Kilconnor (or Kilconner), Bagenalstown, Co Carlow (airbnb)
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. 165. “(Watson/IFR) A house of C17 origin, enlarged and altered in C19 Gothic 1872, to the design of L.Buck.”
Kilconner House, KILCONNER, County Carlow
Detached five-bay two-storey Gothic style country house, c. 1870, originally larger building on an irregular plan incorporating fabric of earlier house, c. 1650. House truncated and remodelled, c. 1985.
Jimmy O’Toole, The Carlow Gentry: What will the neighbours say! Published by Jimmy O’Toole, Carlow, Ireland, 1993. Printed by Leinster Leader Ltd, Naas, Kildare.
Chapter: Watson of Kilconnor
p. 197. “The marriage of John Lecky-Watson (1803-1870) and Sarah Louise Watson of Lumclone … The couple decided not to have children [because they were first cousins], and when Sarah’s mother gave birth to her tenth child eleven days after their wedding, the couple adopted the baby. John (33) and Sarah (20) married on 3 Sept 1836, and the baby, Robert Lecky-Watson, was born to her parents, Anne and Thomas Henry Watson. Anne Walker, a grand-daughter of William Walker, twice Lord Mayor of Dublin, had married Thomas Henry in 1815. They were the first of the family to live in Lumclone House, and Sarah Louise, their eldest child, was born there in 1816.
[Corona North of Altamont is the grand-daughter of Robert Lecky-Watson]
p. 198. Robert Lecky-Watson (1836-1906), married in 1873 Constance Mary Marriott (died 1933) of Ditchert in Somerset and their eldest son Fielding Marriot Watson was father of Corona North, and Diana Curtis, now of the Cottage, Tullow.
When John Lecky-Watson died in 1870, he was survived as head of the family by his first cousin and brother -in-law John Robert Watson (1820-1882) who in turn married his first cousin, Sarah Augusta Watson of Kilconnor in 1844, and their only son, Colonel Robert Samuel Watson, became 9th head of the family in County Carlow, when his father died.
The family claim descent from the Rutland line of Watsons in England, one of whom was given the title Marquess of Rockingham in 1728. Rockingham Castle , one of the family seats in England, proved impenetrable for Cromwell’s forces during the English Civil War. One man who had less interest in the castle than Cromwell was Robert Gray Watson (1821-1906) of Ballydarton. When the last Rockingham heir died, a solicitor told Robert that he was about to inherit the castle, to which he reputedly responded, “What would I be doing with a castle in England when I have Ballydarton, and the best pack of hounds in Ireland.”
p. 199. “John Watson I arrived in Ireland from Cumberland in the early 1600s, settled in Ardristan where he leased land from the 10th Earl of Ormonde. His son, John Watson II, who built Kilconnor House, was appointed Commissioner under the great seal of Ireland to enquire into the causes and cruelties of the Irish rebellion of 1641. The marriage of his only daughter Mary to Robert Lecky of Kilnock in Agusut 1670 ws the first of many marriages between members of the two families. His son, John Watson III, born 1649, became a member of the Society of Friends, and built the first meeting house at Kilconnor, as aresult of which he was imprisoned, and forfeited his property….There were several Quaker families in County Carlow, and there were other meeting houses in Carlow town and at New Gardens where a branch of the Leckys, another Quaker family, lived. Although King James II granted Quakers a charter, they suffered persecution after the Williamite victory. They objected on principle to the payment of tithes to the Established Chruch, and along with Catholics, some of them were jailed in Carlow during the tithe war.
Samuel Watson (1714-1784) was the first of the family to live at Ballydarton near Fenagh, and it was his grandson, John Henry II, who was the first master and one of the founders of the Tullow Hunt in 1808.
p. 200. The three Fenagh houses of the Watsons passed out of their ownership during the early years of this century. In 1923, Fielding Marriot Lecky-Watson, who married Isobel Cecelia Deane from New Ross in 1919, rented and later purchased Altamont, now the home of their daughter, Corona North….[page ripped out].
Detached five-bay two-storey Gothic style country house, c. 1870, originally larger building on an irregular plan incorporating fabric of earlier house, c. 1650. House truncated and remodelled, c. 1985.
Record of Protected Structures:
Kilconner House. Townland: Kilconner
A section of a much larger house though what remains may well be the original house of circa 1650 although it has been much altered. It is a five-bay, two-storey, gable-ended house with high walls and a high-pitched roof. The walls are thick which would suggest an early date but the wall finishes and windows are modern. On the southern gable is a mid-19th century, gothic-revival remodelling which has a granite-ashlar wall and two-storey, half-hexagon bow with tall, pointed windows. There is a further section of gothic-revival work to the north of the house. This gothic-revival work could be the work of Deane and Woodward who worked on St. Austin’s Abbey, Tullow.
http://www.igp-web.com/Carlow/Kilconnor_House.htm
The Watsons claim descent from the Rutland line of Watsons in England, one of whom became Marquess of Rockingham in 1728. From this line came John Watson of Crosted, Cumberland who married Jane West and settled at Kilconnor in County Carlow in 1658, leasing the land from the Earl of Ormonde. His eldest son, also John Watson, served as a Commissioner under the Great Seal, helping Sir John Ponsonby’s enquiry into the causes and cruelties of the Irish rebellion of 1641.
He built Kilconnor House where the Watsons lived for many centuries. His son, another John Watson, born in 1649, became a member of the Society of Friends and built a Quaker meeting house at Kilconnor, for which he was imprisoned and had his land forfeited.
Source: ‘Turtle Bunbury & http://www.teachnet.ie/
Farm House accommodation in Ireland’s Ancient East, close to the village of Fenagh, in a rural setting, on a busy farm. You’ll love the place because of the comfy beds, the views and the peace and quiet. My place is good for couples and business travelers. And I offer a light breakfast with quality Irish food. There are facilities to make tea and coffee and a microwave and fridge if you would like to bring snacks with you.
The first two children under 12 are free of charge.
The space
Kilconnor House was originally built around 1670. Unfortunately most of the original building has fallen down but some of the old granite walls still remain standing in the yard. A Quaker Meeting House, built by the original owners about the same time as the house, still stands about 100 m from the house. There is more history attached to the house to be told.
Guest access
Our dining room and sitting room are ideal for sitting back relaxing especially with both fires burning. During the summer these rooms look out onto miles of green fields as far as Mount Leinster, which is about 15 minutes drive away. Guests are very welcome to take their time over a cup of tea/coffee at our dining room table.
Other things to note
Kilconnor House is part of an arable farm. We grow winter and spring Barley/Wheat/Oil Seed Rape/Beans. Its particularly interesting to watch the Combine Harvester harvesting the crops from mid July to September, the yard fills with golden grain and straw. Then the sowing starts all over again.
€50 per night!
Irish Historic Houses 