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| Barnewall, Barons Trimlestown |
For the moment, however, I want to stay with Sir Robert Barnewall (d. c.1471), 1st Baron Trimlestown, and his descendants. Sir Robert himself married the heiress of the Le Brun family, who brought him a significant property in Co. Meath, including Trimlestown itself, where he seems to have erected the castle of which parts stand today, albeit in a ruinous condition. His property descended to his eldest son, Sir Christopher Barnewall (d. by 1513), 2nd Baron Trimlestown, who was involved in the Yorkist conspiracy to pass off Lambert Simnel as one of the murdered Princes in the Tower. He can only have been peripherally involved, however, for he was pardoned for his part in the affair and went on to see important military service under King Henry VII's Lord Deputy in Ireland, the Earl of Kildare. His two sons, John Barnewall (1470-1538), 3rd Baron Trimlestown, and Robert Barnewall (d. by 1547), were both trained as lawyers in London, but it was the elder brother, John, who had the most distinguished career, ending up as Lord High Treasurer and finally as Lord Chancellor of Ireland, roles in which his duties seem to have been as much military as judicial.
The 3rd Baron's eldest son, Patrick Barnewell (d. c.1562), 4th Baron Trimlestown, sat in the Parliament of 1541 which acknowledged Henry VIII as King of Ireland and at the beginning of Elizabeth's reign was 'a ready and willing nobleman in the Queen's service'. The divisive question of the age was, of course, the breakaway of the English Crown from the Roman Catholic Church, and the attendant dissolution of the monasteries. In England, these measures commanded majority though not universal support, but in Ireland the picture was very different. We do not really know what the personal views of the 4th and 5th Barons were on religion: they probably espoused the government's position in public and kept to the traditional ways in private. That was at first a tenable position, but Sir Peter Barnewall (c.1540-98), 6th Baron Trimlestown, found it much more difficult to sustain and by the time of the Spanish Armada in 1588 he was recognised as a Catholic and suspected of communication with the enemy. His son, Robert Barnewall (c.1574-1639), 7th Baron Trimlestown, was loyal to the Crown, but could not refrain from protesting about the increasingly severe restrictions on Catholics, and by 1615 he was regarded as 'a busy and violent recusant'. His grandson, Mathias Barnewall (c.1614-67), 8th Baron Trimlestown, was one of the leaders of the 1641 Catholic uprising, and was outlawed and deprived of his estates in 1642, and in 1653 exiled to County Galway. Although he recovered part of his property at the Restoration (and his son recovered more in 1667), it was all lost again by the 10th Baron, who was Colonel of a Jacobite regiment after the Battle of the Boyne. For being in arms against William III he was attainted in April 1691 and forfeited his peerage and estates. After the Treaty of Limerick, he followed James II into exile in France, where he joined the Irish Brigade and was killed at the Battle of Roumont in September 1692. His son, John Barnewall (1672-1746), was just too young to have been involved in any fighting, and although there can be little doubt that he was enthusiastic about the Jacobite cause, he managed to recover his father's estates by July 1695. His attempts to reverse the attainder and recover the peerage were unsuccessful, however, and indeed it was asserted that the outlawry of the 8th Baron in 1642, which had never been reversed, had also had the effect of suspending the peerage. Despite the outlawry and the attainder, however, the title continued to be widely used by and about John and his successors in the 18th century in all but the most official documents.
Although the de jure 11th Baron recovered possession of his estates, there seems little doubt that he divided his time between Ireland and France, and his sons made their careers on the continent. His eldest son and heir, Robert Barnewall (c.1704-79), de jure 12th Baron Trimlestown, studied medicine and botany in France and returned to Ireland on his father's death with a considerable reputation as a physician: skills which he made available to his Irish neighbours, whether gentle or poor. In later life he became an active advocate for the civil rights of his fellow-Catholics, and in the 1770s he was responsible for drafting a form of oath of allegiance which was acceptable to both the Government and to Irish Catholics. This opened up careers in the army to the Catholic population, and laid the foundation for further measures for Catholic relief which took place after his death. It must therefore have been something of an embarrassment to one so prominent in the Catholic cause that his two sons chose to conform to the Protestant religion. Robert was succeeded by the youngest son of his first marriage, Thomas Barnewall (c.1739-96), who lived in France until the French Revolution took place. In 1790 he left his French property in the hands of an attorney (from whom it was seized by the French state in 1793) and returned to Ireland. It was now more than a century since the attainder on the title of Baron Trimlestown, and with the incumbent a Protestant, the Government seems to have made no difficulty about reversing the attainder on the title, which was done in 1795, after which he was summoned to the Irish House of Lords as 13th Baron Trimlestown. He died the following year, and the revived title passed to his nephew, Nicholas Barnewall (1726-1813), 14th Baron Trimlestown. He had been brought up near Toulouse in France, where he was a leading Freemason, and acquired through his marriage the Chateau Lamirolles, where he lived until the French Revolution. His wife having died in 1782, he then moved to England, where he seems to have lived in Bath until he inherited the Irish estates and peerage from his uncle. In 1797 he married for a second time, taking as his wife a young Irishwoman a third of his age, and this would seem to have been the occasion for a major building campaign at Trimlestown Castle to turn it into a modern house. In 1800, however, Nicholas inherited the extensive estates of his distant kinsman, the 5th Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland, which included Turvey House, and soon afterwards Trimlestown seems to have been abandoned, perhaps with his alterations incomplete.
The combination of the estates of the two most prominent branches of the Barnewall family made the 14th Baron quite rich, and he did his best to ensure that the estates and the title would remain together by entering into a new settlement in 1812 which entailed the property on his own male heirs, but with remainder to his cousin Richard Barnewall (c.1744-1826) and his heirs, who would inherit the title if his own heirs died out first. This was the basis on which the estates followed the title on the death of the 16th Baron in 1879. At the same time as drawing up the settlement, he made a new will, which made such generous provision for his widow that his son, a child of his first marriage, John Thomas Barnewall (1773-1839), 15th Baron Trimlestown - who was exactly the same age as his stepmother - went to law in an attempt to get the will set aside on grounds of undue influence. The feud expanded into a separate dispute about the payment of her jointure. Although he ultimately lost both cases, he strung matters out so that judgement was not given until 1833 and the dowager Lady Trimlestown is said to have received no benefit until 1847, by which time she had been widowed for a second time. The 15th Baron was probably responsible for remodelling Turvey House at some point after 1813, but he also seems to have had houses in London (a town house on the Grosvenor estate), Paris and Naples (Palazzo Calabritti), with a mistress in each place. They were the principal recipients of his personal wealth, for he had fallen out with his only son and daughter-in-law, who received only the entailed property. This may explain why the very comfortable finances of the 14th and 15th Barons did not continue. Thomas Barnewall (1796-1879), 16th Baron Trimlestown, leased out Turvey House and gave up the lease on his father's London house (which the Marquess of Westminster demolished in order to build the colonnaded forecourt of Grosvenor House). He took instead a smaller house on the Grosvenor estate in Park Lane, which he remodelled in 1853. Since the 16th Baron had no surviving sons, on his death in 1879 the entailed family estates passed to a distant kinsman, Christopher Patrick Mary Barnewall (1846-91), who was the great-great-great-great-great-great grandson of the 7th Baron, who had died in 1639. With such a very distant connection, it was obviously difficult to conclusively prove his right to the peerage, and a claim was not submitted to the Committee of Privileges of the House of Lords until 1891. A decision had still not been made when Christopher died in 1893, but his brother Charles Aloysius Barnewall (1861-1937) was soon afterwards confirmed as 18th Baron Trimlestown (Christopher being counted as the 17th Baron). Once again, no personal wealth accompanied the title and entailed estates, and since the new Lord Trimlestown's family had been gentlemen farmers in County Meath for many generations, he was very much the archetypal improverished Irish peer. He sold Turvey House, which had been tenanted for many years, in about 1902. In 1907 he inherited, perhaps unexpectedly, Bloomsbury House in County Meath, but after living there briefly in the years around the First World War, that too was sold in 1920. As an aside, it may be noted that in 1930, the young John Betjeman became rather obsessed by the combination of ancient lineage and complete obscurity which was represented most notably by Lord Trimlestown, and sought him out at Bloomsbury, only to find that he had sold the place a decade before.
Despite the sales, Lord Trimlestown still owned more than 6,000 acres at his death in 1937. His heir was his son, Charles Aloysius Barnewall (1899-1990), 19th Baron Trimlestown, who farmed in Devon, and it is not clear when any remaining Irish property was sold. The 19th Baron left two sons, who succeeded in turn to the title. The last peer, Raymond Charles Barnewall (1930-2024), 21st Baron Trimlestown, also farmed in Devon until his retirement and lived latterly in Surrey. He was unmarried and on his death the peerage became extinct or dormant. It seems entirely possible that there is a legitimate heir amongst the many descendants who must exist of the earlier barons, but the chances of any of them being able to prove that they have the senior claim seem much more remote.
To return to the early period of the Barnewall family, the second son of Sir Christopher Barnewall (fl. 1386) was John Barnewall (fl. 1426) of Frankestown (Co. Meath). His son, Sir Richard Barnewall settled at Fieldston in the parish of Clonmethan (Co. Dublin), which was inherited in due course by his grandson, Sir Patrick Barnewall (d. 1552). Sir Patrick, like his contemporaries in the Trimlestown branch of the family, was trained as a lawyer in London, at Grays Inn, and became a serjeant-at-law in Ireland, King's Serjeant and Solicitor General, 1534-50, and finally Master of the Rolls in Ireland, 1550-52. He was responsible for securing the establishment of an inn of court in Dublin (King's Inns) in 1538, and was also an MP in the Irish parliament. Although he initially opposed the dissolution of the monasteries, he was granted the sites and lands of Gracedieu Priory in Co. Dublin and Knocktopher Abbey in Co. Kilkenny, as well as leases of some of the lands of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin in the parishes of Swords and Clonmethan where his other lands lay. This generous greasing of the wheels of the Reformation overcame his scruples and laid the foundations of his descendants' prosperity. His son and heir, Sir Christopher Barnewall (1522-75), was, however, a man of stronger principles, and although not so quixotic as to disclaim his inheritance of monastic lands, he emerged as a steadfast opponent of the Protestant administration, who was willing to shelter the priest and future martyr, Edmund Campion, for a few days in 1569. In 1556 he was granted the Turvey estate at Donabate, on which he built Turvey House, reputedly using stone from Gracedieu Priory. Turvey House became the principal seat of his descendants for several hundred years. His eldest surviving son and heir, Sir Patrick Barnewall (c.1558-1622) was also a committed Catholic and an even more outspoken critic of the Government's religious policy - as a result of which he spent short periods in prison or under house arrest on several occasions - but he balanced this with a personal loyalty to successive monarchs and marriage ties with the Protestant hierarchy that offered him some protection.
Sir Patrick was succeeded at Turvey House by his son, Sir Nicholas Barnewall (1592-1663), who at the outbreak of the Rebellion of 1641 had a commission to raise such troops as he could muster for the defence of County Dublin. This must have severely tested his loyalties, since many of his friends and relatives joined the rebels (his kinsman Lord Trimlestown and his son-in-law, Lord Gormanston were among the leaders), and perhaps to avoid testing his loyalty too far he was allowed to travel to London, and later to settle in Wales, where his mother's family had lands. Despite his disagreements with the Government, he remained strongly Royalist, and in 1642, when the Civil War broke out in England, his son Patrick became a commander in the Royalist army. In 1644 he returned to Ireland, where he continued to keep out of politics as much as possible, and in 1646 he was rewarded for his masterly inactivity by being raised to the peerage as Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland (which was often, though incorrectly, abbreviated to Viscount Kingsland). Although in the 1650s he was charged with complicity in a plot against the Lord Protector, briefly imprisoned, and his estates in the Pale sequestered, he recovered Turvey House in 1658 and the rest at the Restoration.
When the 1st Viscount died in 1663 he was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, Henry Barnewall (c.1627-88), 2nd Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland, who seems to have been less politically engaged than his father. However his son, Nicholas Barnewall (1668-1725), the 3rd Viscount, was inevitably caught up in the events of 1688-91. As a strong Royalist and a Catholic, it is hardly surprising that he took his seat in James II's Parliament of 1689, or that he was later an officer in the Jacobite army. He was outlawed for his offences, but under the terms of the Treaty of Limerick in 1691 the outlawry was reversed and he was allowed to return to his estates. He may have spent some time in France at the exiled Court of James II, but the evidence for this is sparse. All that is known for certain is that his wife spent sometime at St. Germain with her mother, then Duchess of Tyrconnel, and that his elder son, Henry Benedict Barnewall (1709-74) had the Cardinal Duke of York as a godfather, which may imply that the baptism took place in France. Henry Benedict, who succeeded as 4th Viscount while still a minor in 1725, became a leading Irish freemason. He was married, but had no issue, so at his death in 1774 his title and property descended to his nephew, George Barnewall (1758-1800), 5th Viscount. He had been brought up in London as a Protestant, and he was therefore eligible to take up his seat in the Irish House of Lords, which he did in 1787. However, at some point in the 1790s, when several of his kinsmen were scrambling to get out of France, he moved there for reasons which are now obscure. One version of events says that he was confined in a lunatic asylum there, but his will, written shortly before his death, was proved without demur, so this is unlikely.
What happened to the peerage after 1800 is the stuff of romantic legend. The 5th Viscount having no sons or other obvious heirs, the viscountcy became dormant on his death. A young and uncouth Dublin waiter called Matthew Barnewall (d. 1834) believed himself to be descended from the Hon. Francis Barnewall (c.1629-97), a younger son of the 1st Viscount, and in the 1790s, hearing a false report that the 5th Viscount had died in France, he 'mustered a strong force of the employees of the taverns and the market... and with that formidable army, proceeded forthwith to Turvey... of which he took instant possession. There he cut down timber, lighted bonfires, and for some short time indulged in the exercise of rude hospitality to the companions who had escorted him', before Lord Trimlestown, who was acting either as guardian or attorney of the 5th Viscount, applied to the court of Chancery and secured his ejection and committal to Newgate Prison on charges of contempt. There he came to the attention of a solicitor called Hitchcock, who became convinced that he boy might really be heir to the peerage, and set about proving it at his own expense, which he was eventually able to do to the satisfaction of the Committee of Privileges of the House of Lords, and the dormancy was ended in Matthew's favour in 1814. The estates had, however, been bequeathed by the 5th Viscount to Lord Trimlestown, so the peerage was rather an empty honour, although a state pension of £500 a year was granted to the 6th Viscount for life. The 6th Viscount was thrice married, but had no surviving sons, so on his death in 1834 the peerage again became dormant. It was quickly claimed by one Capt Thomas Barnewall, whose petition to the House of Lords was never adjudicated on, but modern scholarship suggests that it was ill-founded, in that his claim that his great-grandfather. Col James Barnewall, was the sixth son of the 1st Viscount Barnewall was incorrect; he was in fact the second husband of the 1st Viscount's daughter, Mabel, Countess of Fingall. So in 1834 the title became extinct. There continued, however, to be a Lady Kingsland as late as 1890, for the 6th Viscount's widow survived him for many years. Having been left very little by her husband, she was defrauded of the little she did have by her own brother, and subsequently lived a life of absolute penury in a single room in a tumble-down lodging house in Lambeth, where she and her daughter subsisted on what they earned sewing shirts as piecework, and occasional parish relief. She came to public attention in 1878, when belatedly she made an application to the Universal Benefit Society for financial assistance, and with this help, she was able to live out her last years in slightly more genteel poverty.
The last branch of the family to be explored is that settled at Bloomsbury (Co. Meath). Joseph Barnewall (1781-1852), who rented Bloomsbury from 1829 and bought the freehold in 1835, was the youngest son of Richard Barnewall (c.1744-1826), on whom the 14th Baron Trimlestown had settled his estates in default of his own heirs. Since there is no evidence that he pursued a career he presumably inherited a sufficient sum from his father or through his marriage to make the purchase. Bloomsbury was not a large house at the time, but his elder son, Richard Barnewall (1821-66) doubled its size in 1858. He had no children, so on his early death it passed to his brother, Thomas Barnewall (1825-98), who died unmarried and left it to his sister, Katherine Barnewall (c.1824-1907). Having no close relatives, she chose to leave the property to her distant kinsman, the 18th Baron Trimlestown, who as we have seen was impoverished and obliged to sell off parts of the estate. He occupied Bloomsbury for a time but sold it in about 1920.
The major branch of the family which I have not considered in this post was the senior line, who were established at Crickston (Co. Meath) in the 15th-17th centuries. I have traced their descent below only in so far as is necessary to show the relationship between Barons Trimlestown and the Viscounts Barnewall of Kingsland, who were a cadet branch of the Crickston family. In the 1620s, the latter acquired a baronetcy, and they may have built a new fortified house at Crickston, although if so it was destroyed a few years later during the Civil War. Although their baronetcy is still in existence, the current baronet lives in Australia, and the descent of the honour was early separated from significant landed possessions in Ireland. I cannot see that any of the holders of the title have possessed a country house that would qualify them for detailed study here, but if anyone knows differently I should be very pleased to hear from them.
Trimlestown Castle, Co Meath (aka Trimblestown Castle)
The massive and imposing ruins of the late medieval castle built by the Barnewalls in the 15th century stand on the east bank of the Trimlestown River, some three miles west of Trim. The walls still rise for a full three storeys, with a big south-west corner tower and battlemented wall-heads that give it a romantic silhouette. The castle forms a block 114 feet long and 40 feet wide at the southern end, where the tower stands, but narrows to a fraction of that at the north end. Ivy now covers a shield on the tower said to have borne the arms of the Barnewall and Nugent families, which may suggest that the tower was an addition of the time of the 6th Lord Trimlestown (d. 1598), who married Katherine Nugent. Internally the building is dominated by a two-storey vaulted great hall of 52 ft by 17 ft, that faces towards the river and is marked by massive tapering buttresses, though this is now partially filled with the rubble of collapsed walls. The floors above the vault seem to have had timber floors, and little is therefore left of them. The corner tower is also barrel-vaulted at first-floor level.
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| Trimlestown Castle: the 16th century corner tower from the south-west. Image: © The Irish Aesthete. |
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| Trimlestown Castle: an early 19th century engraving showing the east front as altered c.1800. It had probably already been abandoned by this date. |
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| Trimlestown Castle: pencil sketch of the castle in about 1860 by G.V. Du Noyer. Image: Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland |
Descent: Christopher Browne/Le Brun; to daughter Elizabeth, wife of Sir Robert Barnewall (d. c.1471), 1st Baron Trimlestown; to son, Christopher Barnewall (d. by 1513), 2nd Baron Trimlestown; to son, Sir John Barnewall (d. 1538), 3rd Baron Trimlestown; to son, Patrick Barnewall (d. c.1562), 4th Baron Trimlestown; to son, Sir Robert Barnewall (d. 1573), 5th Baron Trimlestown; to brother, Sir Peter Barnewall (d. 1598), 6th Baron Trimlestown; to son, Robert Barnewall (d. 1639), 7th Baron Trimlestown; to grandson, Matthias Barnewall (c.1614-67), 8th Baron Trimlestown; to son, Robert Barnewall (c.1640-87), 9th Baron Trimlestown; to son, Matthias Barnewall (c.1670-92), 10th Baron Trimlestown, who was attainted; seized by Crown and granted to Henry Sydney (1641-1704), 1st Earl of Romney, but returned in 1695 to John Barnewall (1672-1746), de jure 11th Baron Trimlestown; to son, Robert Barnewall (c.1705-79), de jure 12th Baron Trimlestown; to son, Thomas Barnewall (c.1739-96), 13th Baron Trimlestown; to cousin, Nicholas Barnewall (1726-1813), 14th Baron Trimlestown; to son, John Thomas Barnewall (1773-1839), 15th Baron Trimlestown; to son, Thomas Barnewall (1796-1879), 16th Baron Trimlestown; to kinsman, Christopher Patrick Mary Barnewall (1846-91), 17th Baron Trimlestown; to brother, Charles Aloysius Barnewall (1861-1937), 18th Baron Trimlestown, who sold it before 1915 to Frank Barbour.
Turvey House, Donabate, Co. Dublin
What was to all external appearances a straightforward plain L-shaped 18th century house actually had a much longer and more complex history. The site already had a small 15th century tower house with an angle tower and a barrel vault over the ground floor when it was granted to Sir Christopher Barnewall (d. 1575), kt. in 1556. An inscription formerly over the west gate of the house recorded that Barnewall built a new house here in 1565, but in practice this amounted to enlarging the old tower house into an L-shaped building with a similar footprint to that which existed in modern times. A further remodelling or rebuilding took place for the 4th Viscount Barnewall in about 1732, a date which appeared on the Venetian window lighting the staircase. The house was apparently originally of two storeys above the basement, with a gabled attic storey above that. Later, and probably after 1800, the nine bay entrance front was given new sash windows with thin glazing bars, and the gabled attics were replaced by a full third storey. The new top floor had a parapet concealing the roof and a three Diocletian windows, symmetrically disposed above the three groups of sash windows on the floors below. For Charles Cobbe of Newbridge, this created a 'really wicked-looking house with half-moon windows which suggest leering eyes'. Inside, the house had rooms of several different periods. A 17th century fireplace survived in one upper room; the library was mid 18th century; and another ground-floor room had a Rococo ceiling executed in papier-mâché. The hall and staircase had gilded plasterwork, probably of the early 19th century, including miniature fan vaults in the corners and ribbon-like trails decorating the shallow cove around the flat of the ceiling. |
| Turvey House, Donabate: oblique aerial view of the entrance front and side elevation in 1948. © Historic England/Britain from Above. |
As far back as Rocque's map of 1760, a formal tree lined avenue led to Turvey House and on towards Donabate Village, and the setting was probably landscaped by the 4th Viscount at the time of his alterations in the 1730s. The major survival of the grounds is approached improbably by a trapdoor in the lawn adjacent to the site of the house. This gives access to a grotto chamber (24ft x 9ft), the floor of which is about seven feet below ground level. It has an arched concrete roof in which are embedded native shells, china plates and bowls, and fragments of glass and mirror, forming patterns. At the far end of the chamber is a pool of water about five feet deep, which seems to have been a plunge pool. Beyond that is a blocked tunnel which led to the original entrance. The whole now has no natural light and must always have been very gloomy. It has been suggested that the plunge pool was originally constructed as an icehouse (and it was marked as such on some maps), but if so, the grotto must have been an addition to the original scheme.
