Owenmore House

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

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

He died in 1623, leaving a son,

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

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

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

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

The third son,

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

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

ROBERT, his heir;
William, of Ballintubber.

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

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

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

The third son,

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

He dsp and was succeeded by his brother, 

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

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

The eldest son,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It was sold again in 1950 to Major Marcus McCausland.

First published in July, 2012.

Ballydugan House

THE KEOWN-BOYDS OWNED 4,191 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY DOWN

This family descended maternally from BOYD, of Glastry, County Down, who claimed to be a branch of the Kilmarnock family.

RICHARD KEOWN, of Downpatrick, County Down (son of Richard and Margaret Keown, m 1768), married Mary (who assumed the name of BOYD, as heiress of the Boyds of Glastry and Portavogie), daughter of Henry Keown, and had issue,

John, JP, barrister;
Henry, a military officer;
WILLIAM, of whom hereafter;
Mary, m WILLIAM BEERS;
Margaret;
Anne, m George Gulliver;
Isabella, m Dr R Boyd.

The third son,

WILLIAM KEOWN JP (1816-77), of Ballydugan House, County Down, High Sheriff of County Down, 1849, MP for Downpatrick, 1867-74, wedded, in 1845, Mary, eldest daughter of the Rev Robert Alexander, Prebendary of Aghadowey, County Londonderry, and had issue,

RICHARD, his heir;
Robert;
William;
John Maxwell;
Alfred Henry;
Edmund Walter;
Mary; Matilda Catherine; Hilda Margaret.

Mr Keown assumed the surname of BOYD in 1873, under the will of his grand-uncle, Major David Hamilton Boyd, of Glastry.

The eldest son,

RICHARD KEOWN-BOYD (1850-), of Ballydugan and Glastry, Lieutenant, Royal Navy, married, in 1875, Florence, fourth daughter of Charles Manners Lushington MP, and had a daughter,

SYLVIA IRONSIDE KEOWN-BOYD, who espoused, in 1927, Sir Denys Henry Harrington Grayson, 2nd Baronet.

They divorced in 1937.

BALLYDUGAN HOUSE, near Downpatrick, County Down, is a three storey, five bay, Georgian house of ca 1770.

The estate lies close to BALLYDUGAN LAKE and flour mill, and the disused railway line, one of my favourite places in the county.

A two-storey, bow-fronted wing was added about 1815.

The estate today comprises about 750 acres.

Ballydugan has changed ownership on a number of occasions: from its origins in the early 17th century when Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Ardglass, granted the lands to the Wests; to 1819, when ownership changed to the Keowns.

Richard Keown was a shrewd solicitor from Downpatrick, who purchased most of the property between 1790 and his decease in 1829.

Mr Keown bequeathed Ballydugan to his second son, John.

 Following Richard Keown, two more generations of Keowns occupied the house till 1906.

In 1844 it was let to Major Stephen Percival-Maxwell, and in 1906, following Richard Keown-Boyd's bankruptcy, Stephen Percival-Maxwell took the opportunity to purchase Ballydugan House and demesne. 

Mr Perceval-Maxwell died in 1935, and as his only son Nigel was killed in action in France, his wife Henrietta ‘Mabel’ (nee Richardson) was given her life in the house before their nephew Gerald Henry Aubrey Percival-Maxwell moved in.

Major Percival-Maxwell was High Sheriff for County Down in 1957.

The Percival-Maxwells remained on the estate until 1965.

Captain James Christy Brownlow (1922-2006), High Sheriff of County Down, 1971, purchased Ballydugan circa 1963 and remained there for the next fifteen years.

Captain Brownlow was the younger brother of Colonel William Brownlow, of BALLYWHITE HOUSE.

The estate was sold in 1978 to Sven and Simone Mackie, who had come from Snipe Island, a ruined beetling mill in Dunadry that they had restored.

Sven had been a sales director in the family business, James Mackie & Sons, travelled extensively, and spoke fluently in French, German and two dialects of Italian.

After Sven’s death in 1986, Simone later married their long-time friend John Beach who had been land agent to the O’Neills at Shane’s Castle and previously worked for the Vestey family in East Anglia. 

