted balusters. The Gun Room has bolection moulded oak panelling which could be late C17 or early C18, though it cannot have been put into this room until much later, for there are remains of C18 wallpaper behind it. The large and lofty drawing room in the right-hand wing is a great contrast after the small, low-ceilinged rooms in the centre of the house; it has a modillion cornice and a handsome black marble chimneypiece. Though essentially a Georgian room, it has been given a Victorian character with a grey and green wallpaper of Victorian pattern. Next to the drawing room, in the garden front, is the dining room, added ca 1850 by William Lenox-Conygham; a large simple room of Georgian character, with a red flock paper and a chimneypiece of yellow marble brought from Herculaneum by the Earl of Bristol Bishop of Derry and presented by him to the family. The garden front, which is irregular, going in and out, facing along an old beech venue to a ruined tower which may originally have been a windmill. Transferred to the Northern Ireland Trust by W.L Lenox-Conygham, HML, shortly before his death in 1957. Springhill is featured in his mother, Mina’s book An Old Ulster Home and is open to the public.”
William Conyngham (d. 1721), “Good Will”, courtesy of National Trust. Springhill, County Derry.Ann Upton (1664-1753) wife of William “Goodwill” Conyngham (1660-1721), daughter of Arthur Upton (1623-1706) of Castle Upton, County Antrim, courtesy of National Trust. Springhill, County Derry.
William Conyngham married Ann Upton, daughter of Arthur Upton of Castle Upton, County Antrim (this still exists and is privately owned), MP for County Antrim. Springhill passed to their daughter Anne who married David Butle, a merchant. Their son George took the name Conyngham and inherited Springhill. Although he had sons, Springhill passed through the line of his daughter, Ann (1724-1777) who married Clotworthy Lenox (1707-1785). Their son took the name George Lenox-Conyngham (1752-1816) when he inherited. George married twice: first to Jane Hamilton, and their son William Lenox-Conyngham (1792-1858) added the dining room to Springhill. George married secondly Olivia Irvine of Castle Irvine (also called Necarne; the park around Necarne Castle can freely be visited during daytime. The ruin of the castle itself is boarded up, so its interior can not be visited), County Fermanagh. One of their descendants was Jack Nicholson who inherited Enniscoe in County Mayo.
George Butle Conyngham (d. 1756), courtesy of National Trust. Springhill, County Derry.Anne Peacocke (d. 1754), Mrs George Butle Conyngham, courtesy of National Trust. Springhill, County Derry.Called Anne Conyngham (1724-1777) Mrs Clotworthy Lenox, courtesy of National Trust. Springhill, County Derry.Clotworthy Lenox, courtesy of National Trust. Springhill, County Derry.George Lenox-Conyngham (1752-1816) courtesy of National Trust. Springhill, County Derry.William Lenox-Conyngham (1792-1858) courtesy of National Trust. Springhill, County Derry.Charlotte Melosina Staples (1786-1847), wife of William Lenox-Conyngham (1792-1858), daughter of John Staples (1736-1820) of Lissan, County Tyrone, courtesy of National Trust. Springhill, County Derry.
Springhill passed then from William Lenox-Conyngham (1792-1858) and his wife Charlotte Mesolina Staples of Lissan, County Tyrone, to their son William Fitzwilliam Lenox-Conyngham, and it was his grandson William Lowry Lenox-Conyngham who left it to the Northern Ireland Trust.
2. Clover Hill Gate Lodge, Cloverhill, Belturbet, Cavan
3. Farnham Estate, Farnham Estate, Cavan – hotel
4. Killinagh House, McNean Court, Blacklion, County Cavan – whole house rental and lodge
5. Lismore House, Co Cavan – was a ruin. Place to stay: Peacock House on the demesne
6. Olde Post Inn, Cloverhill, County Cavan
Whole house rental County Cavan:
1. Killinagh House, McNean Court, Blacklion, County Cavan – whole house rental
3. Virginia Park Lodge, Co Cavan – weddings
1. Cabra Castle, Kingscourt, Co. Cavan – section 482, hotel
This is a hotel but unlike some heritage house or castle hotels, they do allow visitors to view the building: the website states that they are open between 11am to 4pm for visitors for viewing all year round, except at Christmastime.
“This old stone cottage built between 1830 -1850 is tucked away at the archway entrance to the Cloverhill Estate. This cottage is surrounded by gardens and woodland. The magic of this cottage is undeniable. Originally built for the Gate Keeper this cottage reflects heritage with rustic simplicity. Though some features and fittings have been replaced, the survival of historic features, including the label mouldings and timber bargeboards add to its character and charm.“
Cloverhill House is now a ruin. Mark Bence-Jones tells us the house was built 1799-1804 for James Saunderson (1763-1842) to the design of Francis Johnston. [1] Robert O’Byrne adds that it was in fact extended in 1799, but built originally in 1758 (thus was built for James’s father Alexander, who married Lucy Madden of the Hilton Park House Madden family, another Section 482 property. A date stone gives us the date of 1758.) [2] Mark Bence-Jones tells us that the house passed by inheritance to the Purdons, and was sold by Major J.N. Purdon ca 1958. The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage tells us that the Sanderson family were instrumental in the development of Cloverhill village with the building of the Church of Ireland church and estate workers’ houses.