Descent: Thomas Butler (1532-1616), 10th Earl of Ormonde granted 1556 to Sir Christopher Barnewall (1522-75), kt.; to son, Sir Patrick Barnewall (c.1558-1622); to son, Sir Nicholas Barnewall (1592-1663), 1st Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland; to son, Henry Barnewall (c.1627-88), 2nd Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland; to son, Nicholas Barnewall (1668-1725), 3rd Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland; to son, Henry Benedict Barnewall (1709-74), 4th Viscount Barnewall; to nephew, George Barnewall (1758-1800), 5th Viscount Barnewall; to kinsman, Nicholas Barnewall (1726-1813), 14th Baron Trimlestown; to son, John Thomas Barnewall (1773-1839), 15th Baron Trimlestown; to son, Thomas Barnewall (1796-1879), 16th Baron Trimlestown; to kinsman, Christopher Patrick Mary Barnewall (1846-91), 17th Baron Trimlestown; to brother, Charles Aloysius Barnewall (1861-1937), 18th Baron Trimlestown; sold c.1902 to George Keys KC (fl. 1905); to daughter, Martha, wife of William de Courcy Millar (fl. 1915); sold to Edward A. Counihan (d. 1948); to son, Gerard Joyce Counihan sold 1968 to O'Shea and Shanahan, builders. The house was let after 1839 to tenants including James Fagan, William M'Donnell and the Norton family.
Bloomsbury House, Kells, Co. Meath
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| Bloomsbury House: the 17th century entrance front, as altered in 1858. Image: © The Irish Aesthete. |
The core of the house seems to be a two-storey block of five bays, built in the 17th century for the Tisdall family and originally named Mount Tisdall. Although it had a five bay front, the house seems to have been only two bays deep, so there can have been room for little more than one room either side of the hall on each floor. Surviving accounts demonstrate that there was a refurbishment in the 1740s, when the 'big parlour' was given new panelling and new furnishings, but at the same time Charles Tisdall began building a new house three miles away to the designs of Richard Castle, which he called Charlesfort, and once this had been completed, the family moved there and Mount Tisdall was let out. Amongst the tenants who occupied the place for nearly a century was Joseph Barnewall (b. 1781), the second son of Richard Barnewell of Fyanstown, who came to Mount Tisdall in 1829 and changed its name to Bloomsbury.
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| Bloomsbury House: garden front, designed in 1858 by William Caldbeck. Image: © Leo Mulligan Photography |
As recently as 2001 the gardens of Bloomsbury, lovingly created and cared for by the owner and garden-writer, Jack Whaley, were described as 'amongst the finest in the country', but sadly the house and grounds now display little evidence of their former glories. In 2001, Bloomsbury was sold to a new owner who stripped the exterior and interior down to the bare walls and allowed the rest of the estate to fall into complete decay. Whatever he intended to do with the house was then abandoned and the property was left derelict. It was sold again in 2015, but I understand that there has been no progress with restoration, and it must be feared that this is yet another good Irish house that will be a ruin in a few years' time.
Descent: sold 1835 to Joseph Barnewall (1781-1852), who had leased it since 1829; to son, Richard Barnewall (1821-66); to brother, Thomas Barnewall (1825-98); to sister, Katherine Barnewall (c.1824-1907); to kinsman, Charles Aloysius Barnewall (1861-1937), 18th Baron Trimlestown, who sold for £5,000 in c.1920 to John Whaley (d. 1944); to son, Jack Whaley (d. c.2000); sold 2001; sold 2015.
Barnewall family of Trimlestown, Barons Trimlestown
Barnewall, Sir Christopher (d. 1446), kt. Son of Sir Christopher de Barneval (fl. 1386) [for whom see below, under Barnewall of Turvey House, Viscounts Barnewall of Kingsland] and his wife Eleanor, daughter of Sir Nicholas Rochford of Rathcoffie (Co. Kildare) and Kilbride (Co. Meath). Serjeant-at-law in Ireland, 1408 and King's Serjeant, 1420-34; a justice of Kings Bench, 1434-46 (Chief Justice, 1435-37, 1437-46). Deputy Lord Treasurer of Ireland, 1430-35 and Lord Treasurer, 1437-46. He married Matilda Drake, daughter and heiress of the last feudal lord of Drakestown and Drakerath, and had issue:
(1) Sir Nicholas Barnewall (d. c.1465); Treasurer of the Liberty of Trim, 1436-43; Chief Justice of Kings Bench, 1457-63; knighted 1460; married Ismay (who m2, Sir Robert Bold and died about 1478), daughter and heiress of Sir Robert Serjeant of Castleknock (Co. Dublin) and had issue three sons [from whom descended the Barnewalls of Crickstown and of Dunbrow]; living in 1465 but probably died soon afterwards;
(2) Sir Robert Barnewall (d. c.1471), kt. and 1st Baron Trimlestown (q.v.).
He inherited Crickstown Castle (Co. Meath) from his father.
He died about the beginning of October 1446. His wife's date of death is unknown.
Barnewall, Sir Robert (d. c.1471), kt., 1st Baron Trimlestown. Younger son of Sir Christopher Barnewall (d. 1446) of Crickstown and his wife Matilda Drake. He was knighted in about 1449 while on campaign with the Duke of York, and was made an Irish Privy Councillor for life and raised to the peerage as Baron Trimlestown, 4 March 1461. It is the earliest Irish peerage to have been created by patent (earlier peerages had been created only by writ of summons). He married* Anne alias Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Christopher Browne (or Le Brun) of Roebuck (Co. Dublin) and had issue including:
(1) Christopher Barnewall (d. by 1513), 2nd Baron Trimlestown (q.v.);
(2) Hon. Thomas Barnewall, of Irishtown; married Elizabeth Cardiff and had issue one daughter (who married Sir Bartholomew Dill of Riverston).
Through his marriage he inherited a half-share in the lordship of Athboy (Co. Meath), including the manor of Trimlestown, where he settled.
He died about 1471/2. His wife's date of death is unknown.
* Lodge's Peerage of Ireland says he married 2nd, Anne, daughter of Sir Thomas Plunkett, but this seems unlikely as she would have been his great-great-niece.
Barnewall, Sir Christopher (d. by 1513), 2nd Baron Trimlestown. Son of Sir Robert Barnewall (d. c.1471), 1st Baron Trimlestown, and his first wife, Anne or Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Christopher Browne of Roebuck (Co. Dublin). He was studying law in London in 1460 and succeeded his father as 2nd Baron, c.1471. He may have been knighted before that, but no record of his knighthood has been found. He was lucky to be one of the eight Irish peers pardoned for his involvement in the Yorkist conspiracy of 1488, in which Lambert Simnel impersonated one of the Princes in the Tower, and was obliged to take the oath of allegiance before the King's envoy in July 1488. He sat in the Irish Parliament in 1491 and 1493 and fought under the Lord Deputy, the Earl of Kildare, at the Battle of Knockdoe in 1504. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Thomas Plunkett of Rathmore, and had issue including:
(1) John Barnewall (1470-1538), 3rd Baron Trimlestown (q.v.);
(2) Hon. Robert Barnewall (d. by 1547); educated at Grays Inn (admitted before 1520); serjeant-at-laws in Ireland, c.1520-27; lessee of the Kings Inn, Dublin, 1541; ancestor of the Barnewalls of Roestown (Co. Meath), which estate he acquired through his first marriage to Johanna Rowe, by whom he had three sons and two daughters; he married 2nd, Elizabeth (who m2, James Bathe), daughter of John Talbot of Dardiston, and had further issue four sons and six daughters; died before 1547;
(3) Hon. Ismay Barnewall; married William Bathe of Rathseigh;
(4) A daughter; married John Netterville of Dowth, a justice of the King's Bench;
(5) Hon. Alison Barnewall; married Sir Roger Barnewall (b. c.1472), kt. [for whom see below, under Barnewall of Turvey House, Viscounts Barnewall of Kingsland] and had issue.
He inherited Trimlestown from his father in about 1471.
He died between 1504 and 1513. On a roadside cross about 4 miles south of Drogheda Archbishop Octavian of Armagh promised an indulgence of thirty days to those performing an Our Father and a Hail Mary for the souls of him and his wife. His wife was also dead by June 1513.
Barnewall, Rt. Hon. Sir John (1470-1538), 3rd Baron Trimlestown. Son of Christopher Barnewall (d. by 1513), 2nd Baron Trimlestown, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Thomas Plunkett of Rathmore. Educated at Middle Temple, London. He was the king's attorney by 1504 and was appointed the king's serjeant-at-law and attorney general, 1504-06. He succeeded his father as 3rd Baron in June 1513, and was knighted before being appointed Second Judge of Court of Kings Bench in Ireland, 1514-20. In 1520 he presided at the negotiation of a truce between the earls of Ormond and Desmond at Waterford. He was made Privy Councillor for Ireland by 1521 and was described as being 'a wise man to geve counsaile' in 1537. He served as Vice-Treasurer, 1522-24 and High Treasurer of Ireland, 1524-30; and as Lord Chancellor of Ireland, 1534-38, although his duties seem to have been as much military as judicial. He married 1st, Genet/Janet, daughter of John Bellew of Bellewstown and 2nd, Margaret, daughter of Patrick FitzLeons, and had two further childless marriages to wives whose names are unknown. He had issue:
(1.1) Patrick Barnewall (d. c.1562), 4th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.);
(2.1) Hon. Sir Thomas Barnewall; married Ismay, daughter of Sir Bartholomew Dillon and widow of James Fleming of Stephenston and Richard Tath of Cookstown;
(2.2) Hon. Peter Barnewall (fl. 1534); appointed King's Serjeant and Solicitor General for Ireland, 17 October 1534;
(2.3) Hon. Andrew Barnewall;
(2.4) Hon. James Barnewall;
(2.5) Hon. Catherine Barnewall; married Patrick Hussey of Galtrim;
(2.6) Hon. Elizabeth Barnewall; married 1st, George Plunket, son and heir of Sir John Plunket of Bewley, kt; married 2nd, Christopher Eustace of Ballycotland and 3rd, William Darcy of Platten.
He inherited Trimlestown from his father in 1513 and is said to have lived at Roebuck Castle, Dublin.
He died 25 July 1538. His wives' dates of death are unknown.
Barnewall, Rt. Hon. Patrick (d. c. 1562), 4th Baron Trimlestown. Only son of Sir John Barnewall (1470-1538), 3rd Baron Trimlestown, and his first wife, Genet/Janet, daughter of John Bellew of Bellewstown. He succeeded his father as 4th Baron, 1538. He was active both politically and militarily in support of the administration, being acknowledged by the Lord Deputy as 'a ready and willing nobleman in the Queen's service'; he was made a Privy Councillor for Ireland, 1539. He sat in the Parliament of 1541 which acknowledged Henry VIII as King of Ireland and again in the Parliament of 1559. His military service included fighting against the O'Neills in Tyrone in 1541, imposing martial law and holding musters of troops for the defence of the Pale. He was a JP for Co. Meath and served on many civil commissions in that county. He married Catherine, daughter of Richard Taylor of Swords (Co. Dublin) and widow of Christopher Delahyde, Recorder of Drogheda, and had issue:
(1) Robert Barnewall (d. 1573), 5th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.);
(2) Peter Barnewall (c.1540-98), 6th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.);
He inherited Trimlestown from his father in 1538.
He died between 28 August 1561 and 6 March 1562/3. His widow is thought to have married 3rd, Robert Cusack; her date of death is unknown.
Barnewall, Sir Robert (d. 1573), 5th Baron Trimlestown. Elder son of Patrick Barnewall (d. c.1562), 4th Baron Trimlestown, and his wife Catherine, daughter of Richard Taylor of Swords (Co. Dublin) and widow of Christopher Delahyde, Recorder of Drogheda. He succeeded his father as 5th Baron, c.1562. He was active in support of the administration and was made a Privy Councillor for Ireland by March 1563/4. He fought against Shane O'Neill for which he was knighted at Drogheda in 1566. He is said to have gone to England to study law and was no doubt the Robert Barnewall of Staple Inn admitted to Grays Inn, 1573, but he contracted an illness from which he died. He married, 1559, Amy (alias Anne), only daughter of Richard Fyan of Fyanstown, Mayor of Dublin in 1564, but had no issue.
He inherited Trimlestown from his father in about 1562.
He died 'at the house of Margaret Tiler' in Cornbury (Oxon), 17 August or 27 October 1573. His widow married 2nd, Christopher Sedgrave (d. by 1590), alderman of Dublin, and had issue; she died 13 April 1600 and was buried at St. Audoen, Dublin; her will was proved in 1600.
Barnewall, Sir Peter (c.1540-98), 6th Baron Trimlestown. Younger son of Patrick Barnewall (d. c.1562), 4th Baron Trimlestown, and his wife Catherine, daughter of Richard Taylor of Swords (Co. Dublin) and widow of Christopher Delahyde, Recorder of Drogheda, born about 1540. He succeeded his elder brother as 6th Baron on 27 October 1573, and was knighted in 1583. Although he remained a Roman Catholic, he was in general a willing servant of the Crown, although he opposed the taxation of the Pale for the support of troops billeted in the area, for which he was briefly imprisoned in 1577. In 1578 he was one of the Commissioners for the shiring of the Pale, and named County Wicklow and the six baronies into which it was divided; he also served in several military expeditions in the 1570s-90s, including those to impose martial law in County Down and to oppose the Burkes in Co. Mayo. He sat in the Parliament of 1585. Despite this record, he was suspected of communication with Spain at the time of the Spanish Armada in 1588. He married Katherine, daughter of Sir Christopher Nugent and sister of 4th Baron Delvin, and had issue:
(1) Robert Barnewall (d. 1639), 7th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.).
He also had an acknowledged illegitimate daughter:
(X1) Genet Barnewall (fl. 1594), for whom he provided a dowry of £160 in his will.
He inherited Trimlestown from his elder brother in 1573.
He died 14 April 1598 and directed his body to be buried at Moorechurch. His wife was living in 1584 but is not mentioned in his will of 1594, so was probably dead by then.
Barnewall, Robert (c.1574-1639), 7th Baron Trimlestown. Only son of Sir Peter Barnewall (d. 1598), 6th Baron Trimlestown, and his wife Katherine Nugent; there is considerable uncertainty over his date of birth, which is variously given as c.1565 or c.1574, but he was said to be 24 at the time of his father's inquisition post mortem in 1598. If the date was actually in the 1560s, he could be one of the men of this name admitted to Grays Inn in 1581 or 1584. During the Nine Years War, he was wounded and taken prisoner by the Irish rebels near Kells on 29 or 30 July 1597, and was held prisoner for over a year by Cormack M'Baron until released in August 1598 in exchange for M'Baron's son, but then took no further part in the conflict. He succeeded his father as 7th Baron on 14 April 1598, while he was in custody. Politically, he seems to have occupied the increasingly difficult position of wanting to be loyal to the Crown but to practice the Roman Catholic faith. He was willing to endorse the proclamation of James I and Charles I as King in Dublin in 1603 and 1625, but in 1605 he was one of the peers protesting against the forbidding of the practice of the Roman Catholic faith. He again protested in 1612 about the severity with which Catholic priests were treated. He sat in the Parliaments of 1613-15 (when he was described as 'a busy and violent recusant') and 1634, and he was involved in a dispute over precedence with the 9th Baron of Dunsany, which was eventually settled in his favour by the Privy Council in 1634. His marriage to Genet, daughter of Thomas Talbot of Dardistown (Co. Meath), was under discussion in 1583 or 1584, and may have taken place earlier than 1593, when he is first known to have been married. They had issue, with six further daughters whose names are not recorded:
(1) Hon. Christopher Barnewall (c.1595-1622) (q.v.);
(2) Hon. John Barnewall;
(3) Hon. Patrick Barnewall (fl. c.1600) (q.v.);
(4) Hon. Richard Barnewall;
(5) Hon. Matthew Barnewall;
(6) Hon. Mary Barnewall; married Robert Barnewall of Shankhill (Co. Dublin);
(7) Hon. Catherine Barnewall;
(8) Hon. Ismay Barnewall.
He inherited Trimlestown from his father in 1598.
He died 13 October 1639; an inquistion post mortem was held 13 December 1639. His wife's date of death is unknown.
Barnewall, Hon. Christopher (c.1595-1622). Eldest son of Robert Barnewall (d. 1639), 7th Baron Trimlestown, and his wife Genet, daughter of Thomas Talbot of Dardistown (Co. Meath), born about 1595. He married 1st, by 1614, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Edward FitzGerald of Tecroghan (Co. Meath) and 2nd, 2 July 1621, Jane, daughter of Andrew Brereton and widow of Sir Richard Nugent, and had issue:
(1.1) Matthias Barnewall (c.1614-67), 8th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.);
(1.2) Christopher Barnewall;
(1.3) George Barnewall;
(1.4) Bridget Barnewall; married Christopher Cusack of Ardgragh;
(1.5) Jane Barnewall.
He died in the lifetime of his father, 8 May 1622. His first wife died 13 September 1619. His widow married 3rd, Gilbert Nugent; her date of death is unknown.
Barnewall, Matthias (c.1614-67), 8th Baron Trimlestown. Eldest son of Hon. Christopher Barnewall (c.1595-1622) and his first wife Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Edward FitzGerald of Tecroghan (Co. Meath), born about 1614. He succeeded his grandfather as 8th Baron, 13 October 1639, and was one of the leaders of the 1641-43 uprising, for which he was outlawed in 1642 and deprived of his estates. In 1697 and 1698 the House of Lords determined that his outlawry also deprived his family of their peerage, but this was not recognised by successive monarchs who continued to employ the title until that time. Later he was Captain of a troop of horse in the Catholic Confederacy army, 1646-50, and for this reason was excepted from the general pardon in Cromwell's Act of Settlement in 1652. He was one of the 'Kilkenny submittees' who surrendered under terms agreed later in 1652, by which the officers of the Parliamentary army engaged to mediate for them with Parliament 'that they might enjoy such moderate parts of their estates as should make the lives of those who chose not to go into voluntary banishment to Spain, comfortable'. Although he did briefly recover possession of part of his lands in Meath in 1652 by a piece of astute subterfuge, he was later ejected again, and compulsorily resettled at Monivea (Co. Galway) in 1653, where he had a grant of 1,462 acres. He married, by 13 December 1639, the Hon. Jane, fifth daughter of Nicholas Netterville, 1st Viscount Netterville of Dowth, and had issue:
(1) Robert Barnewall (c.1640-87), 9th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.);
(2) Hon. Nicholas Barnewall; died unmarried of jaundice, aged 19;
(3) A son; died unmarried in the lifetime of his father;
(4) Hon. Alison Barnewall (c.1649-1705), born about 1649; married, July 1670, Martin Dillon (d. c.1703) of Huntstown (Co. Dublin), son of James Dillon, and had issue three sons and one daughter; said to have died in 1705;
(5) A daughter; probably died young.
He inherited extensive estates in Meath, Louth and Dublin from his grandfather in 1639, but forfeited them in 1642, and at the Restoration recovered only Trimlestown Castle and 2,000 acres adjoining it. He had a parliamentary grant of 1,462 acres at Monivea (Galway).
He died at Monivea, 17 September 1667 and was buried at Kilconnell Abbey (Co. Galway), where he is commorated by an inscription*; administration of his goods was granted 28 September 1674 and 28 March 1681. His wife was living in 1650 but her date of death is unknown.
* The inscription reads: "Here lyeth the body of Mathyas Barnewall the 12th Lord Baron of Trimblestowne who being transplanted into Connaght with others, by orders of the usurper Cromwell, dyed at Moinivae, the 17th of September 1667 for whome this monument was made by his sonne Robert Barnewall the 13th Lord of Trimblestowne. Here lyeth also his unckle Richard Barnewall, James Barnewall who dyed Creggan the 2nd October 1672, and James Barnewall of Aughrim. God hae mercy on theire soules."
Barnewall, Robert (c.1640-87), 9th Baron Trimlestown. Eldest and only surviving son of Matthias Barnewall (c.1614-67), 8th Baron Trimlestown, and his wife Jane, youngest daughter of 1st Viscount Netterville, born about 1640. He succeeded his father as 9th Baron, 17 September 1667, and was granted a state pension of £100 a year by King Charles II in 1671 which was continued by King James II. He was evidently a devout man, for shortly before his death he erected stones asking for the prayers of the people at the Holy Well of Tullaghanogue and the Well of Eskeroon, at which there were then large attendances for Patron Day celebrations. He married, 1668 (contract 20 July), Margaret (d. 1678), daughter of Sir William Dangan, 2nd bt., and sister of William Dangan, 1st Earl of Limerick, and had issue:
(1) Matthias Barnewall (c.1670-92), 10th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.);
(2) John Barnewall (1672-1746), [de jure 11th Baron Trimlestown] (q.v.);
(3) Hon. Jane Barnewall; died aged thirteen;
(4) Hon. Bridget Barnewall; married her cousin, Maj-Gen. Christopher Nugent (c.1655-1731), eldest son of Francis Nugent of Dardistown, an officer in the Jacobite and French armies who took part in the 1715 Jacobite invasion of Scotland, and had issue at least six children, including at least two sons;
(5) Hon. Dympna Barnewall; married, 1697 (contract 6 June), Richard Shee (1660-1748) of Sheestown, son of Marcus Shee, and had issue four sons and one daughter;
(6) Hon. Catharine Barnewall; married Nicholas Barnewall of Baggstown and Woodpark (Co. Meath), and had issue;
(7) Hon. Mary Barnewall (d. 1740); married Michael Nugent (d. 1739) of Carlanstown and had issue two sons and three daughters; died at Bath, 1740.
He recovered the family estates within the Pale which had not been returned to his father in 1667, and inherited Trimlestown and Monivea from his father in the same year.
He died in June 1687 and was buried at Trimlestown. His wife died 5 November 1678 and was buried at Trimlestown.
