Newtown Anner, Clonmel, Co Tipperary
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. 225. “(Osborne, Bt/PB; Osborne/LG19863; Beauclerk, St Albans, D/PB) A two storey late-Georgian house with a front of nine bays, the three outer bays on either side breaking forwards and rising an extra storey above the centre to form rather wide roof pavilions. Doorway with engaged columns and large semi-circular fanlight over door and sidelights. Two storey curved bow at side. Fine saloon. The seat of the Osborne family; inherited by Catharine (nee Osborne), wife of Ralph Bernal, MP, the C19 Radical politician, who assumed the name of Osborne; passed eventually to their grandson, 2th Duke of St Albans. Recenty sold.”
Newtownanner House, NEWTOWNANNER DEMESNE, Tipperary South
Detached country house, built 1829, comprising three-bay two-storey centre block with slightly-projecting three-bay three-storey wings and slightly-lower two-storey T-shaped block to rear comprising central three-bay part flanked by five-bay part to north-west and four-bay to north-east, latter with bowed west end and having single-storey canted-bay to rear. Pitched slate roof to centre block and hipped slate to wings and to east and west gables of rear block. Rendered chimneystacks to rear elevations of wings and to rear block. Decorative carved timber bargeboards to pitched north gable of rear block. U-plan stairwell pierces roof at junction of centre and rear blocks, with curving slate roof. Roughcast rendered walls with cut limestone eaves course. Square-headed window openings with timber sliding sash windows and limestone sills. Nine-over-six pane windows to ground floor, six-over-six pane windows to first floor and four-over-eight pane to second floor of wings. Six-over-six pane timber sliding sash windows to bowed east end of south-east rear block, with various timber transomed and mullioned and other casement windows to rear elevations. Oriel window to east elevation of east wing, supported on moulded brackets, having moulded cornice and sill course, with six-over-six pane timber sliding sash window to front and eight-pane casements to sides, all with shouldered and kneed render surrounds. Ornate carved limestone doorcase comprising round-headed opening with carved limestone archivolt with elaborate petal and cobweb fanlight. Entablature with patera and frieze and paired Doric-style cut limestone engaged columns framing sidelights with decorative glazing and timber panel and glazed double-leaf door with cut limestone advance. Cut limestone piers to entrance gates to main road, with carved caps and cast-iron gates and railings.
Appraisal
Formerly the home of the Duke of St Albans and the Osbourne family, this imposing substantially intact country house preserves a skilfully and delicately carved doorway which gives the house an ornate focus. The house is notable for its wings which, unusually, are taller than the central block. The vertical thrust of the wings is emphasised by the diminishing windows. The setting is enhanced by the shell grotto, the well-preserved walled garden and the ruined temple, all of which add context and are fine examples of the activities of this significant former demesne.
Three-bay single-storey rubble limestone masonry shell grotto to north-west of country house, built c.1830. Pointed-arch entrances with rubble limestone voussoirs. Cut limestone steps and rubble limestone masonry well with pointed-arch opening adjacent to shell grotto.
Appraisal
This garden feature is typical of many demesnes in Ireland. The Gothic Revival appearance was regularly favoured for these structures. This well-preserved example, along with the temple, adds significantly to the setting and significance of Newtownanner Demesne.
Remains of garden temple, built c.1830, to west of Newtownanner House, with boathouse to underside, looking onto boating canals and ponds. Flights of cut limestone steps to north and south having rendered brick and rubble limestone piers at landing level and at base. Ruinous remains of stone and brick temple to platform accessed by the flights of steps.
Appraisal
This now ruinous garden feature formerly consisted of a temple with a pediment supported on eight columns, accessed by the surviving flights of steps. It forms a significant feature of Newtownanner Demesne and overlooked intricately-laid out boating watercourses in a well-conceived demesne landscape.
http://landedestates.nuigalway.ie/LandedEstates/jsp/property-list.jsp?letter=N
The seat of the Osborne family, held by R.B. Osborne MP in fee in the mid 19th century when the buildings were valued at £56+. Inherited by 12th Duke of St Albans, grandson of R.B. Osborne. Occupied by the Duchess of St Albans in 1906 and still in this family’s possession in the early 1940s. The Irish Tourist Association survey states that the Osbornes bought the property from Clonmel Corporation in 1774. The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage dates this house 1829. It continues to be in use as a residence.
Featured in Mark Bence Jones, Life in an Irish Country House. Constable, London. 1996.
https://lordbelmontinnorthernireland.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-osborne-baronets.html
THE OSBORNE BARONETS OWNED 12,242 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY WATERFORD AND 942 ACRES IN COUNTY TIPPERARY
This family claims to be an elder branch of the house of OSBORNE, from which the DUKES OF LEEDS descended.