Cloverhill Gate Lodge, County Cavan, photograph courtesy airbnb website.
The house is featured in Tarquin Blake’s Abandoned Mansions of Ireland, Collins Press, Cork, 2010.
From James Sanderson (1763-1842) the property passed down through the female line since the son, also named James, had no heirs. It passed first to Mary Anne, who was unmarried, and then to her sister’s son, Samuel Sanderson Winter (1834-1912), whose parents were Lucy Sanderson and Samuel Winter (1796-1867) of Agher, County Meath. Samuel Sanderson Winter married Ann, daughter of John Armytage Nicholson of Balrath Bury, County Meath (we came across this family before as Enniscoe in County Mayo was inherited by Jack Nicholson, of the Balrath Bury family). Samuel Sanderson Winter’s son died young so Cloverhill passed to the son of his sister, Elizabeth Ann Winter, who married George Nugent Purdon (1819-1910). This is how the house passed to the Purdon family.
The house passed to their son, John James Purdon, who died childless so it passed to his nephew, John Nugent Purdon, son of Charles Sanderson Purdon. John Nugent Purdon sold Cloverhill demesne ca 1958 to Mr Thomas Mee. [3]
Farnham Estate, County Cavan, photograph courtesy of hotel Instagram page.Farnham House, photograph from National Library of Ireland, flickr constant commons.
David Hicks tells us in his Irish Country Houses, A Chronicle of Change that the wing of Farnham House that survives today is the truncated section of a much larger mansion. Dry rot led to demolition of a substantial section of the Maxwell ancestral home. The family’s connection was severed in 2001.
Farnham Estate, County Cavan, photograph courtesy of hotel Instagram page.
The estate was granted by King James I to the Waldron family in 1613. Henry Waldron named the estate after his wife’s family. The Waldrons built a castle here in 1620.
The website gives us a history of the estate:
“1664- The Waldrons of Dromellan Castle (early name of Farnham House) were forced to sell the estate to settle gambling debts. Bought by Bishop Robert Maxwell, thus beginning the Maxwell family connection that was to continue for more than 330 years (family motto is Je suis prêt – I am ready’).”
Farnham Estate drawing room, County Cavan, photograph courtesy of hotel Instagram page.
Mark Bence-Jones adds in his A Guide to Irish Country Houses (1988, p. 123):
“…A few years later the estate was sold to Robert Maxwell [1598-1672], Bishop of Kilmore, whose cathedral was nearby. The Bishop’s son, John Maxwell, built a new house here ca 1700, which was improved ca 1780 by Barry Maxwell, 3rd Lord Farnham and first Earl of Farnham of 2nd creation, who added a library designed by James Wyatt.“
Timothy William Ferres tells us of the Maxwell lineage:
John Maxwell of Farnham, High Sheriff of County Cavan, 1674, who dsp 1713, was succeeded by his nephew, The Reverend Doctor Robert Maxwell; who dsp 1737 and was succeeded by his cousin, John Maxwell (1687-1759), High Sheriff of County Cavan, 1757, MP for County Cavan 1727-56, who was elevated to the peerage, in 1756, in the dignity of Baron Farnham, of Farnham, County Cavan.
In 1719 he married Judith, heiress of James Barry (1660-1725) of Newtownbarry, County Wexford. Their son Robert succeeded as 2nd Baron Maxwell, and he was created Viscount in 1760 and 1st Earl of Farnham in 1763. Robert married Henrietta Cantillon, the widow of William Matthias Stafford-Howard, 3rd Earl of Stafford.
Henrietta Diana née Cantillon (1728–1761), Dowager Countess of Stafford by Allan Ramsay courtesy of Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum;http://www.artuk.org/artworks/henrietta-diana-17281761-dowager-countess-of-stafford-85788She married, first, William Matthias Stafford-Howard, 3rd Earl of Stafford, and after his death, Robert Maxwell, 2nd Baron and 1st Earl of Farnham.
See also the wonderful book by Melanie Hayes, The Best Address in Town: Henrietta Street, Dublin and its First Residents 1720-80, published by Four Courts Press, Dublin 8, 2020. She has a chapter on John Maxwell, (1687-1759) 1st Baron Farnham.
The Farnham Estate website tells us that Robert was a keen agriculturalist and agent of improvement who put the most technologically and scientifically advanced agricultural methods into action. The website tells us:
“In1777, noted agricultural scientist and topographer Arthur Young said of Farnham; “…upon the whole Farnham is one of the finest places that I have ever seen in Ireland; the water wood and hill are all in great stile and abound in a variety of capabilities. The woodland plantations of Derrygid coupled with the lakes of Farnham and Derrygid were noted by Young who described them as being ‘uncommonly beautiful; extensive and have a shore extremely varied.” In the 1770’s, approximately 100 labourers were employed in maintaining the landscape at Farnham.“
Robert 1st Earl and Henrietta’s daughter Henrietta married Denis Daly (1747-1791) of Dunsandle, County Galway.