Simone now manages the estate with her grandson, Edward Manningham-Buller.

Stuart Blakley has written a piece about Ballydugan here.

The demesne was established in the 18th century.

There are mature shelter trees and woodland.

The walled garden is not cultivated but there is a very large English yew flourishing in the centre.

A maintained ornamental and productive garden is near the house.

The gate lodges have gone.

This site lies to the south of a much larger demesne, Hollymount, which has completely gone.

There are remnants of a fine oak wood on the east side, amongst forest planting.

The Keown-Boyd mausoleum of ca 1825 remains in very good condition.

First published in March, 2016.

Franklin Maxims: VII

LEARN OF THE SKILFUL: HE THAT TEACHES HIMSELF, HATH A FOOL FOR HIS MASTER.

First published in May, 2020.

The Bateson-Harvey Baronetcy

THE BATESON-HARVEY BARONETS OWNED 7,485 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY ANTRIM, 1,394 ACRES IN SOMERSET, 2,013 IN BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, 195 IN DORSET, AND 1 ACRE IN BERKSHIRE

This family and that of BATESON, of Belvoir Park, Newtownbreda, County Down, derive from a common ancestor, namely,

ROBERT BATESON, of Lancashire, who died in 1663, leaving an only son,

ROBERT BATESON, father of THOMAS, from whom the Belvoir Park family, and of

RICHARD BATESON, of Londonderry, who wedded firstly, Sarah, daughter of _____ McClintock, and had a son,

Thomas, father of ROBERT, 2nd Baronet.

He espoused secondly, Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Harvey, of Londonderry, and sister and heir of David Harvey, of London, by whom, with several other children, he had,

ROBERT BATESON, of Killoquin, County Antrim, who assumed, in 1788, the additional arms and surname of HARVEY.

Mr Bateson-Harvey was created a baronet in 1789, designated of Killoquin, County Antrim.

Sir Robert died without male issue, in 1825, and was succeeded, according to the special remainder, by the son of his deceased half-brother,

SIR ROBERT BATESON, 2nd Baronet (c1793-1870), JP DL, of Killoquin, County Antrim, High Sheriff of County Donegal, 1822, who married, in 1819, Eliza, second daughter of Anthony Hammond, of Hutton Bonville, Yorkshire, though the marriage was without issue.

A baronetcy was created in 1868 for Robert Bateson Harvey MP, of Langley Park, Slough, Buckinghamshire, son of Robert Harvey and his wife Jane Jemima Collins daughter of J R Collins of Hatchcourt Somerset.

His father was an illegitimate son of Sir Robert Bateson-Harvey, 1st Baronet.

SIR ROBERT BATESON HARVEY, 1st Baronet (1825-87), of Langley Park, married firstly, in 1855, Diana Jane, daughter of the Ven. Stephen Creke, and had issue,

ROBERT GRENVILLE, his successor;

Charles Bateson (1859-1900);

Caroline; Diana Genevieve.

He wedded secondly, in 1874, Magdalene Breadalbane, daughter of Sir John Pringle Bt.

Sir Robert was succeeded by his elder son,

SIR ROBERT GRENVILLE HARVEY, 2nd Baronet (1856-1931), who espoused, in 1893, Emily Blanche, daughter of Montolieu Fox Oliphant Murray, 1st Viscount Elibank, and had issue,

Irene Alice Gertrude; 

Diana Blanche;

Caroline Magdalen.

Sir Robert died without male issue, when the title expired.

The Bateson-Harveys were seated were Killoquin, County Antrim, and Langley Park, Buckinghamshire.

LANGLEY PARK

In 1788, the 4th Duke of Marlborough sold Langley Park, Buckinghamshire, to Robert Bateson-Harvey.

In 1866, the Temple was replaced with a now-demolished tower built in his memory.

Towards the end of the 19th Century and early 20th Century, considerable garden projects were undertaken at Langley which focused on three areas; the gardens around the Mansion House, the Pinetum (Arboretum) and the rhododendron collection at Temple Gardens. This included 160 tonnes of peat being brought to the gardens from Scotland by a specially chartered train.