Barnewall, Matthias (c.1670-92), 10th Baron Trimlestown. Elder son of Robert Barnewall (c.1640-87), 9th Baron Trimlestown, and his wife Margaret, daughter of Sir William Dangan, 2nd bt., born about 1670. He succeeded his father as 10th Baron in June 1687 and sat in James II's Irish Parliament in May 1689. He served as an officer in Viscount Galmoye's Cavalry in 1689 (Capt.) and was Colonel of a Jacobite regiment of foot after the Battle of the Boyne, 1690. On that account he was attainted 16 April 1691 and his title and estates were forfeited. He was in Limerick during the second siege and being a hostage for the terms of surrender, 26 September 1691, was included in the terms of the Treaty of Limerick, 3 October 1691. He then went to France and served as a Lieutenant in the Duke of Berwick's 1st Troop of Horse Guards, in which service he was killed in action in a victorious cavalry charge at the Battle of Roumont. He was unmarried and without issue.
He inherited Trimlestown and the other family estates in Meath, Louth and Co. Dublin from his father in 1689, but forfeited them on his attainder in 1691.
He was killed in action, 8 September 1692.
Barnewall, John (1672-1746), de jure 11th Baron Trimlestown. Younger son of Robert Barnewall (c.1640-87), 9th Baron Trimlestown, and his wife Margaret, daughter of Sir William Dangan, 2nd bt., born 1672. He succeeded his elder brother as de jure 11th Baron on 8 September 1692, and managed to recover the family estates (which had been granted to Henry, 1st Earl Romney) by July 1695, but his plea to be restored to the title was rejected in 1697. In December 1698 he was indicted for 'foreign treasons', apparently after it became known that as a child he had held a commission as an Ensign in King James' Guards in France, which his relations had procured for him to provide the means for his education on the Continent. He was pardoned for this in 1698 and his estates were finally confirmed to him in 1701. Although the attainder remained in place and he was not summoned to Parliament, he and his successors used the title Lord Trimlestown and it was widely acknowledged for all but the most formal legal purposes. He married, 1703 (contract 28 April), Mary (aka Margaret) (d. 1771), daughter and heiress of Sir John Barnewall, kt. of Ballybrittas (Offaly), a Baron of the Exchequer, second son of Sir Patrick Barnewall, bt. of Crickstown, and had issue:
(1) Robert Barnewall (c.1704-79), de jure 12th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.);
(2) John Barnewall (c.1706-76), born about 1706; lived near Toulouse (France) and became a naturalised Frenchman, 1745; had licence to act as a land agent in France, 1746; married, 1740, in France, Lady Waters, but died without issue, 1776;
(3) Richard Barnewall (b. c.1708; fl. 1768) (q.v.);
(4) Thomasine Barnewall (d. 1788); married, 9 February 1729/30, Jenico Preston (1707-57), de jure 10th Viscount Gormanston, and had issue three sons and five daughters; died 16 January 1788 and was buried at Notre Dame aux Fonds, Liege, Flanders;
(5) Thomas Barnewall; an officer in French service; married there; died at the 'battle of Lansfield', which I have not been able to identify;
(6) James Barnewall; an officer in Spanish service; died in Spain;
(7) Margaret Barnewall (d. 1764); married, January 1736, James Butler (d. 1742), 8th Viscount Mountgarret, but had no issue; died June 1764;
(8) Anthony Barnewall (1721-39), born 1721; joined General Hamilton's regiment of cuirassiers in the Austrian service, 1738 (Cornet, 1738; Lt., 1739); died as a result of his 'headlong bravery' at the Battle of Krotzka, where the Austrians were defeated by the Turks, 22 July 1739;
(9) Bridget Barnewall (c.1723-62), born about 1723; married, 6 April 1753, Robert Martin of Dangan (Galway) and Ballinahinch Castle; died 2 February 1762.
(10) Catherine Barnewall; died unmarried.
He recovered possession of Trimlestown Castle and the other family estates in Meath, Louth and Co. Dublin in about 1697.
He died 7 April 1746 and was buried at Trimlestown, where he was commemorated by a monument; his will was proved in Dublin, 11 April 1746. His widow died in Dublin, 1 November 1771 and was buried at Trimlestown; her will was proved in Dublin, 15 November 1771.
Barnewall, Robert (c.1704-79), de jure 12th Baron Trimlestown. Eldest son of John Barnewall (1672-1746), de jure 11th Baron Trimlestown, and his wife Mary, daughter and heiress of Sir John Barnewall of Ballybrittas (Co. Offaly), born about 1705. Educated privately and then travelled for some years in France, where he studied medicine and botany, and developed a considerable reputation for his skill as a physician. When he returned to Ireland on his father's death he took with him a collection of rare botanical specimens from which some of his remedies were derived, and he constructed a greenhouse at Trimlestown for them, as well as an aviary. He was widely consulted on medical matters by the Leinster gentry, and Richard Lovell Edgeworth records a remarkable story of a lady being cured of depression at his house by a bizarre remedy. He also offered free consultations to the poor people of his district, reserving Fridays for this purpose. In politics, he saw himself as a representative of the Anglo-Norman Catholic gentry of Ireland and wished to play a part in alleviating the legal disabilities of the Catholic population. He ignored the merchant-led structures for representing the Irish Catholics, and between 1759 and 1762 made overtures to the Government which were rebuffed. The Government's need for soldiers in the War of American Independence created a more favourable climate and in 1775 he helped to develop a form of oath of allegiance which would allow Irish Catholics to join the army and which was acceptable to the Catholic population. This in turn laid the foundations for subsequent Catholic relief measures. Failing health prevented him remaining in control of events, however, and his last political act was to put his name at the head of the Catholic loyal address to the incoming Viceroy, the Earl of Buckinghamshire, in 1777. He married 1st, about 1733, Margaret (d. c.1740), daughter of James Rochfort of Laragh (Co. Kildare), 2nd, by 1757, Elizabeth (d. c.1775), daughter of John Colt of Brightlingsea (Essex), and 3rd, 13 June 1778 at St George, Hanover Sq., London, Anne Cotten (1756-1831), fifth daughter of William Hervey of London, merchant, and had issue:
(1.1) John Barnewall (b. c.1734), born about 1734; died young in the lifetime of his father;
(1.2) James Barnewall (b. c.1735), born about 1735; died young in the lifetime of his father;
(1.3) Mathias Barnewall (c.1737-67), born about 1737; conformed to the Church of Ireland in about January 1763; died unmarried in the lifetime of his father, 8 February 1767; will proved in Dublin, 14 May 1784;
(1.4) Thomas Barnewall (c.1739-96), 13th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.);
(2.1) Joseph Barnewall (c.1757-82), born about 1757; executor to his mother, 1781; died at Mount Anville (Co. Dublin), June 1782; will proved in Dublin, 1782.
He lived in France until the death of his father, after which he returned to Ireland. At the time of his third marriage he was described as 'of Tooting in the county of Surrey'.
He died 6 December 1779 and was buried at Trimlestown, where he was commemorated by a monument; his will was proved in Dublin in 1785. His first wife died about 1740 in France. His second wife died between 20 March 1775 and 13 June 1778; her will was proved 12 May 1781 and a further grant of administration was made, 26 March 1782. His widow, who lived latterly in Plymouth and received a small state pension, died 24 June 1831; her will was proved 22 July 1831.
Barnewall, Thomas (c.1739-96), 13th Baron Trimlestown. Only surviving son of Robert Barnewall (c.1704-79), de jure 12th Baron Trimlestown, and his first wife, Margaret, daughter of James Rochfort of Laragh (Co. Kildare), born about 1739. He was brought up as a Roman Catholic and was invested as a Knight of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, but conformed to the Church of Ireland soon after his brother's death in 1767. He joined the Irish Volunteer Force, 1779-80. He succeeded his father as de jure 12th Baron, 6 December 1779, but remained in France until the French Revolution, when he fled to Ireland, leaving his property in France in the hands of a notary called Pugens, who acted for him until the property was seized by the revolutionary government in 1793. He secured the reversal of the outlawry and attainder of the 8th and 10th Barons by the Court of Kings Bench in 1795, after which he petitioned the king for a writ of summons to the Irish House of Lords, which was granted on 3 March 1795. He died unmarried and without issue.
He lived in France until 1790 but fled to his estates in Ireland after the French Revolution.
He died intestate, 24 or 29 December 1796.
Barnewall, Richard (b. c.1708; fl. 1768). Third son of John Barnewall (1672-1746), de jure 11th Baron Trimlestown, and his wife Mary, daughter and heiress of Sir John Barnewall of Ballybrittas (Co. Offaly), baptised at St Paul, Dublin, 3 January 1708/9. In 1741 he founded a lodge of freemasons at Toulouse. He received a French patent of nobility in 1768 and was known in France as the Comte or Marquis Barnewall. He married, 1725, his distant cousin Frances Barnewall (1700-35), daughter of Nicholas Barnewall, 3rd Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland [for whom see below], and had issue:
(1) Nicholas Barnewall (1726-1813), 14th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.);
(2) John Barnewall (fl. 1780); a Major in the Austrian army; died unmarried;
(3) Henry Barnewall; died unmarried and without issue.
He lived in France, near Toulouse.
His died after 1768. His wife died 19 March 1735.
Barnewall, Nicholas (1726-1813), 14th Baron Trimlestown. Elder son of Richard Barnewall (fl. 1726-68) and his wife Frances, daughter of Nicholas Barnewall, 3rd Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland, born 29 June 1726. He was a leading figure in freemasonry in Toulouse until he fled to England from the French Revolution in about 1790. He succeeded his cousin as 14th Baron, 24/29 December 1796. In 1799 he was President of the Bath Harmonic Society and presumably then living in that city. He married 1st, 1 November 1768, Maria Henrietta (c.1730-82), only daughter of Joseph d'Auguin, President of the Parliament of Toulouse (France), and 2nd, 8 August 1797, Alicia (1773-1860), second daughter of Lt-Gen. Charles Eustace of Robertstown (Co. Kildare), and had issue:
(1.1) Richard Barnewall (b. 1770), born August 1770; died in infancy;
(1.2) Hon. Rosalie Barnewall (c.1771-1864), born about 1771; married, 3 December 1795, Peter, Count D'Alton (d. 1851) of Grenanstown (Co. Tipperary), and had issue two sons and one daughter; died in Florence (Italy), 2 February 1864;
(1.3) John Thomas Barnewall (1773-1839), 15th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.).
After his marriage, he lived at the Chateau Lamirolles, Verdun-sur-Garonne until the French Revolution, when he fled to England, and he subsequently divided his time between England and Ireland. He inherited Turvey House and the Barnewall estates at Roebuck (Co. Dublin) and in Galway and Offaly on the death of the 5th Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland in 1800, and entailed these estates on his male heirs in 1812. He fitted up one room in Roebuck Castle as a theatre before 1795, but sold the castle soon after 1800. In London he had a town house in Portland Place by 1810.
He died 17 April 1813. His will, which made extensive provision for his widow, was proved in Dublin in 1813 but contested by his son, and although a compromise was agreed in 1833 she did not actually receive anything until 1847! His first wife died in May 1782. His widow married 2nd, 24 July 1814 at Donabate (Co. Dublin), Lt-Gen. Sir Evan Lloyd (1768-1846) of Ferney Hall (Shrops.) and had issue one son and two daughters; she died at Stanton Lacy House (Shrops.), 25 November 1860.
Barnewall, John Thomas (1773-1839), 15th Baron Trimlestown. Only surviving son of Nicholas Barnewall (1726-1813), 14th Baron Trimlestown, and his first wife, Maria Henrietta, only daughter of Joseph d'Auguin of Toulouse (France), born in France, 29 January 1773. Member of the Royal Irish Academy. In 1812 The Globe noted that he had 'distinguished himself by some eloquent and impressive addresses' at popular assemblies in support of Catholic emancipation. He succeeded his father as 15th Baron, 17 April 1813, but was aggrieved by the terms of his will, which he felt made an unreasonably generous provision for his stepmother. He accordingly tried to have the will overturned on the grounds of her undue influence, and the matter was not finally settled until shortly before his death; he was also at law with his stepmother in a dispute over the arrangements for the payment of her jointure, which was not settled until 1843. He seems also, from the terms of his will, to have fallen out with his son and daughter-in-law, who received no share of his personal effects. He married, 16 January 1793, Maria Theresa (d. 1824), daughter of the Irish scientist and eccentric, Richard Kirwan of Cregg Castle (Co. Galway), and had issue:
(1) Thomas Barnewall (1796-1879), 16th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.);
(2) Hon. Martha Henrietta Barnewall (1800-36), baptised at Bath RC Church, 28 July 1800; died unmarried in Bath, 10 April 1836.
After the death of his wife he apparently solaced himself with mistresses: his 'dear friend' Eugenia Ponti who lived with him in Naples (to whom he left 50,000 francs*), 'Heloisa Goury Widow Parry' in London, who was one of his principal legatees, and Caroline, Marquise de Bailliet in Paris (to whom he left 40,000 francs*).
He inherited Turvey House from his father in 1813. He had a house in London, adjoining Grosvenor House, which was purchased after his death by the Marquess of Westminster and demolished to allow the enlargement of Grosvenor House. He seems also to have had a house in Paris, the contents of which were dispersed to friends and relatives by his will, and at the time of his death he was living at the Palazzo Calabritti in Naples.
He died in Naples (Italy), 7 October 1839; his will was proved 18 February 1840. His wife died 10 September or 12 October 1824.
* 50,000 fr. was about £2,000 and 40,000 fr. about £1,600 at the then prevailing rate of exchange.
Barnewall, Thomas (1796-1879), 16th Baron Trimlestown. Only son of John Thomas Barnewall (1773-1839), 15th Baron Trimlestown, and his wife Maria Theresa, daughter of Richard Kirwan of Cregg (Co. Galway), born 14 April 1796. High Sheriff of Co. Dublin, 1830. He succeeded his father as 16th Baron, 7 October 1839, and continued his father's legal dispute with his grandfather's widow until judgement was finally given against him in 1843. He was a founder member of the Society for Irishmen in London, 1844, and in 1848 was one of the few Catholic gentry to join the nationalist Irish Confederacy. He married, 3 November 1836 at Twickenham (Middx), Margaret Randalina (d. 1872), daughter of Philip Roche, and had issue:
(1) A son (b. & d. 1837), born 22 August 1837; died in infancy, 27 August 1837;
(2) Hon. Anna Maria Louisa Barnewall (1839-1914), born 8 May 1839; married, 4 June 1868, Robert Henry Elliot DL (1837-1914) of Clifton Park (Roxburghs.) and Ballybrittas (Co. Offaly), and had issue one son; died at sea on S.S. Arabia, 16 April 1914 and was buried at Linton (Roxburghs.); her will was confirmed 27 January 1915 (estate £1,475).
He inherited Turvey House from his father in 1839, but leased it out. His gave up the lease on his father's London town house in exchange for what is now 129 Park Lane, which he remodelled in 1853 to the designs of Thomas Cundy II (for the Grosvenor estate) and George Legg (for Lord Trimlestown).
He died 4 August 1879 and was buried at Linton; his will was proved 6 September 1879 (effects in England under £80,000; in Ireland, £6,518). His wife died at Ryde (Isle of Wight), 4 September 1872; administration of her goods was granted 17 December 1872 (effects under £9,000).
Barnewall, Hon. Patrick (b. c.1600). Second son of Robert Barnewall (c.1574-1639), 7th Baron Trimlestown, and his wife Genet, daughter of Thomas Talbot of Dardistown (Co. Meath), born in or shortly before 1600. He married 1st, Katherine, daughter of Robert Barnewall of Bremore (Co. Dublin) and 2nd, Katherine, daughter of Mathew King of Co. Kildare, and had issue:
(1.1) Christopher Barnewall (fl. 1670) (q.v.).
His date of death is unknown. His first wife's date of death is unknown. His second wife's date of death is unknown.
Barnewall, Christopher (fl. 1670). Only recorded son of the Hon. Patrick Barnewall (fl. 1600) and his first wife, Katherine, daughter of Robert Barnewall of Bremore (Co. Dublin). He married 1st, [forename unknown], daughter of Gerald Nangle of Kildalkey (Co. Meath), and 2nd, 1670, Jane, daughter of Edward Tuite of Trimlestown, and had issue including:
(1.1) Richard Barnewall (d. 1718) (q.v.);
(1.2) Patrick Barnewall; died without issue;
(1.3) Garrett Barnewall;
(1.4) Peter Barnewall.
He lived at Woodtown (Co. Meath).
His date of death is unknown. His wife's date of death is unknown.
Barnewall, Richard (d. 1718). Eldest son of Christopher Barnewall and his wife, [forename unknown], daughter of Gerald Nangle of Kildalkey (Co. Meath). He married 1st, Aminett, sister of James Barnewall of Bremore (Co. Dublin) and widow of James Caddell, and 2nd, 3 March 1712, Bridget (d. 1755), daughter of Henry Piers of Ballydrimney (Co. Meath), and had issue:
(1.1) Elizabeth Barnewall; married Henry Plunkett;
(2.1) Christopher Barnewall (b. 1715) (q.v.);
(2.2) Anne Barnewall (d. 1740); died unmarried.
He lived at Clonylogan.
He died in February 1717/8. His first wife died before 1712. His widow married 2nd, 1723, Robert Barnewall (b. 1702) of Moyrath (Co. Meath), son of Bartholomew Barnewall of Ballyhost (Co. Westmeath) and had further issue one son; she died in 1755.
Barnewall, Christopher (b. 1715). Only son of Richard Barnewall (d. 1718) and his second wife, Bridget, daughter of Henry Piers of Ballydrimney (Co. Meath), born 1715. He married Cecilia, daughter of Matthew Dowdall of Clone (Co. Meath) and had issue:
(1) Richard Barnewall (c.1744-1827) (q.v.);
(2) Anne Barnewall; married, 13 October 1777, Columbus Drake (1750-1806) of Roristown (Co. Meath), elder son of Patrick Drake of Drakerath (Co. Meath), and had issue two sons and three daughters.
He lived at Fyanstown.
His date of death is unknown. His wife's date of death is unknown.
Barnewall, Richard (c.1744-1826). Only son of Christopher Barnewall (b. 1715) and his wife Cecilia, daughter of Matthew Dowdall of Clone (Co. Meath), born about 1744. In 1812, the 14th Baron settled the Turvey House estate on him and his descendants so that it continued to accompany the Trimlestown peerage. He married, 1764. Katherine (d. 1823?), daughter of George Byrne of Seatown, Dundalk (Co. Louth) and had issue:
(1) Christopher Barnewall (1765-1849) (q.v.);
(2) Patrick Barnewall (c.1773-1854); lived at Causestown; married Barbara (d. 1862), daughter of Thomas Everard of Randalstown (Co. Meath) but had no issue; died at Dalkey (Co. Dublin), 4 August 1854;
(3) Joseph Barnewall (1781-1852) [for whom see below, Barnewall of Bloomsbury];
(4) Cecilia Barnewall; married 1st, John Connolly of New Haggard (Co. Meath) and 2nd, Charles Nangle (c.1786-1847) of New Haggard and Kildalkey, son of Walter Nangle, who died bankrupt.
He lived at Fyanstown.
He died aged 82 at Greenanstown (Co. Meath) in June 1826. His wife is said to have died in 1823.
Barnewall, Christopher (1765-1849). Eldest son of Richard Barnewall (c.1744-1826) and his wife Katherine, daughter of George Byrne of Seatown, Dundalk (Co. Louth), born 3 September 1765. He married, November 1793, Anne (1772-1819?), daughter of Charles Aylmer of Painstown, and had issue including:
(1) Esmay Mary Catherine Barnewall (1794-1879), born October 1794; married, 29 September 1836 at Ardbraccan (Co. Meath), Sir Aylmer John Barnewall (1789-1838), 9th bt., of Greenanstown (Co. Meath), and had issue one son; died in London, 5 March 1879, and was buried at Kensal Green Cemetery;
(2) Charles Barnewall (c.1800-73) (q.v.);
(3) Cecilia Barnewall (c.1801-82); died unmarried aged 80 in Dublin, 3 January 1882;
(4) Anne Barnewall (b. c.1803), born about 1803; died unmarried and possibly young;
(5) Jane Barnewall (c.1804-81); died unmarried, 20 January 1881;
(6) Richard Barnewall (c.1806-89), born about 1806; died 11 March 1889;
(7) Mary Barnewall (b. c.1808), born about 1808; died unmarried and possibly young.
He lived at Meadstown (Co. Meath), where he was a tenant in 1805 but may have purchased the freehold when it was sold in that year.
He died in Dublin aged 84 on 14 August 1849. His wife is said to have died 14 August 1819.
