Balrath Bury, County Meath
Mark Bence-Jones. 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.
p. 30. “Nicholson/IFR) Originally a two storey pedimented C18 house of seven bays with curved bow at either end of the front. Subsequently enlarged by the addition of three bays to the right of the front, and seven bays with another pediment as well as two more bays to the left, so that the front extended for a total of 19 bays, plus two bows. After suffering damage when used as a barracks 1939-42, the house was reduced in size 1942 to the original block, which at the same time was rebuilt in an American Colonial style. The front kept its pediment, but lost its bows, and a colonnaded veranda was built along the full length of the ground floor. A pillared loggia was made under the pediement, and a porte-cochere was added to the end of the house, which is the entrance front; the columns for this and the veranda having been brought from Rosmead. The present arrangement of the interior, and the proportions of the rooms, dates from this rebuilding; the principal rooms being on either side of a large hall with a bifurcating staircase. Long Georgian stable range, with pediment.”
Record of Protected Structures
Baltrath-Bury, Balrath Demesne.
Detached 9 bay, 2 storey colonial revival villa, c. 1930, originally built in 1671 for the Nicholson Family. Incl of Stable yards and Gate lodges
https://lordbelmontinnorthernireland.blogspot.com/2013/05/balrath-bury-house.html
THE NICHOLSONS WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY MEATH, WITH 7,693 ACRES
This family came originally from Yorkshire.
GILBERT NICHOLSON, of Bare and Poulton, Lyndall, in Lonsdale, and of Baton and Easterton, Westmorland, married Grace, daughter and co-heir of Gyles Curwen, of Poulton Hall, and had issue,
FRANCIS, dvp leaving a son, HUMPHRY;
Giles;
Grace.
Mr Nicholson died in 1605, and was succeeded by his grandson,
HUMPHRY NICHOLSON, who was father of
GILBERT NICHOLSON (1620-1709), formerly of Poulton, Lancashire, and of the city of Dublin, Lieutenant in the royal army before 1649, and one of the Forty-nine Officers, whose arrears of pay were paid up after the Restoration, “for service done by them to His Majesty, or to his royal father, as commissioners in the wars of Ireland, before the 5th day of June, 1649.”
By the Act of Settlement Mr Nicholson received grants of land in County Monaghan, which he sold, and bought Balrath Bury in 1669.
He afterwards resided in Dublin.
Mr Nicholson and his wife Mary, daughter of Sir Thomas Worsopp, Knight, are buried in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, and on their tombstone appear the arms and crest still used by the family.
The issue of the marriage were,
Christopher;
THOMAS, of whom presently;
John.
The second, but eldest surviving son,
THOMAS NICHOLSON, of Balrath Bury, born in 1662, inherited Balrath Bury in 1709.
In 1692, he was a commissioner for County Meath, during the reign of WILLIAM & MARY, and High Sheriff, 1704.
Mr Nicholson married firstly, in 1691, Mary, daughter of John Beauchamp, and had, with other issue, a daughter, Anne, whose daughter, Margaret, was second wife of Sir Richard Steele Bt, of Hampstead.
He wedded secondly, in 1700, Elizabeth, daughter and co-heir of John Wood, of Garclony, and had issue,
CHRISTOPHER, his heir;
John;
Thomas;
Gilbert.
Mr Nicholson espoused thirdly, Rose, widow of Simeon Pepper, of Ballygarth, by whom he had no issue.
The eldest son,
CHRISTOPHER NICHOLSON, of Balrath Bury, High Sheriff of County Meath, 1735, espoused firstly, in 1723, Elinor, only daughter of Simeon Pepper, of Ballygarth, by Rose his wife, daughter of the Hon Oliver Lambart, of Plainstown, and granddaughter of Charles, 1st Earl of Cavan, and had issue,
JOHN, his heir;
Thomas;
George;
Christopher;
Hampden;
Rose; Christian; Emilia.
He wedded secondly, in 1751, Mary, daughter of Oliver Lambart, of Plainstown, by whom he had no issue.
His eldest son,
JOHN NICHOLSON (1724-82), of Balrath Bury, Captain, Coldstream Guards, wedded, in 1766, Anna Maria, daughter of Sir Samuel Armytage Bt, of Kirklees, Yorkshire, widow of Thomas Carter, of Shaen, and had issue,
CHRISTOPHER ARMYTAGE, his heir;
John.
He was succeeded by his elder son,
CHRISTOPHER ARMYTAGE NICHOLSON JP DL (1768-1849), of Balrath Bury, High Sheriff of County Meath, 1791, who married firstly, in 1796, Catharine, daughter of the Most Rev William Newcombe, Lord Archbishop of Armagh, by Anna Maria his wife, daughter and co-heir of Edward Smyth, of Callow Hill, County Fermanagh, second son of the Ven. James Smyth, Archdeacon of Meath, and had issue,
JOHN ARMYTAGE, his heir;
Christopher Hampden;
William (Rev);
Gilbert Thomas, JP;
Anna Maria.
He wedded secondly, in 1826, Anna, daughter of George Lenox-Conyngham, of Springhill, County Londonderry, by Olivia his wife, daughter of William Irvine, of Castle Irvine, County Fermanagh, and had issue,
Armytage Lenox;
Olivia; Sophia Elizabeth.