Denis Daly (1747-1791) of Dunsandle, County Galway, attributed to Joshua Reynolds, courtesy of Christies 2012 Mount Congreve the London Sale.
The first Earl’s son John predeceased him and didn’t marry, so the 1st Earl’s brother Barry succeeded him. Barry Maxwell was a barrister and MP for County Cavan and later for Armagh city. When his mother Judith née Barry died in 1771 he must have inherited as he changed his name to Barry Barry. Then when his elder brother Robert Maxwell, 1st and last Earl of Farnham, died in 1779, he inherited and his name was changed back to Barry Maxwell, and he succeeded as the 3rd Baron Farnham, of Farnham, Co. Cavan. He was created 1st Earl of Farnham, Co. Cavan (Ireland, of the 2nd creation) on 22 June 1785.
Portrait of Barry Maxwell (1723-1800) 1st Earl Farnham by George Romney courtesy of www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-4507942He was the son of John Maxwell, 1st Baron Farnhamand Judith Barry.
When Robert 1st Earl’s first wife Henrietta died, he married secondly, in 1771, Sarah, only daughter of Pole Cosby, of Stradbally Hall, Queen’s County, and sister of Lord Sydney, but they had no further children. Sarah had been previously married to Arthur Upton (d. 1763) of Castle Upton, County Antrim. After her second marriage she was known as the Countess of Farnham.
The Countess of Farnham, probably Sarah née Cosby, wife of Robert Maxwell, 1st and last Earl of Farnham(of the first creation), painted by Hugh Douglas Hamilton, courtesy of Sothebys 2001.
The first Earl had another brother Most Reverend HenryMaxwell (d. 1798), who became Bishop of Dromore and Bishop of Meath.
Right Reverend Henry Maxwell (d. 1798) Bishop of Meath, Irish school courtesy of National Trust Castle Ward
Reverend HenryMaxwell married Margaret Foster, daughter of Rt. Hon. Anthony Foster Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer between 1766 and 1777, who lived in Collon in County Meath.
Their sons became respectively John Maxwell Barry Maxwell (1767-1838) 5th Baron Farnham and Reverend Henry Maxwell (d. 1838) 6th Baron Farnham, and the Baronetcy continued to their descendants. The Earldom was recreated for the elder brother Barry, 3rd Baron (1723-1800), who obtained a viscountcy and earldom, in 1780, as Viscount Farnham, and, in 1785, Earl of Farnham (2nd creation).
The dining room at Farnham House. Pub Orig Country Life 02/01/2003, volume CXCVII. Photographer Paul Barker.With portrait ofRight Reverend Henry Maxwell (d. 1798) Bishop of Meath.
The three brothers, Robert 1st Earl, Barry 1st Earl of second creation and Reverend Henry had a sister, Anne, who married Owen Wynn (1723-1789) of Hazelwood, County Sligo.
Barry Maxwell, 1st Earl of Farnham served as MP and Privy Counsellor. He married first Margaret King of Drewstown, County Meath, who gave birth to their son and heir John James Maxwell (1759-1823) later 2nd Earl of Farnham. Barry married secondly Grace, daughter of Arthur Burdett. His son did not have children and the Earldom and Viscountcy became extinct on his death.
Photograph of Farnham House from Country Life, A Chinese Chippendale chair in the hall at Farnham House. Pub Orig CL 02/01/2003, volume CXCVII. Photographer Paul Barker.
The website tells us of the building of Farham:
“In 1795, Earl of Farnham Barry [Barry Maxwell (1723-1800)] asked James Wyatt, one of the most fashionable architects of that time, to draw designs for three ceilings. Although there is no evidence of them being installed at Farnham, these plans are now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Some work was undertaken by Wyatt though around the 1795 timeframe and to this day, a library case where his design has been noted stands inserted in an alcove on the staircase landing.
“In the early 1800s, a coat of arms was incorporated onto the façade of the house. Comprised of the arms of the Maxwell and Barry family, they are supported by two bucks, with a buck’s head on top of the Baron’s coronet as the crest.
Barry’s son James John Barry 2nd Earl engaged Francis Johnston to build. The website tells us:
“In 1802 Francis Johnston, architect for Dublin’s famous GPO building, was engaged to complete an extension of the existing house to provide an edifice to the southwest garden front.This is the latter day surviving Farnham House, which is now incorporated as the centrepiece of the hotel complex design.“
Mark Bence-Jones describes the house as built by Francis Johnston:
“Johnston produced a house consisting of two somewhat conservative three storey ranges at right angles to one another; one of them, which incorporated part of the earlier house, including Wyatt’s library, having a front of eight bays, with a die over a two bay breakfront, and a single-storey Doric portico; the other having a front of nine bays with a three bay pedimented breakfront; prolonged by one bay in the end of the adjoining range. The interior was spacious but restrained, the principal rooms having simple ovolo or dentil cornices. Elliptical staircase hall, with simple geometrical design in the ceiling; stone stair with elegant metal balustrade.“
The staircase at Farnham House designed by Francis Johnston.Pub Orig Country Life 02/01/2003, volume CXCVII. Photographer Paul Barker.Farnham Estate, County Cavan, photograph courtesy hotel.