Barnewall, Charles (c.1800-73). Elder son of Christopher Barnewall (c.1775-1849) and his wife Anne, daughter of Charles Aylmer of Painstown, born about 1800. JP for Co. Meath. In 1836 he was a member of the provisional committee promoting the Dublin & Drogheda Railway. Throughout his life, he was a locally prominent leader of the Catholic causes and campaigns, including those for the repeal of the Union, opposition to tithes and securing the rights of Catholic tenants. He married 1st, Katherine, daughter of John Connolly of New Haggard (Co. Meath) and 2nd, 9 October 1844 at St Michan's RC Church, Dublin, Letitia (c.1825-86), daughter of Gerald Aylmer of Lyons, and had issue:
(2.1) Hon. Katherine Barnewall (1845-1928); a nun at Wicklow as Sister Mary Dominic; granted the rank of a baron's daughter, 2 August 1893; died 15 July 1928;
(2.2) Christopher Patrick Mary Barnewall (1846-91), de jure 17th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.);
(2.3) Hon. Anna Maria Barnewall (1848-1930), baptised 8 October 1848 at Templenoe (Co. Kerry); granted the rank of a baron's daughter, 2 August 1893; died unmarried, 10 November 1930; will proved 13 January 1931 (estate £548);
(2.4) Hon. Esmay (aka Esmina) Barbara Mary Barnewall (1850-1910), baptised at St Michael's RC church, Kingstown, Dublin, 30 May 1850; granted the rank of a baron's daughter, 2 August 1893; married, 21 November 1883 at St Andrew RC Church, Dublin, Nicholas Francis Haly Coppinger (1831-1905) of Monkstown (Co. Dublin) and had issue one son and one daughter; committed suicide, 6 April 1910; administration of goods (with will annexed) granted 27 April 1910 (estate £2,474);
(2.5) Hon. Mary Jane Barnewall (1851-1919), baptised at St Michael's RC church, Kingstown, Dublin, 11 September 1851; a sister of Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Lismore, New South Wales (Australia) as Sister Berchmans; granted the rank of a baron's daughter, 2 August 1893; died 18 August 1919;
(2.6) Hon. Helen Cecilia Mary Barnewall (1853-1936), baptised at St Michael's RC church, Kingstown, Dublin, 22 November 1853; granted the rank of a baron's daughter, 2 August 1893; died unmarried, 14 October 1936; will proved 19 December 1936 (estate £6,201);
(2.7) Hon. Letitia Fanny Barnewall (1855-1933), born 12 February and baptised at St Michael's RC church, Kingstown, Dublin, 18 February 1855; a sister of Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Lismore, New South Wales as Sister Ignatius; granted the rank of a baron's daughter, 2 August 1893; died 31 January 1933;
(2.8) Gerald Aylmer Barnewall (1856-71), born 8 May and baptised at St Michael's RC church, Kingstown, Dublin, 13 May 1856; died young, 2 July 1871;
(2.9) Hon. Angelina Barnewall (b. 1857), baptised at St Michael's RC church, Kingstown, Dublin, 7 October 1857; a Sister of Mercy at Arklow (Co. Wicklow); granted the rank of a baron's daughter, 2 August 1893; death not traced;
(2.10) Hon. Cecilia Mary Barnewall (1859-1908), baptised at St Michael's RC church, Kingstown, Dublin, 6 May 1859; granted the rank of a baron's daughter, 2 August 1893; married, 5 October 1907, Maj. Henry Chamney CMG, son of Rev. Joseph Chamney DD of Ard Ronan (Co. Louth); died without issue at Rustenberg, Transvaal (South Africa), 11 July 1908; will proved 17 April 1909 (estate £635);
(2.11) Hon. Marcella Mary Barnewall (1862-1930), born 10 October and baptised at Dalkey (Co. Dublin), 16 October 1862; granted the rank of a baron's daughter, 2 August 1893; died unmarried, 29 October 1930; will proved 12 December 1930 (estate £1,234);
(2.12) Charles Aloysius Barnewall (1861-1937), 18th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.);
(2.13) Hon. Margaret Barnewall (1864-1916), born at Athboy (Co. Meath), 31 January 1864; granted the rank of a baron's daughter, 2 August 1893; married, 19 January 1899 at St Andrew RC Church, Dublin, Bertrand Thomas Lambert (who m2, 12 June 1923 Julia More-O'Ferrell), son of Ambrose Lambert, but had no issue; died 17 July 1916; will proved 5 September 1916 (estate £287).
He lived at Meadstown and had a house at 72 Eccles St., Dublin.
He died in Dublin, 2 May 1873; administration of his goods was granted 9 February 1881 (effects under £200). His widow died 3 March 1886.
Barnewall, Christopher Patrick Mary (1846-91), de jure 17th Baron Trimlestown. Eldest son of Charles Barnewall (d. 1873) of Meadstown and his second wife Letitia, daughter of Gerald Aylmer of Lyons, born 6 October 1846. He succeeded his distant cousin as 17th Baron, 4 August 1879, but did not seek to prove his title to the peerage until 1889 and died before the process was completed. He was unmarried and without issue.
He inherited Turvey House from the 16th Baron in 1879, but the property was let throughout his tenure.
He died 10 September 1891; his will was proved 29 October 1891 (estate £2,202).
Barnewall, Charles Aloysius (1861-1937), 18th Baron Trimlestown. Third son of Charles Barnewall (d. 1873) of Meadstown and his second wife Letitia, daughter of Gerald Aylmer of Lyons, born 14 May and baptised at St Michael's RC church, Kingstown, Dublin, 17 May 1861. As a young man he travelled extensively, but after his brother's death he returned from Australia to Ireland. His elder brother having died in 1891 without establishing his right to the peerage, he proved his claim in 1893 and succeeded as 18th Baron. DL for Co. Dublin. He was a director of the Old Bushmills Distillery Company (resigned 1898). He married 1st, 26 October 1889, Margaret Theresa (c.1869-1901), daughter of Richard John Stephens of Brisbane, Queensland (Australia), 2nd, 10 December 1907, Mabel Florence (d. 1914), daughter of William Robert Shuff of Torquay (Devon), and 3rd, 12 August 1930 at Christ Church, Eltham (Kent), Josephine Francesca (d. 1945), daughter of Rt. Hon. Sir Christopher John Nixon, 1st bt., Vice-Chancellor of the National University of Ireland, and had issue:
(1.1) Hon. Ivy Esmay Myee Barnewall (1890-1971), born 14 September 1890; married 1st, 30 April 1917, John Radcliff (d. 1953) of Nigerian civil service, eldest son of George Edward Radcliff JP of Wilmount, Kells (Co. Meath) and had issue one son (killed in action in Second World War); married 2nd, 30 April 1956, John Kidd (d. 1958), son of Thomas Kidd of Linares (Spain); said to have died in 1971, possibly in Cape Town (South Africa);
(1.2) Hon. Marcella Hilda Charlotte Barnewall (1893-1965), born 29 June 1893; married, 4 July 1917, Maj. Charles Bathurst MC (d. 1942), son of Lancelot Bathurst, but had no issue; died 11 September 1965;
(1.3) Hon. Letitia Anne Margaret Barnewall (1895-1938), born 23 September 1895; married, 11 June 1919 at Corpus Christi RC church, Maiden Lane, London, Lt-Col. Cuthbert Hanson Townsend (1872-1956) of Ewell (Surrey), son of Vice-Adm. Samuel Philip Townsend, and had issue one son; died 2 May 1938; will proved 12 July 1938 (estate £2,645);
(1.4) Hon. Reginald Nicholas Francis Mary Barnewall (1897-1918), born 24 September 1897; an officer in the Leinster Regiment (Capt.) in First World War; died unmarried in the lifetime of his father when he died of wounds received in action, 24 March 1918; buried at Bronfay Farm Military Cemetery, Bray-sur-Somme (France); administration of goods granted 19 July 1918 (estate £1,908);
(1.5) Charles Aloysius Barnewall (1899-1990), 19th Baron Trimestown (q.v.);
(1.6) Hon. Geraldine Christina Marjory Barnewall (1900-02), born 14 June 1900; died young, 23 June 1902.
He inherited Turvey House, which was tenanted, from his father in 1891, but sold it in c.1902. In 1907 he inherited Bloomsbury House from his distant cousin, Katherine Barnewall (c.1824-1907), but he sold it in about 1920. He lived at Loughlinstown (Co. Dublin) and in London, and is said to have still owned 6,000 acres in Ireland at the time of his death.
He died 26 January 1937 and was buried at Mortlake (Surrey), 3 February 1937. His first wife died 9 January 1901. His second wife died 16 March 1914; her will was proved 25 April 1914 (estate £1,234 in England and £1,427 in Ireland). His widow died 15 June 1945; her will was proved 11 January 1946 (estate £9,452).
Barnewall, Charles Aloysius (1899-1990), 19th Baron Trimlestown. Second but eldest surviving son of Charles Aloysius Barnewall (1861-1937), 18th Baron Trimlestown, and his first wife Margaret Theresa, daughter of Richard John Stephens of Brisbane, Queensland (Australia), born 2 June 1899. Educated at Ampleforth. He served as an officer in the Irish Guards (2nd Lt.) in the First World War. He succeeded his father as 19th Baron, 26 January 1937. He married 1st, 16 June 1926, Muriel (1894-1937), only child of Edward Oskar Schneider of Mansfield Lodge, Whalley Range, Manchester, and 2nd, 7 May 1952, Freda Kathleen (1911-87), daughter of Alfred Allan Watkins of Ross-on-Wye (Herefs), and had issue:
(1.1) Anthony Edward Barnewall (1928-97), 20th Baron Trimlestown, born 2 February 1928; educated at Ampleforth; served in the Irish Guards, 1946-48, and was a naval architect, 1949-53; sales executive with P&O Shipping Company, 1965-74; succeeded his father as 20th Baron, 9 October 1990; lived at Boxford (Suffk) and later at Grand Rapids, Michigan (USA); married 1st, 30 September 1963 (div. 1973), Lorna Margaret Marion (1934-88), daughter of Charles Douglas Ramsey and 2nd, 14 May 1977, Mary Wonderly (1925-2006), elder daughter of Judge Thomas Francis McAllister of Grand Rapids, Michigan and formerly wife of Frederick Reese Brown (1915-2007), but had no issue; died 21 August 1997;
(1.2) Hon. Diana Barnewall (b. 1929), born 13 October 1929; lived at Farnham (Surrey) and later at Rogate (Sussex); married, 30 October 1954 at the Brompton Oratory, London, Anthony Gerard Astley Birtwhistle (b. 1928), youngest son of James Astley Birtwhistle of Hoghton (Lancs) and Wroxham (Oxon), and had issue four daughters;
(1.3) Raymond Charles Barnewall (1930-2024), 21st Baron Trimlestown, born 29 December 1930; educated at Ampleforth; undertook National Service in Northern Ireland, 1949-51; dairy farmer at Dartington (Devon) until retirement; succeeded his elder brother as 21st Baron, 21 August 1997; died unmarried and without issue, 10 January 2024, when the peerage became extinct or dormant.
He lived at Epsom (Surrey) and subsequently at Dartington (Devon) and Chiddingfold (Surrey).
He died 9 October 1990; will proved 14 November 1990 (estate under £115,000). His first wife died 22 June 1937; her will was proved 13 August 1937 (estate £229). His second wife died 5 May 1987; her will was proved 18 September 1987 (estate under £70,000).
De Barneval, Sir Christopher (fl. 1386). Son of Nicholas de Berneval of Crickstown (Co. Meath) and his wife, [forename unknown] Clifford. He succeeded his father by 1386. He married Eleanor, daughter of Sir Nicholas Rochford of Rathcoffie (Co. Kildare) and Kilbride (Co. Meath), and had issue:
(1) Sir Christopher Barnewall (d. 1446) [for whom see above, Barnewall of Trimlestown Castle]
(2) John Barnewall (fl. 1436) (q.v.);
(3) Barnaby Barnewall; a Baron of the Exchequer.
He inherited the Crickstown estate from his father by 1386.
His date of death is unknown.
Barnewall, John (fl. 1436). Second son of Sir Christopher de Barneval (fl. 1386) and his wife Eleanor, daughter of Sir Nicholas Rochford of Rathcoffie (Co. Kildare) and Kilbride (Co. Meath). He was High Sheriff of Co. Meath, 1435-36. He married Genet Netterville of Staffordston, and had issue including:
(1) Sir Richard Barnewall, kt. (q.v.)
He lived at Frankestown (Co. Meath).
His date of death is unknown.
Barnewall, Sir Richard, kt. Only recorded son of John Barnewall (fl. 1436) and his wife Genet Netterville of Staffordston. He married Catherine, daughter and heiress of John de la Field of Fieldston, and had issue including:
(1) Sir Roger Barnewall, kt. (q.v.);
(2) A son; of Staffordston;
(3) A son; of Cawleston near Navan (Co. Meath).
He lived at Fieldston (Co. Dublin)
His date of death is unknown.
Barnewall, Sir Roger (b. c.1472), kt. Only recorded son of Sir Richard Barnewall, kt. and his wife Catherine, daughter and heiress of John de la Field of Fieldston, born about 1472. He married Alison, daughter of Christopher Barnewall, 2nd Baron Trimlestown [for whom see above], and had issue including:
(1) Sir Patrick Barnewall (d. 1552), kt.
He lived at Fieldston, Clonmethan (Co. Dublin)
His date of death is unknown.
Barnewall, Sir Patrick (d. 1552), kt. Only recorded son of Sir Roger Barnewall, kt. and his wife Alison, daughter of Christopher Barnewall, 2nd Baron Trimlestown. Educated at Grays Inn (admitted 1527). King's serjeant-at-law and Solicitor General for Ireland, 1534-50; Master of the Rolls in Ireland, 1550-52. Appointed Customer of Dublin, 1535. He was an MP in the Irish house of Commons, 1536, and initially opposed the dissolution of the monasteries, but was later persuaded to support it, and received extensive grants of ex-monastic property. He was generally regarded as a man of integrity and learning, he knew Irish, and secured the establishment of an Inn of Court (Kings Inns) at Dublin, 1538. He was knighted in 1552 shortly before his death. He married Anne (c.1510-51), eldest daughter of Richard Luttrell of Luttrellstown, and had issue:
(1) Sir Christopher Barnewall (1522-75), kt. (q.v.);
(2) Margaret Barnewall; married her cousin, Sir Patrick Barnewall (d. by 1603), kt. of Crickstown, and had issue three sons;
(3) Elizabeth Barnewall; married Edward Barnewall of Drumenagh (now Drimnagh) Castle (Co. Dublin), and had issue two sons;
(4) Catherine Barnewall; married James Everard (1551-1611) of Randlestown and had issue two sons.
He inherited Fieldston from his father, and also owned property at Gracedieu (which he was granted after dissolution in 1541) (Co. Dublin). He also acquired the possessions of the Monastery at Knocktopher (Co. Kilkenny), and a lease of the possessions of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin in the parishes of Swords and Clonmethan (Co. Dublin).
He died 13 November 1552 and was buried in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, where he was a lay brother. His wife died in 1551.
Barnewall, Sir Christopher (1522-75), kt. Only son of Sir Patrick Barnewall (d. 1552), kt., and his wife Anne, eldest daughter of Richard Luttrell of Luttrellstown. He probably studied law in England, although there is no record of him in the inns of court. Steward and Receiver of the lands of the Earl of Ormonde within the Pale, 1556; High Sheriff of Co. Dublin, 1560-61. MP for Co. Dublin, 1559-60, 1568-71, where he emerged as the leader of the Anglo-Irish landowners of the Pale opposed to the Court party supporting Sir Henry Sidney, the Lord Deputy. His supporters attempted to secure his election as Speaker of the Irish Parliament but this failed, and he was reduced to harrying the administration both in the courts and in parliament. In 1569 he sheltered the future Catholic martyr, Edmund Campion (1540-81) at Turvey before he fled to France. He was described by his son-in-law, Richard Stanyhurst as "the lantern and light as well of his house as of that part of Ireland where he dwelt, who being sufficiently well furnished with the knowledge of the Latin tongue as of the common law of England, was zealously bent on the reformation of his country; a deep and a wise gentleman, spare of speech and therewithal pithy, wholly addicted to gravity....very upright in dealing, measuring all his affairs with the safety of conscience, as true as steel....fast to his friend, stout in a good quarrel, a great householder....of nature mild, rather choosing to pleasure where he might harm than harm where he might pleasure", in a passage quoted in Hollinshed's Chronicles. He married his father's ward, Marian (d. 1607), daughter of Patrick Sharl or Sherle of Shallon (Co. Meath), and had issue:
(1) John Barnewall; died in infancy;
(2) Sir Patrick Barnewall, kt. (c.1558-1622) (q.v.);
(3) Lawrence Barnewall; died unmarried;
(4) James Barnewall; died young;
(5) John Barnewall (d. 1599) of Flemington; married Cicely, daughter of Alderman Henry Cusack of Dublin and widow of Christopher St. Lawrence (d. 1589), 8th Baron Howth (from whom she had been separated on the grounds of his cruelty and physical abuse), and had issue one son; died 10 May 1599, after which his widow married for a third time;
(6) Catherine Barnewall; married Thomas Finglas of Westpalstown;
(7) Margaret Barnewall (d. 1576); married, Nicholas St. Lawrence (c.1550-1607), 9th Baron Howth (who m2, Mary, daughter of Sir Nicholas White, Master of the Rolls in Ireland and had further issue three sons and three daughters), and had issue two sons and one daughter; died 1576;
(8) Genet or Janet Barnewall (d. 1579); married Richard Stanyhurst (1547-1618), of Court Duff, the Irish historian (who m2, before 1585, Helen Copley and later became a Roman Catholic priest in Spain), son of her father's successful rival to be Speaker of the Irish Parliament, James Stanyhurst, recorder of Dublin; died 1579;
(9) Alison Barnewall; married 1st, John Plunkett, son of George Plunkett, but had no issue; married 2nd, Sir Edward FitzGerald (1560-1625), kt. of Tecroghan (Meath) and had issue one son;
(10) Elizabeth Barnewall (d. 1607); married Richard or John Finglas of Westpalstown; died 28 June 1607;
(11) Anne Barnewall (d. 1639); married Sir John Draycott, kt. of Mornington (Co. Meath), son of Henry Draycott, Master of the Rolls, and had issue three sons and three daughters; died 6 February 1639;
(12) Mabel Barnewall (d. 1620); married, as his first wife, Sir Richard Masterson (1545-1627) of Ferns (Co. Wexford) (who m2, as her first husband, Joan (d. 1633), daughter of Richard Butler, 3rd Viscount Mountgarret), and had issue four daughters; died 24 June 1620;
(13) Ismay Barnewall; married Richard Delahyde of Moyclare;
(14) Eleanor Barnewall (d. 1628); married James Dillon (d. 1642), 1st Earl of Roscommon, son and heir of her stepfather, Sir Lucas Dillon, and had issue at least nine children; died 11 October 1628;
(15) Maud Barnewall; married Richard Belinge (1539-99) of Tyrellstown (Co. Meath);
(16) Mary Barnewall; married Patrick Plunkett (d. 1602), 7th Baron Dunsany, and had issue one son;
(17) Marion Barnewall; died in infancy;
(18) Anne Barnewall; died in infancy;
(19) Alison Barnewall; died in infancy;
(20) Mary Barnewall; died in infancy.
He inherited his father's property at Gracedieu (Co. Dublin), and was granted the Turvey estate at Donabate by the Earl of Ormond in 1556, where he built Turvey House in 1565 (according to an inscription recorded as formerly being over the west gate).
He died 5 or 7 July 1575 and was buried at Lusk (Co. Dublin), where he is commemorated by a monument erected by his widow's second husband. His widow married 2nd, c.1578, Sir Lucas Dillon (d. 1595) of Moymet, and died 8 January 1607.
Barnewall, Sir Patrick (c.1558-1622), kt. Eldest surviving son of Sir Christopher Barnewall (1522-75), kt. and his wife Marian, daughter of Patrick Sherle of Shallon (Co. Meath), born about 1558. He was raised as a Catholic, and is thought to have been educated in the Spanish Netherlands, and he may have had some legal training at one of the inns of court, although he does not seem to have been formally admitted there. He was strongly suspected of involvement in the pro-Catholic Baltinglass revolt of 1580, was implicated in the importation of Catholic literature in 1581, and allowed his houses to be used to celebrate mass. His marriage to an Englishwoman allayed doubts about his loyalty and he was knighted in Dublin, 28 February 1588. In a much romanticised episode, Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, eloped with his wife's sister from his house at Turvey in October 1591, but the Earl's decision to go into rebellion made this association deeply embarrassing. He remained loyal to the Crown during the ten-year campaign against Tyrone, sending military advice and intelligence to London, although his criticism of the conduct of the war caused him to be summoned to Court in 1597. In 1600 he was one of the agents sent to London to complain against the abuses committed by the royal army billeted on the pale, and this marks his emergence as a leading spokesman for the Old English Catholic families. In 1605 he was at the centre of a dispute between the King and these families, in which the king issued 'Mandates' to individual prominent citizens to attend a Church of Ireland church on a particular Sunday in the presence of the lord deputy or his council or the president of Munster or Connacht or his council. Sir Patrick declared these were contrary to the law, and he was imprisoned, first in Dublin and then briefly in the Tower of London. The Privy Council examined him but was unable to refute his arguments and in due course he was released; however, after this reverse Irish Catholic lawyers were debarred from appearing before the courts unless they had taken the Oath of Supremacy. He was again summoned to London in 1613, apparently in an attempt to prevent him sitting in the Irish Parliament, and was under house arrest there until July 1614. He married, 1582, Mary (c.1562-1609), daughter of Sir Nicholas Bagenal, kt., Marshal General of the army in Ireland, and had issue including:
(1) Sir Nicholas Barnewall (1592-1663), 1st Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland (q.v.);
(2) Jane Barnewall (c.1594-c.1671); married Col. Rory O'Moore (c.1590-1655) of Ballyna (Co. Kildare), one of the four principal organizers of the Irish Rebellion of 1641, and had issue two or three sons and four daughters;
(3) Mabel alias Margaret Barnewall (fl. 1648); married 1st, Luke Netterville (d. by 1645) of Corballis (Co. Meath), second son of Nicholas Netterville, 1st Viscount Netterville, and had issue two sons; married 2nd, 1646?, Sir Richard Bolton (c.1570-1648), kt., of Brazeel House, Brackenstown (Co. Dublin), Lord Chancellor of Ireland, but had no further issue;
(4) Eleanor Barnewall; married Christopher Fleming (d. 1625), 12th Baron Slane, and had issue six sons and one daughter;
(5) Bridget Barnewall; married James Fleming of Staholmock and Derpatrick, third son of William Fleming, 11th Baron Slane, and had issue.
In 1575 he inherited from his father the greatest patrimony in the pale comprising extensive holdings in Dublin, co. Louth, and co. Meath, including former monastic lands. After 1603 he bought land at Ballyleg aka Ballyloge (Co. Roscommon), where he also had a house.
He died 11 January 1621/2 and was buried at Lusk. His wife died 10 April 1609.