At the outbreak of the 1st World War, the cavalry unit, 2nd King Edward’s Horse, was given permission to use Langley Park for training, and later the mansion was used as a hospital and recuperation unit for their officers injured in battle.

In 1935, the Pageant of England was held in Langley Park to celebrate King George V’s silver jubilee, with Lady Harvey playing ELIZABETH I.

In 1938, legislation was passed which enabled County Councils to purchase land to help control the outward sprawl of London.

Buckinghamshire County Council proposed to purchase Langley Park, but the 2nd World War intervened.

During the War the Mansion was the headquarters of the Southern Home Guard and in 1944 Polish units preparing for D-Day used the park as a training ground.

After peace was declared in 1945, Buckinghamshire County Council finally purchased the estate.

By 1959, the Harvey Memorial Tower was deemed to be unsafe and was demolished upon the order of the County Architect, Mr Fred Pooley.

Regrettably I have no information relating to the Killoquin estate, except that it was in the vicinity of Rasharkin, County Antrim.

I'd be grateful if any readers have any further information.

First published in December, 2010. 

Castlerea House

THE BARONS MOUNT SANDFORD WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY ROSCOMMON, WITH 24,410 ACRES

THEOPHILUS SANDFORD (1631-68), descended from a good family in Yorkshire, obtained grants of land in Ireland for his services during the civil wars, as a captain in Reynolds' regiment. He fixed his abode at Castlerea, County Roscommon; and from him lineally descended

COLONEL HENRY SANDFORD (ante 1671-1733), of Castlerea, MP for Roscommon Borough, 1692-1713, who married, in 1692, Elizabeth, daughter of the Rt Hon Robert FitzGerald, and was succeeded at his decease by his eldest son,

ROBERT SANDFORD (1692-1777), MP for Boyle, 1715-27, Newcastle, 1727-60, who wedded, in 1717, Henrietta, second daughter of William, 3rd Earl of Inchiquin, and had issue,

HENRY, his heir;
Robert, major-general, Governor of Galway;
Henrietta.

Mr Sandford was succeeded by his eldest son,

HENRY SANDFORD (1719-96), MP for County Roscommon, 1741-60, Kildare Borough, 1761-8, Carrick, 1768-76, who married, in 1750, Sarah, eldest daughter of Stephen, 1st Viscount Mount Cashell, and had issue,

HENRY MOORE, of whom we treat;
William (Rev); father of HENRY, 2nd Baron;
GEORGE, 3rd Baron;
Louisa.

Mr Sandford was succeeded by his eldest son, 

HENRY MOORE SANDFORD (1751-1814), High Sheriff of County Roscommon, 1784, MP for Roscommon Borough, 1776, 1791-99, who was elevated to the peerage, in 1800, in the dignity of BARON MOUNT SANDFORD, of Castlerea, County Roscommon, with remainder, in default of male issue, to his brothers and their male descendants.

His lordship espoused, in 1780, Catherine, eldest daughter of the Rt Hon Silver Oliver, of Castle Oliver, County Limerick; but dying childless, in 1814, the barony devolved, according to the limitation, upon his nephew,

HENRY, 2nd Baron (1805-28); who, being brutally slain in a riot at Windsor, and dying unmarried, the barony reverted to his uncle,

GEORGE, 3rd Baron (1756-1846), MP for Roscommon, 1783-97.

The title became extinct in 1846 following the death of the 3rd Baron.

CASTLEREA HOUSE, near Castlerea, County Roscommon, was a large 17th century (ca 1640) block of three storeys over a basement, with 19th century wings of two storeys over a basement.

The main block of seven bays was plain; while the wings had balustraded parapets.

The three-bay side of the left wing served as the entrance front.

The house is now demolished and the demesne serves as a public park.

First published in January, 2012.

Commercial Buildings, Belfast

Commercial Buildings: Engraved for Smyth's Belfast Directory (Hogg Collection/ NMNI)

"WHERE the Commercial Buildings now stand, there were, in the year 1800, a row of low cottages, thatched with straw. This has been affirmed by respectable persons who saw them. They have been mentioned the names of those who lived, or had their places of business, in them; these were Thomas McCabe, Valentine Joyce, Russell, and others."