The website continues: “In the depths of the earth beneath Farnham lies a myriad of passages. These passages were constructed to allow food, supplies and heating fuels to be brought into the mansion house by the servants. Such underground passages kept the servants out of sight from Lords and Ladies Farnham and their guests and no doubt were used by the servants to enjoy some activities of their own, which they would not have wanted Lord and Lady Farnham to witness!“
When James John died childless in 1823, a cousin, John Maxwell Barry Maxwell (1767-1838), son of Rt. Rev. Henry Maxwell, became 5th Baron Farnham.
The website tells us: “In 1823, a new system of management for the Farnham estate was introduced, employing persons as inspectors of districts, buildings, bog and land and a moral agent! The main duties of the moral agent were to encourage the tenantry to adhere to the main principles contained in Lord Farnham’s address to them. These included: keeping of the Sabbath, responsibility towards the education of their children, imbuing within their children a strict moral sense and to ensure that they abstained from all evil habits, including cursing and the distillation or consumption of alcohol.“
The 5th Baron Farnham died childless in 1838, so his brother Reverend Henry Maxwell became the 6th Baron Farnham. He married Anne Butler, daughter of the 3nd Earl of Carrick. Their son Henry became the 7th Baron Farnham (1799-1868). Their daughter Sarah Juliana married Alexander Saunderson of Castle Saunderson. The other sons Somerset and James became 8th and 9th Baron and then the son of their brother Richard Thomas Maxwell, Somerset Henry Maxwell, became the 10th Baron.
Mark Bence-Jones tells us: “In 1839, 7th Lord Farnham (a distinguished scholar and genealogist who, with his wife, was burnt to death 1868 when the Irish mail train caught fire at Abergele, North Wales), enlarged the house by building new offices in the re-entrant between the two ranges. Also probably at this time the main rooms were changed around; the library becoming the dining room, and losing any Wyatt decoration it might have had; Wyatt’s bookcases being moved to the former drawing room.“
The drawing room at Farnham House. The portrait to the right is of thr Rt Hon John, 5th Baron Farnham by Sir Thomas Lawrence.Pub Orig Country Life 02/01/2003, volume CXCVII. Photographer Paul Barker.Photograph of Farnham House from Country Life, Pub Orig Country Life 02/01/2003, volume CXCVII. Photographer Paul Barker.Farnham Estate, County Cavan, photograph courtesy Bennett Contruction website.
Somerset Henry Maxwell, 10th Baron, married Florence Jane Taylour, daughter of Thomas Taylour, 3rd Marquess of Headfort. Their son, Arthur Kenlis Maxwell (1879-1957), became 11th Baron in 1900.
The website continues the timeline:
“1911- Records mention a staff of 11: butler, cook, governess, nursery maid, nurse, footman, ladies’ maid and several house and kitchen maids. Some 3,000 of Farnham’s then 24,000 statute acres were sold off.
“1914-1918- Lord Farnham rejoined the military; he was captured, imprisoned and released after the Armistice. His political efforts failed to prevent the exclusion of three counties from the jurisdiction of Northern Ireland.
“1921-1931- Lord and Lady Farnham left for England. They emptied the house of its furniture, due to widespread burning and looting of country houses. The 1923 Land Act would ultimately end landlordism in Ireland: by 1931, Lord Farnham retained only his demesne lands at Farnham, which he operated in a more intensive fashion in order to increase much-needed revenue.“
Arthur Kenlis Maxwell managed to escape from a prisoner of war camp during the first world war. He and his family returned to Farnham estate in 1926 and began to renovate the house. His son and heir died in the second world war aged just 37, and the title passed to his grandson, Barry Owen Somerset Maxwell. Barry Owen’s mother died in a plane crash when he was just 21.
“1950- Economic decline had by now affected the demesne. A Farnham Tintorreto ’Christ Washing the Feet of His Disciples’ was sold in 1955; the Canadian National Art Gallery in Ontario paid some $100,000. 1956- Barry Owen Somerset Maxwell, 12th Baron Farnham became the last member of the Maxwell family to reside at Farnham House.
“In 1961, dry rot was discovered within the Farnham house and in an attempt to alleviate it, the oldest part of the house looking across the parkland, and the additions made to the house in 1839, were demolished.”