Barnewall, Sir Nicholas (1592-1663), 1st Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland. Son of Sir Patrick Barnewall (d. 1622), kt. and his wife Mary, daughter of Sir Nicholas Bagenal, kt., Marshal General of the army in Ireland, born 1592. Educated at Douai from 1600 and at Grays Inn (admitted 1611). After 1625 he was one of the principal Catholic spokesmen, and as MP for Co. Dublin 1634–35 and 1640–41 he was a prominent opponent of the government. From November 1640 to August 1641 he was in London as a representative of the Irish House of Commons charged with pressing for constitutional reform. When rebellion broke out in November 1641 Barnewall was appointed Governor of Co. Dublin with a commission to raise 300 men to fight the rebels, but since most of his relatives and political associates joined the rebellion and his sympathies clearly lay with the insurgents, this put him in a difficult position. Perhaps because this was recognised, soon after the start of hostilities he travelled to London with the government's permission, and he remained loyal to the Crown; his castle at Ballyloge (Co. Roscommon) even acted as a sanctuary for local protestants during the conflict. In London, he may have acted as an unofficial envoy for the moderate Catholics, being able both to lobby on their behalf and to provide them with intelligence. He later settled in Wales (where his mother's family had lands) before returning to Ireland in March 1644, where the Catholic confederates allowed him to draw rents from his lands in their territory. He largely kept out of confederate politics but he was strongly royalist, and is said to have had close contacts with Queen Henrietta Maria, who may have urged his elevation to the peerage as baron of Turvey and Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland on 29 June 1646. In 1654 he was imprisoned by Cromwell charged with complicity in a plot against the Lord Protector, and his property was sequestrated, though he recovered Turvey House and part of his property in 1658 and the rest at the Restoration in 1660. He married, by June 1617, Bridget (b. c.1590; fl. 1661), eldest daughter and co-heir of Henry Fitzgerald, 12th Earl of Kildare and widow of Rory O'Donnell (1575-1608), Earl of Tyrconnell, and had issue:
(1) Hon. Mary Barnewall (d. 1642); married Nicholas Preston (1608-43), 6th Viscount Gormanston, and had issue two sons; died at Alloone (Co. Kildare), May 1642;
(2) Christopher Barnewall; died unmarried before the Civil War;
(3) Hon. Mabel Barnewall (d. 1699); married 1st, January 1636, Christopher Plunkett (d. 1649), 2nd Earl of Fingall, and had issue two sons and one daughter; married 2nd, before 1655/6, Col. James Barnewall; buried at Killeen (Co. Meath), 4 February 1699;
(4) Col. the Hon. Patrick Barnewall (fl. 1646); an officer in the Royalist army in the Civil War (Col.), whose service was mentioned in the preamble to his father's peerage patent; died in England, unmarried, in the lifetime of his father;
(5) Hon. Eleanor Barnewall (d. 1660?); married Charles Whyte MP (c.1610-97) of Leixlip Castle (Co. Kildare), Governor of Co. Kildare in 1689; said to have died in 1660;
(6) Hon. Frances Barnewall; died unmarried and was buried at Lusk.
(7) Henry Barnewall (c.1627-88), 2nd Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland (q.v.);
(8) Hon. Francis Barnewall (c.1629-97), born about 1629; lived at Beggstown and Woodpark (Co. Meath); married 1st, Jane, daughter of Philip FitzGerald of Alloone (Co. Kildare) and had issue one son, his heir Nicholas Barnewall (from whom descended the sixth and last Viscount); married 2nd, Marianna (d. 1672), daughter and heiress of Richard Perkins of Lifford (Co. Donegal) and had issue four further sons and three daughters; died 6 January and was buried at Lusk, 7 January 1696/7;
(9) Hon. Matthew Barnewall (c.1631-68), born about 1631; died unmarried, 14 June and was buried at Lusk, 16 June 1668.
He inherited his father's estates in Co. Dublin, and Co. Roscommon in 1622.
He died 20 August and was buried at Lusk, 3 September 1663; his will was proved 11 September 1663. His wife was living in 1661 but died before 1682.
Barnewall, Henry (c.1627-88), 2nd Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland. Third, but eldest surviving son of Sir Nicholas Barnewall (1592-1663), 1st Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland, and his wife Bridget, eldest daughter and co-heir of Henry, 12th Earl of Kildare and widow of Rory O'Donnell, Earl of Tyrconnel, born about 1627. He succeeded his father as 2nd Viscount, 20 August 1663. He married 1st, 1661, Mary (d. 1663), daughter of John Netterville, 2nd Viscount Netterville and 2nd, 11 December 1664, Lady Mary (1648-80), probably* daughter of Richard Nugent, 2nd Earl of Westmeath, and had issue:
(1.1) Hon. Marianna Barnewall (1662-1735), born 26 March 1662; married, September 1680, her first cousin, Rt. Hon. Thomas Nugent KC (d. 1715), created Baron Nugent of Riverston in the Jacobite peerage, 1689, and had issue two sons; died 16 September 1735;
(2.1) Nicholas Barnewall (1668-1725), 3rd Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland (q.v.);
(2.2) Hon. Mary Barnewall (1670-1715), born 20 July 1670; married, 23 September 1687, Thomas St. Lawrence (1659-1727), 13th Baron Howth, and had issue one son; died 16 September 1715 and was buried at Howth (Co. Dublin);
(2.3) Hon. Bridget Barnewall (b. 1672), born 6 June 1672; married [forename unknown] MacMahon;
(2.4) Hon. Mabel Barnewall (1673-1710), born 24 November 1673; married 1st, Oliver Plunkett (1668-1707), de jure 8th Baron Louth, and had issue one son and two daughters; married 2nd, Stephen Taaffe of Dormanstown (Co. Meath); died 27 September 1710 and was buried at Duleek (Co. Meath);
(2.5) Hon. Richard Barnewall (1675-1746), born 7 August 1675; had issue a daughter; died unmarried at Turvey, 4 June and was buried at Lusk, 7 June 1746;
(2.6) Hon. Joseph Barnewall (b. 1677), born 25 April 1677; living in 1688 but died young;
(2.7) Hon. Christopher Barnewall (b. 1680), said to have been born 22 February 1679/80; died unmarried.
He inherited Turvey House, Donabate from his father in 1663.
He died 1 June and was buried at Lusk, 3 June 1688. His first wife died 28 October 1663 and was buried at Lusk. His second wife died 25 June 1680 and was buried at Lusk.
* The Complete Peerage gives her date of birth and says she was a daughter of the 1st Earl; but since the 1st Earl died in 1641 she was probably a daughter of the 2nd Earl, who was also called Richard Nugent.
Barnewall, Nicholas (1668-1725), 3rd Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland. Eldest son of Henry Barnewall (d. 1688), 2nd Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland and his second wife, Lady Mary, daughter of Thomas Nugent, 3rd Earl of Westmeath, born 15 April 1668. He succeeded his father as 3rd Viscount, 1 June 1688, served in Lord Limerick's Dragoons in the Jacobite army in 1688, and sat in King James II's Irish Parliament in 1689, and was outlawed for his support of the Jacobite cause, but claimed the benefit of the treaty of Limerick so that the outlawry was reversed. He was summoned to the Irish House of Lords in 1692 but refused to swear the oaths required and was not allowed to take his seat. He was a Roman Catholic in religion. He married, 15 May 1688* with £3,000, Mary (1676-1736), youngest daughter and co-heiress with her two sisters (Elizabeth, Viscountess Ross and Frances, Viscountess Dillon) of George Hamilton, Count Hamilton, and had issue:
(1) Hon. Elizabeth Barnewall (1699-1722), born 31 May 1699; died unmarried, 15 November 1722 and was buried at Kilkenny;
(2) Hon. Frances Barnewall (1700-35), born 7 November 1700; married, 1725, the Hon. Richard Barnewall (fl. 1726-68) [for whom see above], third son of John Barnewall, 11th Baron Trimlestown, and had issue three sons (of whom one later succeeded as 14th Baron Trimlestown) ; died at Alloon (Kildare), 19 March 1735;
(3) Hon. Harriet Barnewall (1702-03), born 3 June 1702; died in infancy, 3 November 1703;
(4) Hon. Mary Barnewall (b. & d. 1704), born 12 July 1704; died in infancy of smallpox, 16 December 1704 and was buried at Lusk;
(5) Henry Benedict Barnewall (1709-74), 4th Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland (q.v.);
(6) Hon. George Barnewall (1711-71) (q.v.).
He inherited Turvey House, Donabate from his father in 1688. He inherited estates worth £3,500 a year in right of his wife soon after their marriage.
He died 14 June and was buried at Lusk (Co. Dublin), 16 June 1725; his will was proved in Dublin in 1727. His widow died 15 February 1735/6 and was also buried at Lusk; her will was proved in Dublin in 1740.
* If this date is correct, the marriage, which was arranged by his guardian, Lord (Nugent of) Riverston, took place when his wife was aged about 12, which would account for there being no children for some years. However, there were no children until 1699, so perhaps the marriage date should really be 1698.
Barnewall, Henry Benedict (1709-74), 4th Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland. Elder son of Nicholas Barnewall (1668-1725), 3rd Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland, and his wife Mary, youngest daughter and co-heiress of George, Count Hamilton, born 1 February 1708/9; Cardinal Henry Benedict Stuart, Jacobite Duke of York and brother of Bonnie Prince Charlie, was his godfather. He succeeded his father as 4th Viscount, 14 June 1725 and came of age in 1729. He was a freemason and served as Grand Master of the Irish Grand Lodge of St John, 1733-35. As a Roman Catholic he was prevented from taking his seat in the Irish House of Lords, although he presented his writ of summons and took the oath of fidelity, 1740. He married, 22 May 1735 at Arbour Hill, Honora (d. 1784), daughter of Peter Daly of Queensbury (Co. Galway), but had no issue.
He inherited Turvey House, Donabate from his father in 1725. At his death it passed to his nephew, the 5th Viscount.
He died at Queensbury, 11 March 1774. His widow died in 1784.
Barnewall, Hon. George (1711-71). Younger son of Nicholas Barnewall (1668-1725), 3rd Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland, and his wife Mary, youngest daughter and co-heiress of George, Count Hamilton, born in Dublin, 24 November 1711. Mary Pendarves records him appearing as Orestes in amateur theatricals in Dublin in 1732. He married, 1752 (licence 3 April), Barbara Belasyse (1730-61), second daughter of Thomas Belasyse, 4th Viscount and later 1st Earl of Fauconberg of the second creation, and had issue:
(1) George Barnewall (1758-1800), 5th Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland (q.v.).
He appears to have lived chiefly in London.
He died in June 1771. His wife died 22 October 1761 and was buried with her father at St Pancras (Middx), 29 October 1761, where she is commemorated on his monument.
Barnewall, George (1758-1800), 5th Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland. Only son of Hon. George Barnewall (1711-71) and his wife Barbara, daughter of Thomas Belasyse, 2nd Earl of Fauconberg, born 12 July and baptised at St George, Hanover Square, London, 13 July 1758. He succeeded his uncle as 5th Viscount, 11 March 1774. The first of his family to be brought up a Protestant, he took the oaths and was admitted to the Irish House of Lords, 18 January 1787. He lived latterly in France, where according to some sources he became insane and was confined in a lunatic asylum, but this seems not to be the case since his will, written a few days before his death, was accepted as valid and went unchallenged. He was unmarried and without issue.
He inherited Turvey House, Donabate from his uncle in 1774. At his death his property passed to Nicholas Barnewall, 14th Baron Trimlestown, but it was heavily encumbered with mortgages.
His death was inaccurately reported in the press in May 1797, but he actually died and was buried at Pointoise, Val d'Oise (France), 5 April 1800, when the viscountcy became dormant until in 1814 it was revived in favour of Mathew Barnewall (d. 1833), a great-great-grandson of the 1st Viscount, who became the 6th and last Viscount. His will was proved 2 February 1801.
Barnewall, Joseph (1781-1852). Second son of Richard Barnewall (c.1744-1826) [for whom see above, under Barnewall family, Barons Trimelstown] and his wife Katherine, daughter of George Byrne of Seatown, Dundalk (Co. Louth), born 1781. He married, 23 August 1814 or 1817, Margaret (d. 1841), eldest daughter of Thomas Everard of Randalstown (Co. Meath) and had issue:
(1) Richard Barnewall (1821-66) (q.v.);
(2) Barbara Barnewall (c.1822-97); died unmarried, 1 December 1897;
(3) Charlotte Barnewall (c.1823-97); died unmarried, 24 September 1897;
(4) Katherine Barnewall (c.1824-1907) (q.v.).
(5) Thomas Barnewall (1825-98) (q.v.).
He leased Mount Tisdall (Meath) from 1829, bought the freehold in 1835 and renamed it Bloomsbury House.
He died at Bloomsbury, 27 June 1852. His wife died in November 1841.
Barnewall, Richard (1821-66). Elder son of Joseph Barnewall (1781-1852) and his wife Margaret, eldest daughter of Thomas Everard of Randalstown (Co. Meath), born February 1821. Educated at Prior Park College, Bath. JP and DL for Co. Meath. He married, 9 September 1845 at Glananea (Co. Westmeath), Helena Maria, youngest daughter of Charles Whyte Roche of Ballygran (Co. Limerick), but had no issue.
He inherited Bloomsbury House from his father in 1852 and enlarged it in 1858.
He died 3 February 1866; administration of his goods was granted to his brother, 24 May 1866 (effects under £14,000). His widow married 2nd, 2 March 1878 at St. Roch, Paris (France), the Vicomte de Chasteigner of Chateau de Faltaise, Gironde (France); her date of death is unknown.
Barnewall, Thomas (1825-98). Younger son of Joseph Barnewall (1781-1852) and his wife Margaret, eldest daughter of Thomas Everard of Randalstown (Co. Meath), born 25 March 1825. He was unmarried and without issue.
He lived at Ardbraccan Lodge (Meath) until he inherited Bloomsbury House from his elder brother in 1866.
He died 17 January 1898; his will was proved 19 March 1898 (effects £16,511).
Barnewall, Katherine (c.1824-1907). Daughter of Joseph Barnewall (1781-1852) and his wife Margaret, eldest daughter of Thomas Everard of Randalstown (Co. Meath), born about 1824.
She inherited Bloomsbury House from her brother in 1898. At her death she bequeathed it to her second cousin once removed, the 18th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.).
She died 6 June 1907; her will was proved 27 November 1907 (estate £12.558 in Ireland and £4,644 in England).
https://theirishaesthete.com/2015/03/02/the-bloomsbury-set/
No significant accumulation is known to survive.
All three branches of the family use the same coat of arms: Ermine, a bordure engrailed gules.
This post was first published 7 January 2020 and was updated 9-10 January 2020, 20 July and 16 August 2021 and 20 January 2024. I am most grateful to Kevin V. Mulligan for his help with Trimlestown and Bloomsbury.
(4) A daughter; married John Netterville of Dowth, a justice of the King's Bench;
(5) Hon. Alison Barnewall; married Sir Roger Barnewall (b. c.1472), kt. [for whom see below, under Barnewall of Turvey House, Viscounts Barnewall of Kingsland] and had issue.
He inherited Trimlestown from his father in about 1471.
He died between 1504 and 1513. On a roadside cross about 4 miles south of Drogheda Archbishop Octavian of Armagh promised an indulgence of thirty days to those performing an Our Father and a Hail Mary for the souls of him and his wife. His wife was also dead by June 1513.
Barnewall, Rt. Hon. Sir John (1470-1538), 3rd Baron Trimlestown. Son of Christopher Barnewall (d. by 1513), 2nd Baron Trimlestown, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Thomas Plunkett of Rathmore. Educated at Middle Temple, London. He was the king's attorney by 1504 and was appointed the king's serjeant-at-law and attorney general, 1504-06. He succeeded his father as 3rd Baron in June 1513, and was knighted before being appointed Second Judge of Court of Kings Bench in Ireland, 1514-20. In 1520 he presided at the negotiation of a truce between the earls of Ormond and Desmond at Waterford. He was made Privy Councillor for Ireland by 1521 and was described as being 'a wise man to geve counsaile' in 1537. He served as Vice-Treasurer, 1522-24 and High Treasurer of Ireland, 1524-30; and as Lord Chancellor of Ireland, 1534-38, although his duties seem to have been as much military as judicial. He married 1st, Genet/Janet, daughter of John Bellew of Bellewstown and 2nd, Margaret, daughter of Patrick FitzLeons, and had two further childless marriages to wives whose names are unknown. He had issue:
(1.1) Patrick Barnewall (d. c.1562), 4th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.);
(2.1) Hon. Sir Thomas Barnewall; married Ismay, daughter of Sir Bartholomew Dillon and widow of James Fleming of Stephenston and Richard Tath of Cookstown;
(2.2) Hon. Peter Barnewall (fl. 1534); appointed King's Serjeant and Solicitor General for Ireland, 17 October 1534;
(2.3) Hon. Andrew Barnewall;
(2.4) Hon. James Barnewall;
(2.5) Hon. Catherine Barnewall; married Patrick Hussey of Galtrim;
(2.6) Hon. Elizabeth Barnewall; married 1st, George Plunket, son and heir of Sir John Plunket of Bewley, kt; married 2nd, Christopher Eustace of Ballycotland and 3rd, William Darcy of Platten.
He inherited Trimlestown from his father in 1513 and is said to have lived at Roebuck Castle, Dublin.
He died 25 July 1538. His wives' dates of death are unknown.
Barnewall, Rt. Hon. Patrick (d. c. 1562), 4th Baron Trimlestown. Only son of Sir John Barnewall (1470-1538), 3rd Baron Trimlestown, and his first wife, Genet/Janet, daughter of John Bellew of Bellewstown. He succeeded his father as 4th Baron, 1538. He was active both politically and militarily in support of the administration, being acknowledged by the Lord Deputy as 'a ready and willing nobleman in the Queen's service'; he was made a Privy Councillor for Ireland, 1539. He sat in the Parliament of 1541 which acknowledged Henry VIII as King of Ireland and again in the Parliament of 1559. His military service included fighting against the O'Neills in Tyrone in 1541, imposing martial law and holding musters of troops for the defence of the Pale. He was a JP for Co. Meath and served on many civil commissions in that county. He married Catherine, daughter of Richard Taylor of Swords (Co. Dublin) and widow of Christopher Delahyde, Recorder of Drogheda, and had issue:
(1) Robert Barnewall (d. 1573), 5th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.);
(2) Peter Barnewall (c.1540-98), 6th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.);
He inherited Trimlestown from his father in 1538.
He died between 28 August 1561 and 6 March 1562/3. His widow is thought to have married 3rd, Robert Cusack; her date of death is unknown.
Barnewall, Sir Robert (d. 1573), 5th Baron Trimlestown. Elder son of Patrick Barnewall (d. c.1562), 4th Baron Trimlestown, and his wife Catherine, daughter of Richard Taylor of Swords (Co. Dublin) and widow of Christopher Delahyde, Recorder of Drogheda. He succeeded his father as 5th Baron, c.1562. He was active in support of the administration and was made a Privy Councillor for Ireland by March 1563/4. He fought against Shane O'Neill for which he was knighted at Drogheda in 1566. He is said to have gone to England to study law and was no doubt the Robert Barnewall of Staple Inn admitted to Grays Inn, 1573, but he contracted an illness from which he died. He married, 1559, Amy (alias Anne), only daughter of Richard Fyan of Fyanstown, Mayor of Dublin in 1564, but had no issue.
He inherited Trimlestown from his father in about 1562.
He died 'at the house of Margaret Tiler' in Cornbury (Oxon), 17 August or 27 October 1573. His widow married 2nd, Christopher Sedgrave (d. by 1590), alderman of Dublin, and had issue; she died 13 April 1600 and was buried at St. Audoen, Dublin; her will was proved in 1600.
Barnewall, Sir Peter (c.1540-98), 6th Baron Trimlestown. Younger son of Patrick Barnewall (d. c.1562), 4th Baron Trimlestown, and his wife Catherine, daughter of Richard Taylor of Swords (Co. Dublin) and widow of Christopher Delahyde, Recorder of Drogheda, born about 1540. He succeeded his elder brother as 6th Baron on 27 October 1573, and was knighted in 1583. Although he remained a Roman Catholic, he was in general a willing servant of the Crown, although he opposed the taxation of the Pale for the support of troops billeted in the area, for which he was briefly imprisoned in 1577. In 1578 he was one of the Commissioners for the shiring of the Pale, and named County Wicklow and the six baronies into which it was divided; he also served in several military expeditions in the 1570s-90s, including those to impose martial law in County Down and to oppose the Burkes in Co. Mayo. He sat in the Parliament of 1585. Despite this record, he was suspected of communication with Spain at the time of the Spanish Armada in 1588. He married Katherine, daughter of Sir Christopher Nugent and sister of 4th Baron Delvin, and had issue:
(1) Robert Barnewall (d. 1639), 7th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.).
He also had an acknowledged illegitimate daughter:
(X1) Genet Barnewall (fl. 1594), for whom he provided a dowry of £160 in his will.
He inherited Trimlestown from his elder brother in 1573.
He died 14 April 1598 and directed his body to be buried at Moorechurch. His wife was living in 1584 but is not mentioned in his will of 1594, so was probably dead by then.
Barnewall, Robert (c.1574-1639), 7th Baron Trimlestown. Only son of Sir Peter Barnewall (d. 1598), 6th Baron Trimlestown, and his wife Katherine Nugent; there is considerable uncertainty over his date of birth, which is variously given as c.1565 or c.1574, but he was said to be 24 at the time of his father's inquisition post mortem in 1598. If the date was actually in the 1560s, he could be one of the men of this name admitted to Grays Inn in 1581 or 1584. During the Nine Years War, he was wounded and taken prisoner by the Irish rebels near Kells on 29 or 30 July 1597, and was held prisoner for over a year by Cormack M'Baron until released in August 1598 in exchange for M'Baron's son, but then took no further part in the conflict. He succeeded his father as 7th Baron on 14 April 1598, while he was in custody. Politically, he seems to have occupied the increasingly difficult position of wanting to be loyal to the Crown but to practice the Roman Catholic faith. He was willing to endorse the proclamation of James I and Charles I as King in Dublin in 1603 and 1625, but in 1605 he was one of the peers protesting against the forbidding of the practice of the Roman Catholic faith. He again protested in 1612 about the severity with which Catholic priests were treated. He sat in the Parliaments of 1613-15 (when he was described as 'a busy and violent recusant') and 1634, and he was involved in a dispute over precedence with the 9th Baron of Dunsany, which was eventually settled in his favour by the Privy Council in 1634. His marriage to Genet, daughter of Thomas Talbot of Dardistown (Co. Meath), was under discussion in 1583 or 1584, and may have taken place earlier than 1593, when he is first known to have been married. They had issue, with six further daughters whose names are not recorded:
(1) Hon. Christopher Barnewall (c.1595-1622) (q.v.);
(2) Hon. John Barnewall;
(3) Hon. Patrick Barnewall (fl. c.1600) (q.v.);
(4) Hon. Richard Barnewall;
(5) Hon. Matthew Barnewall;
(6) Hon. Mary Barnewall; married Robert Barnewall of Shankhill (Co. Dublin);
(7) Hon. Catherine Barnewall;
(8) Hon. Ismay Barnewall.
He inherited Trimlestown from his father in 1598.
He died 13 October 1639; an inquistion post mortem was held 13 December 1639. His wife's date of death is unknown.