Thus wrote George Benn, the Belfast historian, in 1880.

The United Irishman Samuel Neilson (1761-1803) is said to have occupied one of the cottages.

Commercial Buildings are located at the corner of Waring Street and Bridge Street in Belfast.

Construction of the Buildings began on St Patrick's Day, 1819, when the foundation stone was laid by GEORGE, 2ND MARQUESS OF DONEGALL KP.

Commercial Buildings from Donegall Street painted by W A Maguire ca 1830-30 (NMNI)

The designer was John McCutcheon, the architect who oversaw the erection of Royal Belfast Academical Institution five years previously, in 1814.

The building is said to have cost £20,000 to build, equivalent to about £2 million in 2021.

Commercial Buildings remain in splendid condition to this day, doubtless due to its construction with Dublin granite.

The ground-floor stonework is rusticated, with arched window apertures.

Decorative feature (Timothy Ferres. 2022)

There is a pair of Doric porches in the Waring Street elevation, which clearly terminates the vista from Donegall Street.

The most prominent features of this elevation are eight large Ionic columns, paired at each end.

Directly above these columns is a date stone inscribed with the Roman numerals "MDCCCXX."

(Timothy Ferres, 2022)

The Historic Buildings database of the Northern Ireland Department of Communities has already written a comprehensive document about Commercial Buildings, including the fact that the Northern Whig newspaper acquired the property and operated there from 1919 until 1963.

Marcus Patton, OBE, in his Historical Gazetteer of Belfast (1993), also includes the Commercial Buildings on pages 326-7.

Bridge Street façade in 1942 (Belfast Telegraph/NMNI

High Street and Bridge Street suffered catastrophic damage caused by bombing during the Blitz in 1941; and as a consequence of this the Bridge Street elevation of Commercial Buildings was virtually destroyed.

The Waring Street frontage, however, remained largely unscathed.

Prospect from Donegall Street in 2022 (Timothy Ferres)

The historic buildings database remarks:

"With the closure of the news-press in 1963, the former Northern Whig headquarters was reconverted into commercial office space; the structure was listed in 1975. Utilised as office space for over three decades the Northern Whig was purchased by the Botanic Inns in 1997 who converted the majority of the building into a licensed restaurant and bar called ‘The Northern Whig;’ a portion of the upper floor continues to be utilised as office space."

Elphin Palace

THE diocese of Elphin is said to have been established by St Patrick, who places over it St Assicus, an austere monk, who soon filled the cathedral with members of his own order.

Several small surrounding sees appear to have been annexed to it at an early period, and a short time before the arrival of the English in Ireland it was enriched with many large estates by the annexation of the See of Roscommon.

Following the death of Bishop Hodson, in 1686, JAMES II kept the diocese vacant for several years and distributed the revenue among the Catholic clergy.

Elphin was one of the six Anglican dioceses which formed the ecclesiastical province of Tuam; though today it is united with the diocese of Kilmore.

Elphin comprises parts of the counties of Galway and Sligo, and the greater part of Roscommon, and is computed to contain 420,150 acres.

the see lands once comprised 42,843 acres, of which 29,235 were profitable.

Elphin Palace (Image: Landed Estates of County Roscommon)

The episcopal palace was "a good building in an extensive demesne near the town," and was erected by an accumulated fund of £500 bequeathed by Bishop Hodson in 1685.

The last prelate in the Church of Ireland to hold the bishopric of Elphin was the Rt Rev John Leslie (1772-1854). 

Image: Landed Estates of County Roscommon

THE PALACE, Elphin, County Roscommon, was commissioned by Bishop Synge (1691-1762), and erected between 1747-49.

It comprised a three-storey central block, facing east, featuring a first-floor Venetian window complementing the style and proportions of the main entrance below.

Its two-storey wings on either side were linked to the main building by quadrants and by underground passages.

In 1845, the Church of Ireland bishops' residence moved to Kilmore, and the old palace was let as a private residence thereafter.

It subsequently became known as Elphin House.

In 1911 the main block was destroyed by accidental fire; the wings and quadrants, still extant, became derelict thereafter.