Mark Bence-Jones describes the changes: “Ca 1960, the present Lord Farnham, finding the house to be badly infested with dryrot, demolished the range where the entrance had formerly been situated, as well as the additions of 1839; and remodelled the surviving Johnston range to form a house in itself; being assisted in the work by Mr Philip Cullivan. The pedimented front is still the garden front, as it was formerly; the back of the range being now the entrance front, with the portico re-erected at one end of it; so that the entrance is directly into the staircase hall. The surviving range contains Johnston’s dining room, which has been the drawing room since 19C rearrangement; as well as the boudoir and the former study, now the dining room. One of Wyatt’s bookcases is now in the alcove of the former staircase window. The demesne of Farnham has long been famous for its beauty; a landscape of woods, distant mountain views and lakes, which are part of the great network of loughs and islands stretching southwards from Upper Lough Erne.“
The entrance front of Farnham House, as remodelled in 1961. In an attempt to alleviate dry rot, the oldest part of the house was demolished. Pub Orig Country Life 02/01/2003, volume CXCVII. Photographer Paul Barker.The portico that was on the original entrance front was moved to the rear of the garden front to form a new entrance when part of the house was demolished in 1942. It is now incorporated into the interior of Farnham Estate hotel.Photograph courtesy hotel.Photograph of Farnham House from Country Life, Pub Orig Country Life 02/01/2003, volume CXCVII. Photographer Paul Barker.
The website continues:
“1995 – 2001 – Lord Farnham abandoned farming and leased the agricultural lands to local farmers. One of his last acts on the Farnham demesne was the planting of a group of trees to mark the New Millennium. Lord Farnham died in March 2001 and his wife, Diana, Baroness Farnham now resides in England where she is a current Lady in Waiting to Queen Elizabeth II. Farnham House estate was sold to a local entrepreneur who developed it into a hotel resort.
“Present Day – The resort is owned by Mr. Thomas Röggla and along with his team at the resort, every effort is made to provide genuine hospitality in this new phase in the evolution of this magnificent location. Thus, the indelible-mark made by the Maxwell family, as far back as 1664 on the landscape of Farnham Estate will continue to be appreciated by future generations.”
The multimillion refurbishment and extension was headed by architect Des Mahon of Gilroy McMahon, who had previously worked on the National Museum at Collins Barracks and the Hugh Lane Gallery extension.
4. Killinagh House, McNean Court, Blacklion, County Cavan – whole house rental and a lodge
Killinagh House, County Cavan, built 1827, a former Glebe House, three-bay two-storey over basement.Photograph courtesy of Killinagh House facebook page.
“Killinagh Lodge is situated within 1 mile from the village of Blacklion in the picturesque grounds of Killinagh House, a former Church of Ireland manse dating back to Georgian times.
“Set in the courtyard, Killinagh Lodge offers luxurious, purpose built, self catering accommodation on the shores of Lough MacNean. Boasting its own private access to the Lough, Killinagh Lodge is set in one of the most beautiful and tranquil locations where you can enjoy the grounds of the wider Estate.“
The house website tells us:
“Killinagh House is a unique, Georgian Country House, situated in the heart of the Marble Arch Global Geo Park, in west County Cavan. The perfect getaway for peace and relaxation. We cater for customer comforts, special requests and reasonable prices.
“The perfect retreat to unwind and recharge the batteries. Peaceful and quiet with relaxed garden views. Killinagh House is at the heart of Marble Arch Global Geo Park, ideally located for outdoor pursuits, including golf, fishing and nature walks.”
Killinagh House, County Cavan,Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
The National Inventory further describes it: “Roughcast rendered lime-washed walls with string course above basement. Three-over-six timber sash windows to first floor and six-over-six to ground floor all with stone sills and timber internal window shutters. Front door set in smooth-rendered segmental-arched recess, having four-panelled door in classical surround of slender Doric pilasters, metope frieze and cobweb fanlight above. Basement well to east, north and west side. Stone steps leading to entrance with recent metal railings.“
5. Lismore House, Co Cavan – was a ruin. Place to stay: Peacock House on the demesne
Lismore House, Co Cavan – restored house (believed to have been the agent’s house) and a place to stay, Peacock House, available on airbnb. Of the original Lismore House, attributed to Edward Lovett Pearce (1699-1733), only the two wings and tower survive.
The Peacock House, workers cottage on Lismore Desmese, County Cavan. Photograph courtesy airbnb website.
The airbnb entry tells us of The Peacock House: “The Peacock House is located within the Lismore Demesne. It was once the dairy and workers cottage. From the 1980s onwards it was used to house peacocks, giving the cottage its name. After being left dormant for 80 years it was lovingly restored.” It has two bedrooms.
Lismore House, County Cavan, Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.The Inventory tells us it is: “Symmetrical pair of detached six-bay two-storey flanking wings to former Lismore House, built c.1730, having advanced outermost end bays to each block, single-bay two-stage flanking tower formerly attached to south corner of house having single-bay extension to north…Rubble stone walls having red brick quoins, eaves course, and string course. Red brick surrounds to oculi at first floor over round-headed ground-floor windows and central segmental-headed door.“
It was probably built for Thomas Nesbitt, (c. 1672-1750), of Grangemore, County Westmeath, High Sheriff of County Cavan, 1720, MP for Cavan Borough, 1715-50 [4].