Barnewall, Hon. Christopher (c.1595-1622). Eldest son of Robert Barnewall (d. 1639), 7th Baron Trimlestown, and his wife Genet, daughter of Thomas Talbot of Dardistown (Co. Meath), born about 1595. He married 1st, by 1614, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Edward FitzGerald of Tecroghan (Co. Meath) and 2nd, 2 July 1621, Jane, daughter of Andrew Brereton and widow of Sir Richard Nugent, and had issue:
(1.1) Matthias Barnewall (c.1614-67), 8th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.);
(1.2) Christopher Barnewall;
(1.3) George Barnewall;
(1.4) Bridget Barnewall; married Christopher Cusack of Ardgragh;
(1.5) Jane Barnewall.
He died in the lifetime of his father, 8 May 1622. His first wife died 13 September 1619. His widow married 3rd, Gilbert Nugent; her date of death is unknown.
Barnewall, Matthias (c.1614-67), 8th Baron Trimlestown. Eldest son of Hon. Christopher Barnewall (c.1595-1622) and his first wife Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Edward FitzGerald of Tecroghan (Co. Meath), born about 1614. He succeeded his grandfather as 8th Baron, 13 October 1639, and was one of the leaders of the 1641-43 uprising, for which he was outlawed in 1642 and deprived of his estates. In 1697 and 1698 the House of Lords determined that his outlawry also deprived his family of their peerage, but this was not recognised by successive monarchs who continued to employ the title until that time. Later he was Captain of a troop of horse in the Catholic Confederacy army, 1646-50, and for this reason was excepted from the general pardon in Cromwell's Act of Settlement in 1652. He was one of the 'Kilkenny submittees' who surrendered under terms agreed later in 1652, by which the officers of the Parliamentary army engaged to mediate for them with Parliament 'that they might enjoy such moderate parts of their estates as should make the lives of those who chose not to go into voluntary banishment to Spain, comfortable'. Although he did briefly recover possession of part of his lands in Meath in 1652 by a piece of astute subterfuge, he was later ejected again, and compulsorily resettled at Monivea (Co. Galway) in 1653, where he had a grant of 1,462 acres. He married, by 13 December 1639, the Hon. Jane, fifth daughter of Nicholas Netterville, 1st Viscount Netterville of Dowth, and had issue:
(1) Robert Barnewall (c.1640-87), 9th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.);
(2) Hon. Nicholas Barnewall; died unmarried of jaundice, aged 19;
(3) A son; died unmarried in the lifetime of his father;
(4) Hon. Alison Barnewall (c.1649-1705), born about 1649; married, July 1670, Martin Dillon (d. c.1703) of Huntstown (Co. Dublin), son of James Dillon, and had issue three sons and one daughter; said to have died in 1705;
(5) A daughter; probably died young.
He inherited extensive estates in Meath, Louth and Dublin from his grandfather in 1639, but forfeited them in 1642, and at the Restoration recovered only Trimlestown Castle and 2,000 acres adjoining it. He had a parliamentary grant of 1,462 acres at Monivea (Galway).
He died at Monivea, 17 September 1667 and was buried at Kilconnell Abbey (Co. Galway), where he is commorated by an inscription*; administration of his goods was granted 28 September 1674 and 28 March 1681. His wife was living in 1650 but her date of death is unknown.
* The inscription reads: "Here lyeth the body of Mathyas Barnewall the 12th Lord Baron of Trimblestowne who being transplanted into Connaght with others, by orders of the usurper Cromwell, dyed at Moinivae, the 17th of September 1667 for whome this monument was made by his sonne Robert Barnewall the 13th Lord of Trimblestowne. Here lyeth also his unckle Richard Barnewall, James Barnewall who dyed Creggan the 2nd October 1672, and James Barnewall of Aughrim. God hae mercy on theire soules."
Barnewall, Robert (c.1640-87), 9th Baron Trimlestown. Eldest and only surviving son of Matthias Barnewall (c.1614-67), 8th Baron Trimlestown, and his wife Jane, youngest daughter of 1st Viscount Netterville, born about 1640. He succeeded his father as 9th Baron, 17 September 1667, and was granted a state pension of £100 a year by King Charles II in 1671 which was continued by King James II. He was evidently a devout man, for shortly before his death he erected stones asking for the prayers of the people at the Holy Well of Tullaghanogue and the Well of Eskeroon, at which there were then large attendances for Patron Day celebrations. He married, 1668 (contract 20 July), Margaret (d. 1678), daughter of Sir William Dangan, 2nd bt., and sister of William Dangan, 1st Earl of Limerick, and had issue:
(1) Matthias Barnewall (c.1670-92), 10th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.);
(2) John Barnewall (1672-1746), [de jure 11th Baron Trimlestown] (q.v.);
(3) Hon. Jane Barnewall; died aged thirteen;
(4) Hon. Bridget Barnewall; married her cousin, Maj-Gen. Christopher Nugent (c.1655-1731), eldest son of Francis Nugent of Dardistown, an officer in the Jacobite and French armies who took part in the 1715 Jacobite invasion of Scotland, and had issue at least six children, including at least two sons;
(5) Hon. Dympna Barnewall; married, 1697 (contract 6 June), Richard Shee (1660-1748) of Sheestown, son of Marcus Shee, and had issue four sons and one daughter;
(6) Hon. Catharine Barnewall; married Nicholas Barnewall of Baggstown and Woodpark (Co. Meath), and had issue;
(7) Hon. Mary Barnewall (d. 1740); married Michael Nugent (d. 1739) of Carlanstown and had issue two sons and three daughters; died at Bath, 1740.
He recovered the family estates within the Pale which had not been returned to his father in 1667, and inherited Trimlestown and Monivea from his father in the same year.
He died in June 1687 and was buried at Trimlestown. His wife died 5 November 1678 and was buried at Trimlestown.
Barnewall, Matthias (c.1670-92), 10th Baron Trimlestown. Elder son of Robert Barnewall (c.1640-87), 9th Baron Trimlestown, and his wife Margaret, daughter of Sir William Dangan, 2nd bt., born about 1670. He succeeded his father as 10th Baron in June 1687 and sat in James II's Irish Parliament in May 1689. He served as an officer in Viscount Galmoye's Cavalry in 1689 (Capt.) and was Colonel of a Jacobite regiment of foot after the Battle of the Boyne, 1690. On that account he was attainted 16 April 1691 and his title and estates were forfeited. He was in Limerick during the second siege and being a hostage for the terms of surrender, 26 September 1691, was included in the terms of the Treaty of Limerick, 3 October 1691. He then went to France and served as a Lieutenant in the Duke of Berwick's 1st Troop of Horse Guards, in which service he was killed in action in a victorious cavalry charge at the Battle of Roumont. He was unmarried and without issue.
He inherited Trimlestown and the other family estates in Meath, Louth and Co. Dublin from his father in 1689, but forfeited them on his attainder in 1691.
He was killed in action, 8 September 1692.
Barnewall, John (1672-1746), de jure 11th Baron Trimlestown. Younger son of Robert Barnewall (c.1640-87), 9th Baron Trimlestown, and his wife Margaret, daughter of Sir William Dangan, 2nd bt., born 1672. He succeeded his elder brother as de jure 11th Baron on 8 September 1692, and managed to recover the family estates (which had been granted to Henry, 1st Earl Romney) by July 1695, but his plea to be restored to the title was rejected in 1697. In December 1698 he was indicted for 'foreign treasons', apparently after it became known that as a child he had held a commission as an Ensign in King James' Guards in France, which his relations had procured for him to provide the means for his education on the Continent. He was pardoned for this in 1698 and his estates were finally confirmed to him in 1701. Although the attainder remained in place and he was not summoned to Parliament, he and his successors used the title Lord Trimlestown and it was widely acknowledged for all but the most formal legal purposes. He married, 1703 (contract 28 April), Mary (aka Margaret) (d. 1771), daughter and heiress of Sir John Barnewall, kt. of Ballybrittas (Offaly), a Baron of the Exchequer, second son of Sir Patrick Barnewall, bt. of Crickstown, and had issue:
(1) Robert Barnewall (c.1704-79), de jure 12th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.);
(2) John Barnewall (c.1706-76), born about 1706; lived near Toulouse (France) and became a naturalised Frenchman, 1745; had licence to act as a land agent in France, 1746; married, 1740, in France, Lady Waters, but died without issue, 1776;
(3) Richard Barnewall (b. c.1708; fl. 1768) (q.v.);
(4) Thomasine Barnewall (d. 1788); married, 9 February 1729/30, Jenico Preston (1707-57), de jure 10th Viscount Gormanston, and had issue three sons and five daughters; died 16 January 1788 and was buried at Notre Dame aux Fonds, Liege, Flanders;
(5) Thomas Barnewall; an officer in French service; married there; died at the 'battle of Lansfield', which I have not been able to identify;
(6) James Barnewall; an officer in Spanish service; died in Spain;
(7) Margaret Barnewall (d. 1764); married, January 1736, James Butler (d. 1742), 8th Viscount Mountgarret, but had no issue; died June 1764;
(8) Anthony Barnewall (1721-39), born 1721; joined General Hamilton's regiment of cuirassiers in the Austrian service, 1738 (Cornet, 1738; Lt., 1739); died as a result of his 'headlong bravery' at the Battle of Krotzka, where the Austrians were defeated by the Turks, 22 July 1739;
(9) Bridget Barnewall (c.1723-62), born about 1723; married, 6 April 1753, Robert Martin of Dangan (Galway) and Ballinahinch Castle; died 2 February 1762.
(10) Catherine Barnewall; died unmarried.
He recovered possession of Trimlestown Castle and the other family estates in Meath, Louth and Co. Dublin in about 1697.
He died 7 April 1746 and was buried at Trimlestown, where he was commemorated by a monument; his will was proved in Dublin, 11 April 1746. His widow died in Dublin, 1 November 1771 and was buried at Trimlestown; her will was proved in Dublin, 15 November 1771.
Barnewall, Robert (c.1704-79), de jure 12th Baron Trimlestown. Eldest son of John Barnewall (1672-1746), de jure 11th Baron Trimlestown, and his wife Mary, daughter and heiress of Sir John Barnewall of Ballybrittas (Co. Offaly), born about 1705. Educated privately and then travelled for some years in France, where he studied medicine and botany, and developed a considerable reputation for his skill as a physician. When he returned to Ireland on his father's death he took with him a collection of rare botanical specimens from which some of his remedies were derived, and he constructed a greenhouse at Trimlestown for them, as well as an aviary. He was widely consulted on medical matters by the Leinster gentry, and Richard Lovell Edgeworth records a remarkable story of a lady being cured of depression at his house by a bizarre remedy. He also offered free consultations to the poor people of his district, reserving Fridays for this purpose. In politics, he saw himself as a representative of the Anglo-Norman Catholic gentry of Ireland and wished to play a part in alleviating the legal disabilities of the Catholic population. He ignored the merchant-led structures for representing the Irish Catholics, and between 1759 and 1762 made overtures to the Government which were rebuffed. The Government's need for soldiers in the War of American Independence created a more favourable climate and in 1775 he helped to develop a form of oath of allegiance which would allow Irish Catholics to join the army and which was acceptable to the Catholic population. This in turn laid the foundations for subsequent Catholic relief measures. Failing health prevented him remaining in control of events, however, and his last political act was to put his name at the head of the Catholic loyal address to the incoming Viceroy, the Earl of Buckinghamshire, in 1777. He married 1st, about 1733, Margaret (d. c.1740), daughter of James Rochfort of Laragh (Co. Kildare), 2nd, by 1757, Elizabeth (d. c.1775), daughter of John Colt of Brightlingsea (Essex), and 3rd, 13 June 1778 at St George, Hanover Sq., London, Anne Cotten (1756-1831), fifth daughter of William Hervey of London, merchant, and had issue:
(1.1) John Barnewall (b. c.1734), born about 1734; died young in the lifetime of his father;
(1.2) James Barnewall (b. c.1735), born about 1735; died young in the lifetime of his father;
(1.3) Mathias Barnewall (c.1737-67), born about 1737; conformed to the Church of Ireland in about January 1763; died unmarried in the lifetime of his father, 8 February 1767; will proved in Dublin, 14 May 1784;
(1.4) Thomas Barnewall (c.1739-96), 13th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.);
(2.1) Joseph Barnewall (c.1757-82), born about 1757; executor to his mother, 1781; died at Mount Anville (Co. Dublin), June 1782; will proved in Dublin, 1782.
He lived in France until the death of his father, after which he returned to Ireland. At the time of his third marriage he was described as 'of Tooting in the county of Surrey'.
He died 6 December 1779 and was buried at Trimlestown, where he was commemorated by a monument; his will was proved in Dublin in 1785. His first wife died about 1740 in France. His second wife died between 20 March 1775 and 13 June 1778; her will was proved 12 May 1781 and a further grant of administration was made, 26 March 1782. His widow, who lived latterly in Plymouth and received a small state pension, died 24 June 1831; her will was proved 22 July 1831.
Barnewall, Thomas (c.1739-96), 13th Baron Trimlestown. Only surviving son of Robert Barnewall (c.1704-79), de jure 12th Baron Trimlestown, and his first wife, Margaret, daughter of James Rochfort of Laragh (Co. Kildare), born about 1739. He was brought up as a Roman Catholic and was invested as a Knight of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, but conformed to the Church of Ireland soon after his brother's death in 1767. He joined the Irish Volunteer Force, 1779-80. He succeeded his father as de jure 12th Baron, 6 December 1779, but remained in France until the French Revolution, when he fled to Ireland, leaving his property in France in the hands of a notary called Pugens, who acted for him until the property was seized by the revolutionary government in 1793. He secured the reversal of the outlawry and attainder of the 8th and 10th Barons by the Court of Kings Bench in 1795, after which he petitioned the king for a writ of summons to the Irish House of Lords, which was granted on 3 March 1795. He died unmarried and without issue.
He lived in France until 1790 but fled to his estates in Ireland after the French Revolution.
He died intestate, 24 or 29 December 1796.
Barnewall, Richard (b. c.1708; fl. 1768). Third son of John Barnewall (1672-1746), de jure 11th Baron Trimlestown, and his wife Mary, daughter and heiress of Sir John Barnewall of Ballybrittas (Co. Offaly), baptised at St Paul, Dublin, 3 January 1708/9. In 1741 he founded a lodge of freemasons at Toulouse. He received a French patent of nobility in 1768 and was known in France as the Comte or Marquis Barnewall. He married, 1725, his distant cousin Frances Barnewall (1700-35), daughter of Nicholas Barnewall, 3rd Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland [for whom see below], and had issue:
(1) Nicholas Barnewall (1726-1813), 14th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.);
(2) John Barnewall (fl. 1780); a Major in the Austrian army; died unmarried;
(3) Henry Barnewall; died unmarried and without issue.
He lived in France, near Toulouse.
His died after 1768. His wife died 19 March 1735.
 |
| Nicholas Barnewall (1726-1813), 14th Baron Trimlestown |
(1.1) Richard Barnewall (b. 1770), born August 1770; died in infancy;
(1.2) Hon. Rosalie Barnewall (c.1771-1864), born about 1771; married, 3 December 1795, Peter, Count D'Alton (d. 1851) of Grenanstown (Co. Tipperary), and had issue two sons and one daughter; died in Florence (Italy), 2 February 1864;
(1.3) John Thomas Barnewall (1773-1839), 15th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.).
After his marriage, he lived at the Chateau Lamirolles, Verdun-sur-Garonne until the French Revolution, when he fled to England, and he subsequently divided his time between England and Ireland. He inherited Turvey House and the Barnewall estates at Roebuck (Co. Dublin) and in Galway and Offaly on the death of the 5th Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland in 1800, and entailed these estates on his male heirs in 1812. He fitted up one room in Roebuck Castle as a theatre before 1795, but sold the castle soon after 1800. In London he had a town house in Portland Place by 1810.
He died 17 April 1813. His will, which made extensive provision for his widow, was proved in Dublin in 1813 but contested by his son, and although a compromise was agreed in 1833 she did not actually receive anything until 1847! His first wife died in May 1782. His widow married 2nd, 24 July 1814 at Donabate (Co. Dublin), Lt-Gen. Sir Evan Lloyd (1768-1846) of Ferney Hall (Shrops.) and had issue one son and two daughters; she died at Stanton Lacy House (Shrops.), 25 November 1860.
Barnewall, John Thomas (1773-1839), 15th Baron Trimlestown. Only surviving son of Nicholas Barnewall (1726-1813), 14th Baron Trimlestown, and his first wife, Maria Henrietta, only daughter of Joseph d'Auguin of Toulouse (France), born in France, 29 January 1773. Member of the Royal Irish Academy. In 1812 The Globe noted that he had 'distinguished himself by some eloquent and impressive addresses' at popular assemblies in support of Catholic emancipation. He succeeded his father as 15th Baron, 17 April 1813, but was aggrieved by the terms of his will, which he felt made an unreasonably generous provision for his stepmother. He accordingly tried to have the will overturned on the grounds of her undue influence, and the matter was not finally settled until shortly before his death; he was also at law with his stepmother in a dispute over the arrangements for the payment of her jointure, which was not settled until 1843. He seems also, from the terms of his will, to have fallen out with his son and daughter-in-law, who received no share of his personal effects. He married, 16 January 1793, Maria Theresa (d. 1824), daughter of the Irish scientist and eccentric, Richard Kirwan of Cregg Castle (Co. Galway), and had issue:
(1) Thomas Barnewall (1796-1879), 16th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.);
(2) Hon. Martha Henrietta Barnewall (1800-36), baptised at Bath RC Church, 28 July 1800; died unmarried in Bath, 10 April 1836.
After the death of his wife he apparently solaced himself with mistresses: his 'dear friend' Eugenia Ponti who lived with him in Naples (to whom he left 50,000 francs*), 'Heloisa Goury Widow Parry' in London, who was one of his principal legatees, and Caroline, Marquise de Bailliet in Paris (to whom he left 40,000 francs*).
He inherited Turvey House from his father in 1813. He had a house in London, adjoining Grosvenor House, which was purchased after his death by the Marquess of Westminster and demolished to allow the enlargement of Grosvenor House. He seems also to have had a house in Paris, the contents of which were dispersed to friends and relatives by his will, and at the time of his death he was living at the Palazzo Calabritti in Naples.
He died in Naples (Italy), 7 October 1839; his will was proved 18 February 1840. His wife died 10 September or 12 October 1824.
* 50,000 fr. was about £2,000 and 40,000 fr. about £1,600 at the then prevailing rate of exchange.
Barnewall, Thomas (1796-1879), 16th Baron Trimlestown. Only son of John Thomas Barnewall (1773-1839), 15th Baron Trimlestown, and his wife Maria Theresa, daughter of Richard Kirwan of Cregg (Co. Galway), born 14 April 1796. High Sheriff of Co. Dublin, 1830. He succeeded his father as 16th Baron, 7 October 1839, and continued his father's legal dispute with his grandfather's widow until judgement was finally given against him in 1843. He was a founder member of the Society for Irishmen in London, 1844, and in 1848 was one of the few Catholic gentry to join the nationalist Irish Confederacy. He married, 3 November 1836 at Twickenham (Middx), Margaret Randalina (d. 1872), daughter of Philip Roche, and had issue:
(1) A son (b. & d. 1837), born 22 August 1837; died in infancy, 27 August 1837;
(2) Hon. Anna Maria Louisa Barnewall (1839-1914), born 8 May 1839; married, 4 June 1868, Robert Henry Elliot DL (1837-1914) of Clifton Park (Roxburghs.) and Ballybrittas (Co. Offaly), and had issue one son; died at sea on S.S. Arabia, 16 April 1914 and was buried at Linton (Roxburghs.); her will was confirmed 27 January 1915 (estate £1,475).
He inherited Turvey House from his father in 1839, but leased it out. His gave up the lease on his father's London town house in exchange for what is now 129 Park Lane, which he remodelled in 1853 to the designs of Thomas Cundy II (for the Grosvenor estate) and George Legg (for Lord Trimlestown).
He died 4 August 1879 and was buried at Linton; his will was proved 6 September 1879 (effects in England under £80,000; in Ireland, £6,518). His wife died at Ryde (Isle of Wight), 4 September 1872; administration of her goods was granted 17 December 1872 (effects under £9,000).
Barnewall, Hon. Patrick (b. c.1600). Second son of Robert Barnewall (c.1574-1639), 7th Baron Trimlestown, and his wife Genet, daughter of Thomas Talbot of Dardistown (Co. Meath), born in or shortly before 1600. He married 1st, Katherine, daughter of Robert Barnewall of Bremore (Co. Dublin) and 2nd, Katherine, daughter of Mathew King of Co. Kildare, and had issue:
(1.1) Christopher Barnewall (fl. 1670) (q.v.).
His date of death is unknown. His first wife's date of death is unknown. His second wife's date of death is unknown.
Barnewall, Christopher (fl. 1670). Only recorded son of the Hon. Patrick Barnewall (fl. 1600) and his first wife, Katherine, daughter of Robert Barnewall of Bremore (Co. Dublin). He married 1st, [forename unknown], daughter of Gerald Nangle of Kildalkey (Co. Meath), and 2nd, 1670, Jane, daughter of Edward Tuite of Trimlestown, and had issue including:
(1.1) Richard Barnewall (d. 1718) (q.v.);
(1.2) Patrick Barnewall; died without issue;
(1.3) Garrett Barnewall;
(1.4) Peter Barnewall.
He lived at Woodtown (Co. Meath).
His date of death is unknown. His wife's date of death is unknown.
Barnewall, Richard (d. 1718). Eldest son of Christopher Barnewall and his wife, [forename unknown], daughter of Gerald Nangle of Kildalkey (Co. Meath). He married 1st, Aminett, sister of James Barnewall of Bremore (Co. Dublin) and widow of James Caddell, and 2nd, 3 March 1712, Bridget (d. 1755), daughter of Henry Piers of Ballydrimney (Co. Meath), and had issue:
(1.1) Elizabeth Barnewall; married Henry Plunkett;
(2.1) Christopher Barnewall (b. 1715) (q.v.);
(2.2) Anne Barnewall (d. 1740); died unmarried.
He lived at Clonylogan.
He died in February 1717/8. His first wife died before 1712. His widow married 2nd, 1723, Robert Barnewall (b. 1702) of Moyrath (Co. Meath), son of Bartholomew Barnewall of Ballyhost (Co. Westmeath) and had further issue one son; she died in 1755.
