Rockingham Estate

Rockingham House
An illustration of the house from a postcard around 1905.
General information
Status	Private dwelling house
Type	House
Architectural style	Georgian, Regency, classical
Classification	Demolished
Town or city	Boyle, County Roscommon
Country	Ireland
Coordinates	53°59′09″N8°14′14″W / 53.985709°N 8.237224°W / 53.985709; -8.237224
Construction started	1809
Estimated completion	1810
Renovated	1822 - dome removed and third floor added
Demolished	Fire (1957), Demolition (1971)
Technical details
Floor count	2 over basement (1810), 3rd floor (1822)
Design and construction
Architect(s)	John Nash (1809-10) and James Pain
Developer	Robert King, 1st Viscount Lorton
Quantity surveyor	John Lynn (clerk)
References
[1]

The Rockingham Estate was a country estate near Boyle in the north of County Roscommon in the west of Ireland. The former Rockingham Demesne, which included Rockingham House, covered much of the area that now makes up Lough Key Forest Park. ^[2]

History

Gatehouse to the Rockingham Demesne.

In 1771, the King family moved from King House, their house in the town of Boyle, to the newly built Kingston Hall on what later became the Rockingham Estate. The footprint and walled gardens of this house still exist and indicate its substantial size. ^{[3] [4]} It was later referred to as Kingston Lodge or the Steward's Lodge. ^[5]

Rockingham House was later developed for the 1st Viscount Lorton and it was designed by one of the preeminent architects of the day, John Nash, around 1809–10. ^[6] The planned gardens were designed by John Sutherland around the same time and included servant's tunnels, follies, lodges and miniature castles.

In 1822, a third story was added to the house and the grand dome was removed significantly distorting Nash's original design.

A number of other notable structures were also built on the estate around the same time including stables (1845) ^[7] and a later gothic lodge and entrance gate. ^{[8] [9]}

The house was severely damaged in a fire in 1860 and was at that stage largely rebuilt.

In 1903, Rockingham House was leased by the 2nd Earl of Dudley, who served as the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland from 11 August 1902 to 11 December 1905. ^[10]

In 1918, the house was raided by Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) members in order to procure arms. ^[11]

Rockingham House again burned down in a fire started by an electrical fault in 1957.

What remained of the estate was sold by Sir Cecil Stafford-King-Harman to the Irish Land Commission in May 1959. ^[12] The Land Commission officially took control of the estate in November 1959. ^[13]

The remains of the house were finally demolished in 1971. ^[14]

In 1973, a brutalist concrete viewing tower known as the Moylurg Tower was built on the site of Rockingham House.

See also

• McDermott's Castle

External links

• 15 Getty Images views of the house in 1954

References

1. "CO. ROSCOMMON, ROCKINGHAM (BOYLE) Dictionary of Irish Architects -". www.dia.ie. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
2. "1810 – Rockingham, Boyle, Co. Roscommon | Archiseek - Irish Architecture". 20 March 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
3. "Rockingham Estate". Visit King House Boyle. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
4. "Rockingham House BOYLE". www.irelandxo.com. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
5. "Kingston Lodge". The Irish Aesthete. 22 August 2022. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
6. "1810 – Rockingham, Boyle, Co. Roscommon | Archiseek - Irish Architecture". 16 April 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
7. "Rockingham House, ROCKINGHAM DEMESNE (BOYLE BY. ROCK.E.D.), ROSCOMMON". Buildings of Ireland. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
8. "Rockingham House, ROCKINGHAM DEMESNE (BOYLE BY. B.R. E.D.), ROSCOMMON". Buildings of Ireland. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
9. "1832 – Entrance Gate, Rockingham, Boyle, Co. Roscommon | Archiseek - Irish Architecture". 30 January 2022. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
10. "Rockingham". www.landedestates.ie. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
11. O'Callaghan, Micheal (3 August 2012). For Ireland and Freedom: Roscommon and the fight for Independence 1917-1921. Mercier Press Ltd. ISBN   978-1-78117-144-8 . Retrieved 16 January 2024.
12. John Clapison and Tríona Mullaney-Dignam, Rockingham: Memories of a vanished mansion (Third Edition), pps. 26-27. King House, Boyle, County Roscommon, 2013.
13. John Clapison and Tríona Mullaney-Dignam, Rockingham: Memories of a vanished mansion (Third Edition), p. 26. King House, Boyle, County Roscommon, 2013.
14. "63 year anniversary of Rockingham House fire". Boyle Today. 10 September 2020. Retrieved 16 May 2023.