The house was restored by Richard and Sonya Beer. [5]
Mark Bence-Jones writes about Lismore House in A Guide to Irish Country Houses (1988), p. 186:
“Originally the seat of the Nesbitts, passed to the Burrowes through the marriage of Mary [Mary Anne, born 1826, daughter of John Nesbitt and Elizabeth Tatam] Nesbitt to James Burrowes [1820-1860, of Stradone House, County Cavan] in 1854; Lismore passed to the Lucas-Clements family through the marriage of Miss Rosamund Burrowes to the late Major Shuckburgh Lucas-Clements in 1922.“
Lismore House, County Cavan, Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage: “Blind lunette and oculus to gables facing former house.”
Mary Anne and James had a son, Thomas Cosby Burrowes (1856-1925). He married in 1885 Anna Frances, daughter of Richard Thomas Maxwell, and grand-daughter of the sixth Baron Farnham (of Farnham Estate), by whom he has issue two daughters. One daughter, Rosamund Charlotte Cosby Burrowes, of Lismore, married, in 1922, Major Shuckburgh Upton Lucas-Clements in 1922. [6] The main house was vacated c.1870 when the family relocated to Lismore Lodge, formerly the agent’s house.
Mark Bence-Jones continues: “Having stood empty for many years, the house fell into ruin and was demolished ca 1952, with the exception of the “tower” wings. The office wings are now used as farm buildings, and the family now live in the former agent’s house, an early house with a Victorian wing and other additions.”
Lismore House, County Cavan, Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage: “Tower having mansard slate roof, rubble stone walls with cut-stone platbands, cut-stone surrounds to window openings, round-headed openings with raised keystone and impost blocks to former ground floor, and segmental-headed openings to former basement level.”
6. Olde Post Inn, Cloverhill, County Cavan– accommodation, restaurant and wedding venue
The website tells us: “The Olde Post inn was built in the 1800s. It opened as a post office in 1884, grocery & residence. It had a number of owners and was for some time derelict before it was renovated into a restaurant with accommodation in early 1990s. It has been run as a restaurant since and was taken over by Gearoid & Tara Lynch in November 2002. Since then it has gone under further refurbishment and been extended to include two Hampton Conservatories.“
The Old Post Inn, County Cavan, photograph courtesy of website.
Virginia Park Lodge, County Cavan, photograph courtesy website.
This was formerly the hunting lodge of the Taylours, Marquess Headfort, who also owned Headfort House in County Meath. It was built for the First Earl of Bective, Thomas Taylour (1724-1795), son of Thomas Taylor 2nd Baronet Taylor, of Kells, County Meath, who served as MP for Kells and as a Privy Counsellor in Ireland. His mother was Sarah Graham from Platten, County Meath. Thomas the 1st Earl of Bective also served as Privy Counsellor. He married Jane Rowley, from Summerhill, County Meath.
Thomas Taylour (1724-1795) 1st Earl of Bective wearing the star and sash of the Order of St. Patrick by Gilbert Stuart and studio, courtesy of Sotheby’s. He built Virginia Park Lodge.Headfort, County Meath, photograph courtesy of Irish Georgian Society.
It was their one of their younger sons, Reverend Henry Edward Taylour (1768-1852), who lived at Ardgillan Castle in Dublin. Their son Thomas the second earl became the 1st Marquess of Headfort, and added to Virginia Park Lodge and imported plants to create the parkland surrounding the Lodge.
The Marquess of Headfort married Mary Quin, from Quinsborough, County Clare. The Lodge passed through the family to the 4th Marquess, Geoffrey Thomas Taylour, son of the second wife of the 3rd Marquess. He married a music hall star, Rosie Boote, which scandalised society, but they moved to the Lodge and lived happily and had many children.
The Lodge was bought by chef Richard Corrigan in 2014, and he has undertaken much work to restore it to its former glory.
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[1] Bence-Jones, Mark. A Guide to Irish Country Houses (originally published as Burke’s Guide to Country Houses volume 1 Ireland by Burke’s Peerage Ltd. 1978); Revised edition 1988 Constable and Company Ltd, London.
Help me to pay the entrance fee to one of the houses on this website. This site is created purely out of love for the subject and I receive no payment so any donation is appreciated!
€15.00
1. Cabra Castle, Kingscourt, Co. Cavan – section 482
This is a hotel but unlike some heritage house or castle hotels, they do allow visitors to view the building: the website states that they are open between 11am to 4pm for visitors for viewing all year round, except at Christmastime.
Mark Bence-Jones writes in his A Guide to Irish Country Houses (1988):
p. 75. “(Saunderson/IFR) A large castellated mansion combining both baronial and Tudor-Revival elements, built ca 1840; from its close stylistic resemlance to Crom Casle, about five miles away in County Fermanagh, it can be attributed to Edward Blore. Entrance front symmetrical, with a battlemented parapet, square end turrets and a tall central gatehouse tower which is unusual in having the entrance door in its side rather than in its front. The adjoining garden front is more irregular, with a recessed centre between two projecting wings of unequal size and fenestration, each having a Tudor gable; the two wings being joined at ground floor level by a rather fragile Gothic arcade. To the left of this front, a lower “L”-shaped wing with a battlemented parapet and various turrets, ending in a long Gothic conservatory. Castle Saunderson has stood empty for years and is now semi-derelict.” [1]
Clough Oughter Castle, County Cavan, photograph by Chris Hill 2018 for Tourism Ireland, from Ireland’s Content Pool. [2]
“Clough Oughter Castle is a ruined circular castle, situated on a small island in Lough Oughter, four kilometres east of the town of Killeshandra in County Cavan.