The Osbornes of Newtown Anner first settled in Ireland in 1558, and were raised to the degree of baronets in the person of SIR RICHARD OSBORNE (1593-1667), of Ballintaylor, and of Ballylemon, in County Waterford, in 1629, having been appointed by JAMES I, in 1616, with Henry Osborne, Clerk of The King’s Courts, and prothonotary within the city and county of Limerick; and in Tipperary, Clerk of the Crown and Peace, and Clerk of the Assizes in the said counties.
During the Civil Wars, taking the side of the usurper Cromwell, he was attacked in his castle of Knockmoan, by the Earl of Castlehaven, in 1645, and compelled to surrender at discretion.
Sir Richard, MP for Waterford County, 1639-49, 1661-66, was succeeded by his eldest son,
SIR RICHARD OSBORNE, 2nd Baronet (1618-85), High Sheriff of County Waterford, 1671, MP for Dungarvan, 1639-48, who wedded Elizabeth Carew, and had issue,
JOHN, his successor;
Richard (c1662-1713);
Grace; Elizabeth; Anne.
Sir Richard was succeeded by his eldest son,
SIR JOHN OSBORNE (c1645-1713), 3rd Baronet, who wedded, in 1699, Elizabeth, fourth daughter of Thomas Walsingham, and granddaughter, maternally, of Theophilus, 2nd Earl of Suffolk; but dying without issue in 1713, the title devolved upon his kinsman,
SIR THOMAS OSBORNE(1639-1715), (grandson of 1st Baronet, through his 2nd son, Nicholas Osborne), 5th Baronet, who married twice.
By his first wife, Katherine Butler, he had issue,
Nicholas, who predeceased him; father of NICHOLAS.
Sir Thomas wedded secondly, in 1704, Anne, youngest daughter of Beverley Usher, but by that lady had no issue.
He died was succeeded by his grandson,
SIR NICHOLAS OSBORNE (1685-1719), 6th Baronet, who married Mary, daughter of the Rt Rev Dr Thomas Smith, Lord Bishop of Limerick.
Dying in 1718 without male issue, the title devolved upon his brother,
SIR JOHN OSBORNE, 7th Baronet (1697-1743), Barrister, MP for Lismore, 1719-27, County Waterford, 1727-43, who wedded Editha, only daughter of William Proby MP, sometime governor of Fort St George, in the East Indies, by whom he had six sons and four daughters.
Sir John was succeeded by his eldest son,
THE RT HON SIR WILLIAM OSBORNE, 8th Baronet (1722-83), MP for Carysfort, 1761-83, Dungarvan, 1768-83, who married Elizabeth, eldest daughter of of Thomas Christmas, of Whitfield, County Waterford, and had issue,
THOMAS, his successor;
Charles, a judge;
HENRY, succeeded his brother;
Elizabeth.
Sir William died in 1783, and was succeeded by his eldest son,
SIR THOMAS OSBORNE (1757-1821), 9th Baronet, MP for Carysfort, 1776-97, who espoused Catherine Rebecca, daughter of Major Robert Smith.
- Sir William Osborne, 10th Baronet (1817-24)
- Sir Henry Osborne, 11th Baronet (d 1837)
- Sir Daniel Toler Osborne, 12th Baronet (1783–1853)
- Sir William Osborne, 13th Baronet (1805-75)
- Sir Charles Stanley Osborne, 14th Baronet (1825-79)
- Sir Francis Osborne, 15th Baronet (1856–1948)
- Sir George Francis Osborne, 16th Baronet (1894–1960)
- Sir Peter George Osborne, 17th Baronet (b 1943)
The heir apparent is the present holder’s eldest son George Gideon Oliver Osborne (b 1971). The heir apparent’s heir apparent is his only son Luke Benedict Osborne.
Ralph B Osborne owned 942 acres in County Tipperary; and her cousin, Sir Charles Stanley Osborne, 13th Baronet, of Beechwood Park, Nenagh, owned 940 acres in County Tipperary.
Sir Peter George Osborne, 17th and present Baronet (b 1943) co-founded the wallpaper company, Osborne & Little.
The Rt Hon George Gideon Oliver Osborne CH, Chancellor of the Exchequer, 2010-16, First Secretary of State, 2015-16, is heir apparent to the baronetcy.
NEWTOWN ANNER HOUSE (above), near Clonmel, County Tipperary, is a two-storey late-Georgian house with a nine-bay front, the three outer bays breaking forwards and elevated an extra storey above the centre block.
Newtown Anner was formerly a seat of the Osborne Baronets; as was Beechwood Park in County Tipperary.
The doorway has engaged columns and a large semi-circular fanlight over the door and side-lights; with a curved two-storey bow at the side.
The Osbornes purchased the Newtown Anner estate from Clonmel Corporation in 1774, though the present house dates from 1829.
Newtown Anner passed eventually to the 12th Duke of St Albans, grandson of Ralph and Catherine Bernal (nee Osborne).
It was occupied by the Duchess of St Albans in 1906 and was still in that family’s possession in the early 1940s.
It is now thought to be the home of Nigel Cathcart.
First published in October, 2011.
Irish Historic Houses 