Mr Nicholson was succeeded by his eldest son,
JOHN ARMYTAGE NICHOLSON JP DL (1798-1872), of Balrath Bury, High Sheriff of County Meath, 1827, who married, in 1824, Elizabeth Rebecca, daughter of the Rt Rev and Rt Hon Nathaniel Alexander, Lord Bishop of Meath (nephew of James, 1st Earl of Caledon), by Anne his wife, daughter and heir of the Rt Hon Sir Richard Jackson, of Forkhill, by Anne his wife, sister of John, 1st Viscount O’Neill, and had issue,
CHRISTOPHER ARMYTAGE, his heir;
Nathaniel Alexander;
John Hampden (Rev);
William Newcome;
Gilbert de Poulton;
Katharine; Anne.
Mr Nicholson was succeeded by his eldest son,
CHRISTOPHER ARMYTAGE NICHOLSON JP DL (1825-87), of Balrath Bury, High Sheriff of County Meath, 1856, who espoused, in 1858, Frances Augusta, eldest daughter of the Hon Augustus Henry MacDonald Moreton, and had issue,
GILBERT MORETON, died unmarried;
JOHN HAMPDEN, succeeded his brother;
Mary Jane; Elizabeth Katharine; Emilia Olivia.
The only surviving son,
JOHN HAMPDEN NICHOLSON JP (1871-1935), of Balrath Bury, High Sheriff of County Meath, 1895, married, in 1894, Florence Isabel, third daughter of Thomas Rothwell, of Rockfield, Kells, and had issue,
CHRISTOPHER HAMPDEN;
John Armytage;
Joyce Frances.
His elder son,
CAPTAIN CHRISTOPHER HAMPDEN NICHOLSON (1903-), of Balrath Bury, married, in 1928, Stephanie Adelaide Edwards, and had issue,
JOHN WARREN, his heir;
Virginia Rose.
His only son,
JOHN WARREN NICHOLSON, born in 1931, inherited Balrath House in the 1960s.
BALRATH BURY HOUSE, near Kells, County Meath, is a two-storey, pedimented, 18th century house.
It has seven bays with a curved bow at either end of the front.
Three more bays were added to the right; and seven more bays with another pediment plus two further bays to the left side.
Today, the front extends to nineteen bays and two bows.
The mansion suffered damage during the 2nd World War, having been used by the army.
It was subsequently reduced in size, in 1942, to the original block.
Balrath Bury is now in the American-Colonial style.
The principal rooms are on either side of a large hall, with a bifurcating staircase.
There is a long, Georgian, pedimented stable block.
It is thought that the most recent owners have been Frank and Carol Mallon.
First published in June, 2013.
https://meathhistoryhub.ie/houses-a-d/
Balrathbury house is located to the west of Kells. A two storey house, over basement, was constructed about 1709 and this was replaced by a colonial style house in the 1830s. The seat of the Nicholson family the house was described in 1835 as a handsome residence, pleasantly situated in an extensive and well wooded demesne with a park well stocked with deer. Bence-Jones said that the house suffered damage when it was used as a barracks 1939-42. This house was demolished about 1948 and a new smaller house in American Colonial style was erected. The stableyard is the only surviving building from the Georgian period.
The Nicholsons came to Ireland from Yorkshire. Gilbert Nicholson of Dublin remained loyal to the king during the Cromwellian period and was rewarded with lands in Monaghan. Selling the lands in Monaghan he bought Balrathbury in 1699. His second son, Thomas, settled at Balrathbury in 1709, after his father’s death. Thomas served as High Sheriff of County Meath in 1704. His eldest son, Christopher succeeded him at Balrathburry. Christopher served as High Sheriff of Meath in 1735. Dying in 1775 he was succeeded by his eldest son John. Born in 1724 John was a captain in the Coldstream Guards. In 1766 John married Anna Maria, daughter of Sir Samuel Armytage, 1st Baron of Kirklees, Yorkshire and widow of Thomas Carter. Their son, Christopher Armytage, was born in 1768. High Sheriff of Meath in 1791 he married Catherine Newcome, daughter of William Newcome, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland. Their eldest son, John Armytage succeeded at Balrathburry. John was born in 1798 and was High Sheriff of Meath in 1827. In 1824 John married Elizabeth Rebecca, daughter of Nathaniel Alexander, Bishop of Meath. John died in 1872 and was succeeded by his son, Christopher Armytage Nicholson. Christopher was born in 1825 and served as High Sheriff of Meath in 1856. In 1858 Christopher married Frances Augusta Moreton. In October 1869 there was an attempt to murder Mr. Nicholson on his way home from the railway station in Kells. This is was part of the land dispute. In 1876 Christopher Armytage Nicholson of Balrath Burry, held 7,693 acres in County Meath.
Their son, Gilbert, succeeded in 1887 following the death of his father. Gilbert died unmarried in 1898 and was succeeded by his brother, John Hampden Nicholson. John served as High Sheriff of Meath in 1895 and married Florence Rothwell of nearby Rockfield. John H. Nicholson died in 1935 at his residence Balrath Burry. At one stage he held nearly 8000 acres in the Kells area but had only about 1000 acres remaining at his death as it had been disposed of to the Land Commission.
John Nicholson inherited Balrath House, Balrathbury in the 1960s. John became involved in breeding deer and became national chairman of the Irish Deer Society. The John Nicholson trophy is presented by the Irish Deer Society each year for meritorious service in the welfare, conservation and protection of deer in Ireland whether the deer are wild, feral or park
Irish Historic Houses 