Barnewall, Christopher (b. 1715). Only son of Richard Barnewall (d. 1718) and his second wife, Bridget, daughter of Henry Piers of Ballydrimney (Co. Meath), born 1715. He married Cecilia, daughter of Matthew Dowdall of Clone (Co. Meath) and had issue:
(1) Richard Barnewall (c.1744-1827) (q.v.);
(2) Anne Barnewall; married, 13 October 1777, Columbus Drake (1750-1806) of Roristown (Co. Meath), elder son of Patrick Drake of Drakerath (Co. Meath), and had issue two sons and three daughters.
He lived at Fyanstown.
His date of death is unknown. His wife's date of death is unknown.
Barnewall, Richard (c.1744-1826). Only son of Christopher Barnewall (b. 1715) and his wife Cecilia, daughter of Matthew Dowdall of Clone (Co. Meath), born about 1744. In 1812, the 14th Baron settled the Turvey House estate on him and his descendants so that it continued to accompany the Trimlestown peerage. He married, 1764. Katherine (d. 1823?), daughter of George Byrne of Seatown, Dundalk (Co. Louth) and had issue:
(1) Christopher Barnewall (1765-1849) (q.v.);
(2) Patrick Barnewall (c.1773-1854); lived at Causestown; married Barbara (d. 1862), daughter of Thomas Everard of Randalstown (Co. Meath) but had no issue; died at Dalkey (Co. Dublin), 4 August 1854;
(3) Joseph Barnewall (1781-1852) [for whom see below, Barnewall of Bloomsbury];
(4) Cecilia Barnewall; married 1st, John Connolly of New Haggard (Co. Meath) and 2nd, Charles Nangle (c.1786-1847) of New Haggard and Kildalkey, son of Walter Nangle, who died bankrupt.
He lived at Fyanstown.
He died aged 82 at Greenanstown (Co. Meath) in June 1826. His wife is said to have died in 1823.
Barnewall, Christopher (1765-1849). Eldest son of Richard Barnewall (c.1744-1826) and his wife Katherine, daughter of George Byrne of Seatown, Dundalk (Co. Louth), born 3 September 1765. He married, November 1793, Anne (1772-1819?), daughter of Charles Aylmer of Painstown, and had issue including:
(1) Esmay Mary Catherine Barnewall (1794-1879), born October 1794; married, 29 September 1836 at Ardbraccan (Co. Meath), Sir Aylmer John Barnewall (1789-1838), 9th bt., of Greenanstown (Co. Meath), and had issue one son; died in London, 5 March 1879, and was buried at Kensal Green Cemetery;
(2) Charles Barnewall (c.1800-73) (q.v.);
(3) Cecilia Barnewall (c.1801-82); died unmarried aged 80 in Dublin, 3 January 1882;
(4) Anne Barnewall (b. c.1803), born about 1803; died unmarried and possibly young;
(5) Jane Barnewall (c.1804-81); died unmarried, 20 January 1881;
(6) Richard Barnewall (c.1806-89), born about 1806; died 11 March 1889;
(7) Mary Barnewall (b. c.1808), born about 1808; died unmarried and possibly young.
He lived at Meadstown (Co. Meath), where he was a tenant in 1805 but may have purchased the freehold when it was sold in that year.
He died in Dublin aged 84 on 14 August 1849. His wife is said to have died 14 August 1819.
Barnewall, Charles (c.1800-73). Elder son of Christopher Barnewall (c.1775-1849) and his wife Anne, daughter of Charles Aylmer of Painstown, born about 1800. JP for Co. Meath. In 1836 he was a member of the provisional committee promoting the Dublin & Drogheda Railway. Throughout his life, he was a locally prominent leader of the Catholic causes and campaigns, including those for the repeal of the Union, opposition to tithes and securing the rights of Catholic tenants. He married 1st, Katherine, daughter of John Connolly of New Haggard (Co. Meath) and 2nd, 9 October 1844 at St Michan's RC Church, Dublin, Letitia (c.1825-86), daughter of Gerald Aylmer of Lyons, and had issue:
(2.1) Hon. Katherine Barnewall (1845-1928); a nun at Wicklow as Sister Mary Dominic; granted the rank of a baron's daughter, 2 August 1893; died 15 July 1928;
(2.2) Christopher Patrick Mary Barnewall (1846-91), de jure 17th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.);
(2.3) Hon. Anna Maria Barnewall (1848-1930), baptised 8 October 1848 at Templenoe (Co. Kerry); granted the rank of a baron's daughter, 2 August 1893; died unmarried, 10 November 1930; will proved 13 January 1931 (estate £548);
(2.4) Hon. Esmay (aka Esmina) Barbara Mary Barnewall (1850-1910), baptised at St Michael's RC church, Kingstown, Dublin, 30 May 1850; granted the rank of a baron's daughter, 2 August 1893; married, 21 November 1883 at St Andrew RC Church, Dublin, Nicholas Francis Haly Coppinger (1831-1905) of Monkstown (Co. Dublin) and had issue one son and one daughter; committed suicide, 6 April 1910; administration of goods (with will annexed) granted 27 April 1910 (estate £2,474);
(2.5) Hon. Mary Jane Barnewall (1851-1919), baptised at St Michael's RC church, Kingstown, Dublin, 11 September 1851; a sister of Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Lismore, New South Wales (Australia) as Sister Berchmans; granted the rank of a baron's daughter, 2 August 1893; died 18 August 1919;
(2.6) Hon. Helen Cecilia Mary Barnewall (1853-1936), baptised at St Michael's RC church, Kingstown, Dublin, 22 November 1853; granted the rank of a baron's daughter, 2 August 1893; died unmarried, 14 October 1936; will proved 19 December 1936 (estate £6,201);
(2.7) Hon. Letitia Fanny Barnewall (1855-1933), born 12 February and baptised at St Michael's RC church, Kingstown, Dublin, 18 February 1855; a sister of Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Lismore, New South Wales as Sister Ignatius; granted the rank of a baron's daughter, 2 August 1893; died 31 January 1933;
(2.8) Gerald Aylmer Barnewall (1856-71), born 8 May and baptised at St Michael's RC church, Kingstown, Dublin, 13 May 1856; died young, 2 July 1871;
(2.9) Hon. Angelina Barnewall (b. 1857), baptised at St Michael's RC church, Kingstown, Dublin, 7 October 1857; a Sister of Mercy at Arklow (Co. Wicklow); granted the rank of a baron's daughter, 2 August 1893; death not traced;
(2.10) Hon. Cecilia Mary Barnewall (1859-1908), baptised at St Michael's RC church, Kingstown, Dublin, 6 May 1859; granted the rank of a baron's daughter, 2 August 1893; married, 5 October 1907, Maj. Henry Chamney CMG, son of Rev. Joseph Chamney DD of Ard Ronan (Co. Louth); died without issue at Rustenberg, Transvaal (South Africa), 11 July 1908; will proved 17 April 1909 (estate £635);
(2.11) Hon. Marcella Mary Barnewall (1862-1930), born 10 October and baptised at Dalkey (Co. Dublin), 16 October 1862; granted the rank of a baron's daughter, 2 August 1893; died unmarried, 29 October 1930; will proved 12 December 1930 (estate £1,234);
(2.12) Charles Aloysius Barnewall (1861-1937), 18th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.);
(2.13) Hon. Margaret Barnewall (1864-1916), born at Athboy (Co. Meath), 31 January 1864; granted the rank of a baron's daughter, 2 August 1893; married, 19 January 1899 at St Andrew RC Church, Dublin, Bertrand Thomas Lambert (who m2, 12 June 1923 Julia More-O'Ferrell), son of Ambrose Lambert, but had no issue; died 17 July 1916; will proved 5 September 1916 (estate £287).
He lived at Meadstown and had a house at 72 Eccles St., Dublin.
He died in Dublin, 2 May 1873; administration of his goods was granted 9 February 1881 (effects under £200). His widow died 3 March 1886.
Barnewall, Christopher Patrick Mary (1846-91), de jure 17th Baron Trimlestown. Eldest son of Charles Barnewall (d. 1873) of Meadstown and his second wife Letitia, daughter of Gerald Aylmer of Lyons, born 6 October 1846. He succeeded his distant cousin as 17th Baron, 4 August 1879, but did not seek to prove his title to the peerage until 1889 and died before the process was completed. He was unmarried and without issue.
He inherited Turvey House from the 16th Baron in 1879, but the property was let throughout his tenure.
He died 10 September 1891; his will was proved 29 October 1891 (estate £2,202).
Barnewall, Charles Aloysius (1861-1937), 18th Baron Trimlestown. Third son of Charles Barnewall (d. 1873) of Meadstown and his second wife Letitia, daughter of Gerald Aylmer of Lyons, born 14 May and baptised at St Michael's RC church, Kingstown, Dublin, 17 May 1861. As a young man he travelled extensively, but after his brother's death he returned from Australia to Ireland. His elder brother having died in 1891 without establishing his right to the peerage, he proved his claim in 1893 and succeeded as 18th Baron. DL for Co. Dublin. He was a director of the Old Bushmills Distillery Company (resigned 1898). He married 1st, 26 October 1889, Margaret Theresa (c.1869-1901), daughter of Richard John Stephens of Brisbane, Queensland (Australia), 2nd, 10 December 1907, Mabel Florence (d. 1914), daughter of William Robert Shuff of Torquay (Devon), and 3rd, 12 August 1930 at Christ Church, Eltham (Kent), Josephine Francesca (d. 1945), daughter of Rt. Hon. Sir Christopher John Nixon, 1st bt., Vice-Chancellor of the National University of Ireland, and had issue:
(1.1) Hon. Ivy Esmay Myee Barnewall (1890-1971), born 14 September 1890; married 1st, 30 April 1917, John Radcliff (d. 1953) of Nigerian civil service, eldest son of George Edward Radcliff JP of Wilmount, Kells (Co. Meath) and had issue one son (killed in action in Second World War); married 2nd, 30 April 1956, John Kidd (d. 1958), son of Thomas Kidd of Linares (Spain); said to have died in 1971, possibly in Cape Town (South Africa);
(1.2) Hon. Marcella Hilda Charlotte Barnewall (1893-1965), born 29 June 1893; married, 4 July 1917, Maj. Charles Bathurst MC (d. 1942), son of Lancelot Bathurst, but had no issue; died 11 September 1965;
(1.3) Hon. Letitia Anne Margaret Barnewall (1895-1938), born 23 September 1895; married, 11 June 1919 at Corpus Christi RC church, Maiden Lane, London, Lt-Col. Cuthbert Hanson Townsend (1872-1956) of Ewell (Surrey), son of Vice-Adm. Samuel Philip Townsend, and had issue one son; died 2 May 1938; will proved 12 July 1938 (estate £2,645);
(1.4) Hon. Reginald Nicholas Francis Mary Barnewall (1897-1918), born 24 September 1897; an officer in the Leinster Regiment (Capt.) in First World War; died unmarried in the lifetime of his father when he died of wounds received in action, 24 March 1918; buried at Bronfay Farm Military Cemetery, Bray-sur-Somme (France); administration of goods granted 19 July 1918 (estate £1,908);
(1.5) Charles Aloysius Barnewall (1899-1990), 19th Baron Trimestown (q.v.);
(1.6) Hon. Geraldine Christina Marjory Barnewall (1900-02), born 14 June 1900; died young, 23 June 1902.
He inherited Turvey House, which was tenanted, from his father in 1891, but sold it in c.1902. In 1907 he inherited Bloomsbury House from his distant cousin, Katherine Barnewall (c.1824-1907), but he sold it in about 1920. He lived at Loughlinstown (Co. Dublin) and in London, and is said to have still owned 6,000 acres in Ireland at the time of his death.
He died 26 January 1937 and was buried at Mortlake (Surrey), 3 February 1937. His first wife died 9 January 1901. His second wife died 16 March 1914; her will was proved 25 April 1914 (estate £1,234 in England and £1,427 in Ireland). His widow died 15 June 1945; her will was proved 11 January 1946 (estate £9,452).
Barnewall, Charles Aloysius (1899-1990), 19th Baron Trimlestown. Second but eldest surviving son of Charles Aloysius Barnewall (1861-1937), 18th Baron Trimlestown, and his first wife Margaret Theresa, daughter of Richard John Stephens of Brisbane, Queensland (Australia), born 2 June 1899. Educated at Ampleforth. He served as an officer in the Irish Guards (2nd Lt.) in the First World War. He succeeded his father as 19th Baron, 26 January 1937. He married 1st, 16 June 1926, Muriel (1894-1937), only child of Edward Oskar Schneider of Mansfield Lodge, Whalley Range, Manchester, and 2nd, 7 May 1952, Freda Kathleen (1911-87), daughter of Alfred Allan Watkins of Ross-on-Wye (Herefs), and had issue:
(1.1) Anthony Edward Barnewall (1928-97), 20th Baron Trimlestown, born 2 February 1928; educated at Ampleforth; served in the Irish Guards, 1946-48, and was a naval architect, 1949-53; sales executive with P&O Shipping Company, 1965-74; succeeded his father as 20th Baron, 9 October 1990; lived at Boxford (Suffk) and later at Grand Rapids, Michigan (USA); married 1st, 30 September 1963 (div. 1973), Lorna Margaret Marion (1934-88), daughter of Charles Douglas Ramsey and 2nd, 14 May 1977, Mary Wonderly (1925-2006), elder daughter of Judge Thomas Francis McAllister of Grand Rapids, Michigan and formerly wife of Frederick Reese Brown (1915-2007), but had no issue; died 21 August 1997;
(1.2) Hon. Diana Barnewall (b. 1929), born 13 October 1929; lived at Farnham (Surrey) and later at Rogate (Sussex); married, 30 October 1954 at the Brompton Oratory, London, Anthony Gerard Astley Birtwhistle (b. 1928), youngest son of James Astley Birtwhistle of Hoghton (Lancs) and Wroxham (Oxon), and had issue four daughters;
(1.3) Raymond Charles Barnewall (1930-2024), 21st Baron Trimlestown, born 29 December 1930; educated at Ampleforth; undertook National Service in Northern Ireland, 1949-51; dairy farmer at Dartington (Devon) until retirement; succeeded his elder brother as 21st Baron, 21 August 1997; died unmarried and without issue, 10 January 2024, when the peerage became extinct or dormant.
He lived at Epsom (Surrey) and subsequently at Dartington (Devon) and Chiddingfold (Surrey).
He died 9 October 1990; will proved 14 November 1990 (estate under £115,000). His first wife died 22 June 1937; her will was proved 13 August 1937 (estate £229). His second wife died 5 May 1987; her will was proved 18 September 1987 (estate under £70,000).
Barnewall of Turvey House, Viscounts Barnewall of Kingsland
De Barneval, Sir Christopher (fl. 1386). Son of Nicholas de Berneval of Crickstown (Co. Meath) and his wife, [forename unknown] Clifford. He succeeded his father by 1386. He married Eleanor, daughter of Sir Nicholas Rochford of Rathcoffie (Co. Kildare) and Kilbride (Co. Meath), and had issue:
(1) Sir Christopher Barnewall (d. 1446) [for whom see above, Barnewall of Trimlestown Castle]
(2) John Barnewall (fl. 1436) (q.v.);
(3) Barnaby Barnewall; a Baron of the Exchequer.
He inherited the Crickstown estate from his father by 1386.
His date of death is unknown.
Barnewall, John (fl. 1436). Second son of Sir Christopher de Barneval (fl. 1386) and his wife Eleanor, daughter of Sir Nicholas Rochford of Rathcoffie (Co. Kildare) and Kilbride (Co. Meath). He was High Sheriff of Co. Meath, 1435-36. He married Genet Netterville of Staffordston, and had issue including:
(1) Sir Richard Barnewall, kt. (q.v.)
He lived at Frankestown (Co. Meath).
His date of death is unknown.
Barnewall, Sir Richard, kt. Only recorded son of John Barnewall (fl. 1436) and his wife Genet Netterville of Staffordston. He married Catherine, daughter and heiress of John de la Field of Fieldston, and had issue including:
(1) Sir Roger Barnewall, kt. (q.v.);
(2) A son; of Staffordston;
(3) A son; of Cawleston near Navan (Co. Meath).
He lived at Fieldston (Co. Dublin)
His date of death is unknown.
Barnewall, Sir Roger (b. c.1472), kt. Only recorded son of Sir Richard Barnewall, kt. and his wife Catherine, daughter and heiress of John de la Field of Fieldston, born about 1472. He married Alison, daughter of Christopher Barnewall, 2nd Baron Trimlestown [for whom see above], and had issue including:
(1) Sir Patrick Barnewall (d. 1552), kt.
He lived at Fieldston, Clonmethan (Co. Dublin)
His date of death is unknown.
Barnewall, Sir Patrick (d. 1552), kt. Only recorded son of Sir Roger Barnewall, kt. and his wife Alison, daughter of Christopher Barnewall, 2nd Baron Trimlestown. Educated at Grays Inn (admitted 1527). King's serjeant-at-law and Solicitor General for Ireland, 1534-50; Master of the Rolls in Ireland, 1550-52. Appointed Customer of Dublin, 1535. He was an MP in the Irish house of Commons, 1536, and initially opposed the dissolution of the monasteries, but was later persuaded to support it, and received extensive grants of ex-monastic property. He was generally regarded as a man of integrity and learning, he knew Irish, and secured the establishment of an Inn of Court (Kings Inns) at Dublin, 1538. He was knighted in 1552 shortly before his death. He married Anne (c.1510-51), eldest daughter of Richard Luttrell of Luttrellstown, and had issue:
(1) Sir Christopher Barnewall (1522-75), kt. (q.v.);
(2) Margaret Barnewall; married her cousin, Sir Patrick Barnewall (d. by 1603), kt. of Crickstown, and had issue three sons;
(3) Elizabeth Barnewall; married Edward Barnewall of Drumenagh (now Drimnagh) Castle (Co. Dublin), and had issue two sons;
(4) Catherine Barnewall; married James Everard (1551-1611) of Randlestown and had issue two sons.
He inherited Fieldston from his father, and also owned property at Gracedieu (which he was granted after dissolution in 1541) (Co. Dublin). He also acquired the possessions of the Monastery at Knocktopher (Co. Kilkenny), and a lease of the possessions of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin in the parishes of Swords and Clonmethan (Co. Dublin).
He died 13 November 1552 and was buried in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, where he was a lay brother. His wife died in 1551.
Barnewall, Sir Christopher (1522-75), kt. Only son of Sir Patrick Barnewall (d. 1552), kt., and his wife Anne, eldest daughter of Richard Luttrell of Luttrellstown. He probably studied law in England, although there is no record of him in the inns of court. Steward and Receiver of the lands of the Earl of Ormonde within the Pale, 1556; High Sheriff of Co. Dublin, 1560-61. MP for Co. Dublin, 1559-60, 1568-71, where he emerged as the leader of the Anglo-Irish landowners of the Pale opposed to the Court party supporting Sir Henry Sidney, the Lord Deputy. His supporters attempted to secure his election as Speaker of the Irish Parliament but this failed, and he was reduced to harrying the administration both in the courts and in parliament. In 1569 he sheltered the future Catholic martyr, Edmund Campion (1540-81) at Turvey before he fled to France. He was described by his son-in-law, Richard Stanyhurst as "the lantern and light as well of his house as of that part of Ireland where he dwelt, who being sufficiently well furnished with the knowledge of the Latin tongue as of the common law of England, was zealously bent on the reformation of his country; a deep and a wise gentleman, spare of speech and therewithal pithy, wholly addicted to gravity....very upright in dealing, measuring all his affairs with the safety of conscience, as true as steel....fast to his friend, stout in a good quarrel, a great householder....of nature mild, rather choosing to pleasure where he might harm than harm where he might pleasure", in a passage quoted in Hollinshed's Chronicles. He married his father's ward, Marian (d. 1607), daughter of Patrick Sharl or Sherle of Shallon (Co. Meath), and had issue:
(1) John Barnewall; died in infancy;
(2) Sir Patrick Barnewall, kt. (c.1558-1622) (q.v.);
(3) Lawrence Barnewall; died unmarried;
(4) James Barnewall; died young;
(5) John Barnewall (d. 1599) of Flemington; married Cicely, daughter of Alderman Henry Cusack of Dublin and widow of Christopher St. Lawrence (d. 1589), 8th Baron Howth (from whom she had been separated on the grounds of his cruelty and physical abuse), and had issue one son; died 10 May 1599, after which his widow married for a third time;
(6) Catherine Barnewall; married Thomas Finglas of Westpalstown;
(7) Margaret Barnewall (d. 1576); married, Nicholas St. Lawrence (c.1550-1607), 9th Baron Howth (who m2, Mary, daughter of Sir Nicholas White, Master of the Rolls in Ireland and had further issue three sons and three daughters), and had issue two sons and one daughter; died 1576;
(8) Genet or Janet Barnewall (d. 1579); married Richard Stanyhurst (1547-1618), of Court Duff, the Irish historian (who m2, before 1585, Helen Copley and later became a Roman Catholic priest in Spain), son of her father's successful rival to be Speaker of the Irish Parliament, James Stanyhurst, recorder of Dublin; died 1579;
(9) Alison Barnewall; married 1st, John Plunkett, son of George Plunkett, but had no issue; married 2nd, Sir Edward FitzGerald (1560-1625), kt. of Tecroghan (Meath) and had issue one son;
(10) Elizabeth Barnewall (d. 1607); married Richard or John Finglas of Westpalstown; died 28 June 1607;
(11) Anne Barnewall (d. 1639); married Sir John Draycott, kt. of Mornington (Co. Meath), son of Henry Draycott, Master of the Rolls, and had issue three sons and three daughters; died 6 February 1639;
(12) Mabel Barnewall (d. 1620); married, as his first wife, Sir Richard Masterson (1545-1627) of Ferns (Co. Wexford) (who m2, as her first husband, Joan (d. 1633), daughter of Richard Butler, 3rd Viscount Mountgarret), and had issue four daughters; died 24 June 1620;
(13) Ismay Barnewall; married Richard Delahyde of Moyclare;
(14) Eleanor Barnewall (d. 1628); married James Dillon (d. 1642), 1st Earl of Roscommon, son and heir of her stepfather, Sir Lucas Dillon, and had issue at least nine children; died 11 October 1628;
(15) Maud Barnewall; married Richard Belinge (1539-99) of Tyrellstown (Co. Meath);
(16) Mary Barnewall; married Patrick Plunkett (d. 1602), 7th Baron Dunsany, and had issue one son;
(17) Marion Barnewall; died in infancy;
(18) Anne Barnewall; died in infancy;
(19) Alison Barnewall; died in infancy;
(20) Mary Barnewall; died in infancy.