“The castle is located in what was once the historic Kingdom of Breifne. In the latter part of the 12th century, it was under the control of the O’Rourkes, but it seems to have come into the hands of the Anglo-Norman William Gorm de Lacy. While the exact date construction began is unknown, it is estimated to have started in the first quarter of the 13th century.
“In 1233, the O’Reilly clan took possession of the area and completed the castle. They retained it for centuries in the midst of their ongoing conflicts with the O’Rourkes and with members of their own clan. It was there that Philip O’Reilly was imprisoned in the 1360s.
“Lough Oughter is regarded as the best inland example of a flooded drumlin landscape in Ireland and has rich and varied wildlife. The number of whooper swans which winter in the area represents about 3% of the total European population, while the lake also houses the largest concentration of breeding great crested grebes in the Republic of Ireland.
“Lough Oughter is a popular angling lake and is also popular with canoeists and boating enthusiasts. The Lough Oughter complex, along with Killykeen Forest Park, is a designated Natura 2000 habitat, Special Area for Conservation (SAC), and Special Protection Area (SPA) under EU legislation.
“Canoes and kayaks are available for hire from Cavan Canoe Centre, which also offers guided boat trips around the lake and out to the castle.” [3]
On the Discover Belturbet website, we are told the history of Clough Oughter:
“Clough is the Gaelic word for stone, so literally this is Castle of Stone. The island was made by man, and the castle which sits upon it was also made by man and one can only speculate as to what a marvellous feat of engineering it took to accomplish such a build.
“The castle would have been part of the historical kingdom of Breifne, and specifically a part of East Breifne, (Roughly speaking the same borders as modern day Cavan). It is likely that the Crannog itself came sometime before the castle, and in the latter part of the 12th century, it was under the control of the O’Rourke clan, but with the invasion of the Anglo Normans, the crannog came to be controlled by the Anglo-Norman William Gorm De Lacy. No concrete dates exist for the construction of the castle, but architectural elements from the lower two storeys suggest it was begun during the early 13th century.
“In 1233, the O’Reilly clan gained possession of the castle. They seem to have retained the castle for centuries throughout ongoing conflicts with the O’Rourkes, and indeed with members of their own clan. Philip O’Reilly was imprisoned here in the 1360’s with “no allowance save a sheaf of oats for day and night and a cup of water, so that he was compelled to drink his own urine”.
“After the Ulster Plantation, the castle was given to servitor Hugh Culme. Philip O’Reilly who was a Cavan MP and leader of the rebel forces during the Rebellion of 1641 seized control of the castle and kept it as an island fortress for the next decade. During this period it was mainly used as a prison. Its most notable prisoner would have been the Anglican Bishop of Kilmore, William Bedell, who was held here and is said to have died because of the harsh winter conditions in the prison.
“Clough Oughter castle became the last remaining stronghold for the rebels during the Cromwell era, but sometime in March of 1653 the castle fell to Cromwells canons. The castle walls were breached by the canon and the castle was never rebuilt after this point.
“Visitors will be astounded to note the thickness of the walls which can now be seen because of the canon bombardment. The island and the castle have received considerable refurbishments since 1987, making it safe to visit, and well worth the visit.” [4]
www.corravahan.com Open dates in 2026: Jan 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 29-30, Feb 5-6, 12-13, 19-20, 26-27, Mar 5-6, 12-13, May 7-10, 14-17, 21-24, Aug 6-9, 13-23, 27-30, Sept 3-6, 10-13, 17
2pm-4pm
Fee: adult €10, OAP/student/child €5
Tours on the hour, or by appointment. Last admission 1 hour before closing time. CCTV in operation
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[1] Bence-Jones, Mark. A Guide to Irish Country Houses (originally published as Burke’s Guide to Country Houses volume 1 Ireland by Burke’s Peerage Ltd. 1978); Revised edition 1988 Constable and Company Ltd, London.
Help me to pay the entrance fee to one of the houses on this website. This site is created purely out of love for the subject and I receive no payment so any donation is appreciated!
Crannagael House, photograph by Brian Morrison, 2018, for Tourism Ireland, Ireland’s Content Pool (see [3]).
The website tells us:
“Crannagael House, owned and occupied by Jane and John Nicholson, is nestled in the heart of the County Armagh countryside and is approximately 3 miles from M1 junction 13 and 5 miles from Portadown on the B28, Moy – Portadown Road.
“It is a grade 2 listed Georgian house and is still owned by the same family that built it in the mid 18th century. It is surrounded by gardens, parkland and mature woodland, and the accommodation overlooks an apple orchard – a delight when the blossom is out in May!
“Nicholsons have lived at Crannagael House since 1760. Subsequent generations were involved in the linen industry and then in 1884 one Henry Joseph Nicholson, the current owner’s great grandfather, imported the first 60 Bramley Seedling trees to Armagh from Southwell in Nottinghamshire, and the rest as they say is history!
“The self contained apartment on the East wing comprises several bedrooms, bathroom and downstairs shower with wc (both with wonderful views of the orchard!)and a fully fitted kitchen, dining area and lounge.”
“Killeavy Castle Estate is the perfect antidote to the modern fast paced world. As the centrepiece of 350 acres of mixed farm and woodland in County Armagh’s stunning Slieve Gullion, it’s the ideal place to escape, retreat, relax and unwind. Easily accessible only 10 minutes outside Newry City and one hour from both Belfast and Dublin Airports makes it Northern Irelands premier Hotel and Spa destination.
“At Killeavy Castle Estate we are all about living life more slowly and in the present; cherishing those ahhh moments for when the distractions of the modern world finally ebb away and you get closer to the things that matter most. Whether that’s nature, history, loved ones or even yourself, this secluded country Estate will provide everything you need to emerge fully rejuvenated.
“Perfect for a unique getaway, wedding or special celebration, take a closer look at everything the Estate has to offer from a beautifully restored Castle, boutique Hotel accommodation, superb cuisine with ingredients sourced from our local farm, Spa and endless opportunities for walking in a stunning location.”
“Killeavy Castle is a Grade A listed historical building originally designed in 1836 by architect George Papworth of Dublin. Formally known as Killeavy Lodge, the Foxall family had their home rebuilt in the style of the pre-Victorian Gosford Castle with towers, Tudor windows and a medieval-style door transforming the modest farmhouse into a home fit for a king.
“Situated on the eastern base of Slieve Gullion, the original castle and surrounding grounds brought a new element to the beautiful landscape. The building contained a basement level with a kitchen, store rooms, servant’s quarters and an underground tunnel to allow servants to enter and exit the building unseen. Above was a parlour and wine cellar, with an adjoining drawing room, library and conservatory. On the top level were six bedrooms, four dressing rooms and bathrooms. There was a beautiful walled garden and an ornamental water wheel.
“The Bell family took ownership of the property in 1881, but in recent years the building fell into disrepair. Fortunately, the facade remained intact and, surrounded by fir plantations and lush farmland, it has been returned to its former glory.
The Architect
“George Papworth (1781-1855) was the younger brother of English architect John Buonarotti Papworth. He established himself in Ireland and designed many notable buildings including Sir Patrick Dun’s Hospital and the King’s Bridge in Dublin. His drawings of Killeavy were exhibited in the Royal Hibernian Academy in 1836.
Killeavy’s Journey From Family Home to Historic Hotel
“We are proud to have brought a stunning piece of architectural heritage and Northern Ireland history back from the brink of ruin. When we took ownership of Killeavy Castle Estate, we saw its incredible potential and decided to restore it to its former glory.
“Our mission was to fully restore Killeavy Castle Estate so that locals and visitors alike could enjoy it for generations to come. In 2019, we opened the Killeavy Castle to the public as a historic hotel, wedding venue, spa and visitor attraction.
“Since then, we have welcomed countless visitors from around the world. Guests flock to our Estate to appreciate our meticulously restored 19th century Castle, manicured gardens, unspoiled woodlands, and authentic working farm.
Killeavy Castle Estate Today
“Today, the Killeavy Castle Estate comprises our 19th-century Castle, a four-star boutique-style Hotel with 45 guestrooms in our restored Mill and Coach House, and a three-guestroom luxury self catering Gatelodge.
“Our guests can also enjoy our fine dining restaurant, casual bistro bar and luxury spa facilities. Comfort and class are our guiding principles, bringing the opulence of days gone by to everyone who visits our Estate.“
From the website: “Welcome to Newforge House, a historic family-run country house offering warm hospitality, luxurious rooms and delicious local seasonal food in tranquil surroundings. Set on the edge of the small village of Magheralin, Newforge is an oasis of calm and the perfect location for your romantic break or a special occasion with friends and family. Our central location, only 30-minute drive from Belfast, makes Newforge an ideal base for touring Northern Ireland.”
Newforge House, County Armagh, photograph by Brian Morrison 2016, for Northern Ireland Tourism, Ireland’s Content Pool (see [3]).
[1] Mulligan, Kevin V. The Buildings of Ireland: South Ulster, Armagh, Cavan and Monaghan. Yale University Press, New Haven and London, 2013.
[2] p. 11. Bence-Jones, Mark. A Guide to Irish Country Houses (originally published as Burke’s Guide to Country Houses volume 1 Ireland by Burke’s Peerage Ltd. 1978); Revised edition 1988 Constable and Company Ltd, London.
[4] p. 12, Bence-Jones, Mark. A Guide to Irish Country Houses (originally published as Burke’s Guide to Country Houses volume 1 Ireland by Burke’s Peerage Ltd. 1978); Revised edition 1988 Constable and Company Ltd, London.
Irish Historic Houses 