He inherited his father's property at Gracedieu (Co. Dublin), and was granted the Turvey estate at Donabate by the Earl of Ormond in 1556, where he built Turvey House in 1565 (according to an inscription recorded as formerly being over the west gate).
He died 5 or 7 July 1575 and was buried at Lusk (Co. Dublin), where he is commemorated by a monument erected by his widow's second husband. His widow married 2nd, c.1578, Sir Lucas Dillon (d. 1595) of Moymet, and died 8 January 1607.
Barnewall, Sir Patrick (c.1558-1622), kt. Eldest surviving son of Sir Christopher Barnewall (1522-75), kt. and his wife Marian, daughter of Patrick Sherle of Shallon (Co. Meath), born about 1558. He was raised as a Catholic, and is thought to have been educated in the Spanish Netherlands, and he may have had some legal training at one of the inns of court, although he does not seem to have been formally admitted there. He was strongly suspected of involvement in the pro-Catholic Baltinglass revolt of 1580, was implicated in the importation of Catholic literature in 1581, and allowed his houses to be used to celebrate mass. His marriage to an Englishwoman allayed doubts about his loyalty and he was knighted in Dublin, 28 February 1588. In a much romanticised episode, Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, eloped with his wife's sister from his house at Turvey in October 1591, but the Earl's decision to go into rebellion made this association deeply embarrassing. He remained loyal to the Crown during the ten-year campaign against Tyrone, sending military advice and intelligence to London, although his criticism of the conduct of the war caused him to be summoned to Court in 1597. In 1600 he was one of the agents sent to London to complain against the abuses committed by the royal army billeted on the pale, and this marks his emergence as a leading spokesman for the Old English Catholic families. In 1605 he was at the centre of a dispute between the King and these families, in which the king issued 'Mandates' to individual prominent citizens to attend a Church of Ireland church on a particular Sunday in the presence of the lord deputy or his council or the president of Munster or Connacht or his council. Sir Patrick declared these were contrary to the law, and he was imprisoned, first in Dublin and then briefly in the Tower of London. The Privy Council examined him but was unable to refute his arguments and in due course he was released; however, after this reverse Irish Catholic lawyers were debarred from appearing before the courts unless they had taken the Oath of Supremacy. He was again summoned to London in 1613, apparently in an attempt to prevent him sitting in the Irish Parliament, and was under house arrest there until July 1614. He married, 1582, Mary (c.1562-1609), daughter of Sir Nicholas Bagenal, kt., Marshal General of the army in Ireland, and had issue including:
(1) Sir Nicholas Barnewall (1592-1663), 1st Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland (q.v.);
(2) Jane Barnewall (c.1594-c.1671); married Col. Rory O'Moore (c.1590-1655) of Ballyna (Co. Kildare), one of the four principal organizers of the Irish Rebellion of 1641, and had issue two or three sons and four daughters;
(3) Mabel alias Margaret Barnewall (fl. 1648); married 1st, Luke Netterville (d. by 1645) of Corballis (Co. Meath), second son of Nicholas Netterville, 1st Viscount Netterville, and had issue two sons; married 2nd, 1646?, Sir Richard Bolton (c.1570-1648), kt., of Brazeel House, Brackenstown (Co. Dublin), Lord Chancellor of Ireland, but had no further issue;
(4) Eleanor Barnewall; married Christopher Fleming (d. 1625), 12th Baron Slane, and had issue six sons and one daughter;
(5) Bridget Barnewall; married James Fleming of Staholmock and Derpatrick, third son of William Fleming, 11th Baron Slane, and had issue.
In 1575 he inherited from his father the greatest patrimony in the pale comprising extensive holdings in Dublin, co. Louth, and co. Meath, including former monastic lands. After 1603 he bought land at Ballyleg aka Ballyloge (Co. Roscommon), where he also had a house.
He died 11 January 1621/2 and was buried at Lusk. His wife died 10 April 1609.
Barnewall, Sir Nicholas (1592-1663), 1st Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland. Son of Sir Patrick Barnewall (d. 1622), kt. and his wife Mary, daughter of Sir Nicholas Bagenal, kt., Marshal General of the army in Ireland, born 1592. Educated at Douai from 1600 and at Grays Inn (admitted 1611). After 1625 he was one of the principal Catholic spokesmen, and as MP for Co. Dublin 1634–35 and 1640–41 he was a prominent opponent of the government. From November 1640 to August 1641 he was in London as a representative of the Irish House of Commons charged with pressing for constitutional reform. When rebellion broke out in November 1641 Barnewall was appointed Governor of Co. Dublin with a commission to raise 300 men to fight the rebels, but since most of his relatives and political associates joined the rebellion and his sympathies clearly lay with the insurgents, this put him in a difficult position. Perhaps because this was recognised, soon after the start of hostilities he travelled to London with the government's permission, and he remained loyal to the Crown; his castle at Ballyloge (Co. Roscommon) even acted as a sanctuary for local protestants during the conflict. In London, he may have acted as an unofficial envoy for the moderate Catholics, being able both to lobby on their behalf and to provide them with intelligence. He later settled in Wales (where his mother's family had lands) before returning to Ireland in March 1644, where the Catholic confederates allowed him to draw rents from his lands in their territory. He largely kept out of confederate politics but he was strongly royalist, and is said to have had close contacts with Queen Henrietta Maria, who may have urged his elevation to the peerage as baron of Turvey and Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland on 29 June 1646. In 1654 he was imprisoned by Cromwell charged with complicity in a plot against the Lord Protector, and his property was sequestrated, though he recovered Turvey House and part of his property in 1658 and the rest at the Restoration in 1660. He married, by June 1617, Bridget (b. c.1590; fl. 1661), eldest daughter and co-heir of Henry Fitzgerald, 12th Earl of Kildare and widow of Rory O'Donnell (1575-1608), Earl of Tyrconnell, and had issue:
(1) Hon. Mary Barnewall (d. 1642); married Nicholas Preston (1608-43), 6th Viscount Gormanston, and had issue two sons; died at Alloone (Co. Kildare), May 1642;
(2) Christopher Barnewall; died unmarried before the Civil War;
(3) Hon. Mabel Barnewall (d. 1699); married 1st, January 1636, Christopher Plunkett (d. 1649), 2nd Earl of Fingall, and had issue two sons and one daughter; married 2nd, before 1655/6, Col. James Barnewall; buried at Killeen (Co. Meath), 4 February 1699;
(4) Col. the Hon. Patrick Barnewall (fl. 1646); an officer in the Royalist army in the Civil War (Col.), whose service was mentioned in the preamble to his father's peerage patent; died in England, unmarried, in the lifetime of his father;
(5) Hon. Eleanor Barnewall (d. 1660?); married Charles Whyte MP (c.1610-97) of Leixlip Castle (Co. Kildare), Governor of Co. Kildare in 1689; said to have died in 1660;
(6) Hon. Frances Barnewall; died unmarried and was buried at Lusk.
(7) Henry Barnewall (c.1627-88), 2nd Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland (q.v.);
(8) Hon. Francis Barnewall (c.1629-97), born about 1629; lived at Beggstown and Woodpark (Co. Meath); married 1st, Jane, daughter of Philip FitzGerald of Alloone (Co. Kildare) and had issue one son, his heir Nicholas Barnewall (from whom descended the sixth and last Viscount); married 2nd, Marianna (d. 1672), daughter and heiress of Richard Perkins of Lifford (Co. Donegal) and had issue four further sons and three daughters; died 6 January and was buried at Lusk, 7 January 1696/7;
(9) Hon. Matthew Barnewall (c.1631-68), born about 1631; died unmarried, 14 June and was buried at Lusk, 16 June 1668.
He inherited his father's estates in Co. Dublin, and Co. Roscommon in 1622.
He died 20 August and was buried at Lusk, 3 September 1663; his will was proved 11 September 1663. His wife was living in 1661 but died before 1682.
Barnewall, Henry (c.1627-88), 2nd Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland. Third, but eldest surviving son of Sir Nicholas Barnewall (1592-1663), 1st Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland, and his wife Bridget, eldest daughter and co-heir of Henry, 12th Earl of Kildare and widow of Rory O'Donnell, Earl of Tyrconnel, born about 1627. He succeeded his father as 2nd Viscount, 20 August 1663. He married 1st, 1661, Mary (d. 1663), daughter of John Netterville, 2nd Viscount Netterville and 2nd, 11 December 1664, Lady Mary (1648-80), probably* daughter of Richard Nugent, 2nd Earl of Westmeath, and had issue:
(1.1) Hon. Marianna Barnewall (1662-1735), born 26 March 1662; married, September 1680, her first cousin, Rt. Hon. Thomas Nugent KC (d. 1715), created Baron Nugent of Riverston in the Jacobite peerage, 1689, and had issue two sons; died 16 September 1735;
(2.1) Nicholas Barnewall (1668-1725), 3rd Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland (q.v.);
(2.2) Hon. Mary Barnewall (1670-1715), born 20 July 1670; married, 23 September 1687, Thomas St. Lawrence (1659-1727), 13th Baron Howth, and had issue one son; died 16 September 1715 and was buried at Howth (Co. Dublin);
(2.3) Hon. Bridget Barnewall (b. 1672), born 6 June 1672; married [forename unknown] MacMahon;
(2.4) Hon. Mabel Barnewall (1673-1710), born 24 November 1673; married 1st, Oliver Plunkett (1668-1707), de jure 8th Baron Louth, and had issue one son and two daughters; married 2nd, Stephen Taaffe of Dormanstown (Co. Meath); died 27 September 1710 and was buried at Duleek (Co. Meath);
(2.5) Hon. Richard Barnewall (1675-1746), born 7 August 1675; had issue a daughter; died unmarried at Turvey, 4 June and was buried at Lusk, 7 June 1746;
(2.6) Hon. Joseph Barnewall (b. 1677), born 25 April 1677; living in 1688 but died young;
(2.7) Hon. Christopher Barnewall (b. 1680), said to have been born 22 February 1679/80; died unmarried.
He inherited Turvey House, Donabate from his father in 1663.
He died 1 June and was buried at Lusk, 3 June 1688. His first wife died 28 October 1663 and was buried at Lusk. His second wife died 25 June 1680 and was buried at Lusk.
* The Complete Peerage gives her date of birth and says she was a daughter of the 1st Earl; but since the 1st Earl died in 1641 she was probably a daughter of the 2nd Earl, who was also called Richard Nugent.
Barnewall, Nicholas (1668-1725), 3rd Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland. Eldest son of Henry Barnewall (d. 1688), 2nd Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland and his second wife, Lady Mary, daughter of Thomas Nugent, 3rd Earl of Westmeath, born 15 April 1668. He succeeded his father as 3rd Viscount, 1 June 1688, served in Lord Limerick's Dragoons in the Jacobite army in 1688, and sat in King James II's Irish Parliament in 1689, and was outlawed for his support of the Jacobite cause, but claimed the benefit of the treaty of Limerick so that the outlawry was reversed. He was summoned to the Irish House of Lords in 1692 but refused to swear the oaths required and was not allowed to take his seat. He was a Roman Catholic in religion. He married, 15 May 1688* with £3,000, Mary (1676-1736), youngest daughter and co-heiress with her two sisters (Elizabeth, Viscountess Ross and Frances, Viscountess Dillon) of George Hamilton, Count Hamilton, and had issue:
(1) Hon. Elizabeth Barnewall (1699-1722), born 31 May 1699; died unmarried, 15 November 1722 and was buried at Kilkenny;
(2) Hon. Frances Barnewall (1700-35), born 7 November 1700; married, 1725, the Hon. Richard Barnewall (fl. 1726-68) [for whom see above], third son of John Barnewall, 11th Baron Trimlestown, and had issue three sons (of whom one later succeeded as 14th Baron Trimlestown) ; died at Alloon (Kildare), 19 March 1735;
(3) Hon. Harriet Barnewall (1702-03), born 3 June 1702; died in infancy, 3 November 1703;
(4) Hon. Mary Barnewall (b. & d. 1704), born 12 July 1704; died in infancy of smallpox, 16 December 1704 and was buried at Lusk;
(5) Henry Benedict Barnewall (1709-74), 4th Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland (q.v.);
(6) Hon. George Barnewall (1711-71) (q.v.).
He inherited Turvey House, Donabate from his father in 1688. He inherited estates worth £3,500 a year in right of his wife soon after their marriage.
He died 14 June and was buried at Lusk (Co. Dublin), 16 June 1725; his will was proved in Dublin in 1727. His widow died 15 February 1735/6 and was also buried at Lusk; her will was proved in Dublin in 1740.
* If this date is correct, the marriage, which was arranged by his guardian, Lord (Nugent of) Riverston, took place when his wife was aged about 12, which would account for there being no children for some years. However, there were no children until 1699, so perhaps the marriage date should really be 1698.
Barnewall, Henry Benedict (1709-74), 4th Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland. Elder son of Nicholas Barnewall (1668-1725), 3rd Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland, and his wife Mary, youngest daughter and co-heiress of George, Count Hamilton, born 1 February 1708/9; Cardinal Henry Benedict Stuart, Jacobite Duke of York and brother of Bonnie Prince Charlie, was his godfather. He succeeded his father as 4th Viscount, 14 June 1725 and came of age in 1729. He was a freemason and served as Grand Master of the Irish Grand Lodge of St John, 1733-35. As a Roman Catholic he was prevented from taking his seat in the Irish House of Lords, although he presented his writ of summons and took the oath of fidelity, 1740. He married, 22 May 1735 at Arbour Hill, Honora (d. 1784), daughter of Peter Daly of Queensbury (Co. Galway), but had no issue.
He inherited Turvey House, Donabate from his father in 1725. At his death it passed to his nephew, the 5th Viscount.
He died at Queensbury, 11 March 1774. His widow died in 1784.
Barnewall, Hon. George (1711-71). Younger son of Nicholas Barnewall (1668-1725), 3rd Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland, and his wife Mary, youngest daughter and co-heiress of George, Count Hamilton, born in Dublin, 24 November 1711. Mary Pendarves records him appearing as Orestes in amateur theatricals in Dublin in 1732. He married, 1752 (licence 3 April), Barbara Belasyse (1730-61), second daughter of Thomas Belasyse, 4th Viscount and later 1st Earl of Fauconberg of the second creation, and had issue:
(1) George Barnewall (1758-1800), 5th Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland (q.v.).
He appears to have lived chiefly in London.
He died in June 1771. His wife died 22 October 1761 and was buried with her father at St Pancras (Middx), 29 October 1761, where she is commemorated on his monument.
Barnewall, George (1758-1800), 5th Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland. Only son of Hon. George Barnewall (1711-71) and his wife Barbara, daughter of Thomas Belasyse, 2nd Earl of Fauconberg, born 12 July and baptised at St George, Hanover Square, London, 13 July 1758. He succeeded his uncle as 5th Viscount, 11 March 1774. The first of his family to be brought up a Protestant, he took the oaths and was admitted to the Irish House of Lords, 18 January 1787. He lived latterly in France, where according to some sources he became insane and was confined in a lunatic asylum, but this seems not to be the case since his will, written a few days before his death, was accepted as valid and went unchallenged. He was unmarried and without issue.
He inherited Turvey House, Donabate from his uncle in 1774. At his death his property passed to Nicholas Barnewall, 14th Baron Trimlestown, but it was heavily encumbered with mortgages.
His death was inaccurately reported in the press in May 1797, but he actually died and was buried at Pointoise, Val d'Oise (France), 5 April 1800, when the viscountcy became dormant until in 1814 it was revived in favour of Mathew Barnewall (d. 1833), a great-great-grandson of the 1st Viscount, who became the 6th and last Viscount. His will was proved 2 February 1801.
Barnewall family of Bloomsbury
Barnewall, Joseph (1781-1852). Second son of Richard Barnewall (c.1744-1826) [for whom see above, under Barnewall family, Barons Trimelstown] and his wife Katherine, daughter of George Byrne of Seatown, Dundalk (Co. Louth), born 1781. He married, 23 August 1814 or 1817, Margaret (d. 1841), eldest daughter of Thomas Everard of Randalstown (Co. Meath) and had issue:
(1) Richard Barnewall (1821-66) (q.v.);
(2) Barbara Barnewall (c.1822-97); died unmarried, 1 December 1897;
(3) Charlotte Barnewall (c.1823-97); died unmarried, 24 September 1897;
(4) Katherine Barnewall (c.1824-1907) (q.v.).
(5) Thomas Barnewall (1825-98) (q.v.).
He leased Mount Tisdall (Meath) from 1829, bought the freehold in 1835 and renamed it Bloomsbury House.
He died at Bloomsbury, 27 June 1852. His wife died in November 1841.
Barnewall, Richard (1821-66). Elder son of Joseph Barnewall (1781-1852) and his wife Margaret, eldest daughter of Thomas Everard of Randalstown (Co. Meath), born February 1821. Educated at Prior Park College, Bath. JP and DL for Co. Meath. He married, 9 September 1845 at Glananea (Co. Westmeath), Helena Maria, youngest daughter of Charles Whyte Roche of Ballygran (Co. Limerick), but had no issue.
He inherited Bloomsbury House from his father in 1852 and enlarged it in 1858.
He died 3 February 1866; administration of his goods was granted to his brother, 24 May 1866 (effects under £14,000). His widow married 2nd, 2 March 1878 at St. Roch, Paris (France), the Vicomte de Chasteigner of Chateau de Faltaise, Gironde (France); her date of death is unknown.
Barnewall, Thomas (1825-98). Younger son of Joseph Barnewall (1781-1852) and his wife Margaret, eldest daughter of Thomas Everard of Randalstown (Co. Meath), born 25 March 1825. He was unmarried and without issue.
He lived at Ardbraccan Lodge (Meath) until he inherited Bloomsbury House from his elder brother in 1866.
He died 17 January 1898; his will was proved 19 March 1898 (effects £16,511).
Barnewall, Katherine (c.1824-1907). Daughter of Joseph Barnewall (1781-1852) and his wife Margaret, eldest daughter of Thomas Everard of Randalstown (Co. Meath), born about 1824.
She inherited Bloomsbury House from her brother in 1898. At her death she bequeathed it to her second cousin once removed, the 18th Baron Trimlestown (q.v.).
She died 6 June 1907; her will was proved 27 November 1907 (estate £12.558 in Ireland and £4,644 in England).
Principal sources
Burke's Dormant and Extinct Peerages, 1883, pp. 23-24; Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 2003, pp. 265-67, 3938-40; J. Lodge & M. Archdall, The Peerage of Ireland, vol. 5, 1789, pp. 29-53; H.H. Langrishe, 'Le Comte de Barnaval: a sidelight on Barnewall family history', Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, 1944, pp. 73-86; Knight of Glin, D.J. Griffin & N.K. Robinson, Vanishing country houses of Ireland, 2nd edn, 1989, pp. 62, 67, 115; C. Casey & A. Rowan, The buildings of Ireland: North Leinster, 1993, pp. 523-25; J. Howley, The follies and garden buildings of Ireland, 1993, pp. 29-30; J. McVeagh (ed), Richard Pococke's Irish Tours, 1995, pp. 139-40; C. Culleton, 'From barrow boy to Viscount: the story of Matthew Barnewall', History Ireland, Winter 1999, pp. 5-6; A. Kavanagh, The landed gentry and aristocracy: Meath, vol. 1, 2005, pp. 12-30; Sir John Baker, The Men of Court, 1440-1550, 2012, pp. 269-71; Patricia McCarthy, Life in the country house in Georgian Ireland, 2016, pp. 16, 159; K.V. Mulligan, Vain transitory splendours: the Irish country house and the art of John Nankivell, 2018, pp. 144-45, 173; https://theirishaesthete.com/tag/trimlestown-castle/;https://theirishaesthete.com/2015/03/02/the-bloomsbury-set/
Location of archives
No significant accumulation is known to survive.
Coat of arms
All three branches of the family use the same coat of arms: Ermine, a bordure engrailed gules.
Can you help?
- If anyone knows of a country house which belonged to the Barnewall baronets, please let me know.
- Does anyone know about the ownership history of Trimlestown Castle after 1915?
- The 18th Baron Trimlestown is said to have owned 6,000 acres at the time of his death. Does anyone know which properties these were or when they were sold?
- Can anyone identify the early 18th century 'Battle of Lansfield' at which Thomas Barnewall is said to have been killed?
- I should be most grateful if anyone can provide photographs or portraits of people whose names appear in bold above, and who are not already illustrated.
- As always, any additions or corrections to the account given above will be gratefully received and incorporated.
Revision and acknowledgements
This post was first published 7 January 2020 and was updated 9-10 January 2020, 20 July and 16 August 2021 and 20 January 2024. I am most grateful to Kevin V. Mulligan for his help with Trimlestown and Bloomsbury.
Hello
ReplyDeleteHow to contact you, Mr. Kingsley? I am a member of the Barnwell family who came to the Americas in 1701. I am descended from Col. John Barnwell
You can contact me privately using the contact form at the top of the right-hand side bar.
ReplyDeleteI've read your blog with interest and have been trying to confirm a genealogy published. The link is http://kingslandmanor.org/2019-Descendants-of-Sir-Patrick-Barnewall-Kingsland.pdf Would be interested in your thoughts and the claim of this line as I'm a descendant of Isaac Kingsland.
ReplyDeleteI have to say the descent contained in the link you provided looks very doubtful to me. It includes several children across the different generations for whose existence I found no evidence, and several things are obviously wrong: for example if the 1st Viscount had sons called Patrick and Richard who were born before the 2nd Viscount and survived until 1665 the elder of them would have inherited the peerage on the death of the 1st Viscount in 1663. Also, although it is true that successive Viscounts tended to be known as 'Lord Kingsland' rather than more correctly as 'Lord Barnewall of Kingsland', I found no evidence that Kingsland was adopted as a surname by anyone in this family and it would be highly unusual for that to happen at this period. I suspect the whole thing has been concocted, mixing fact and fiction, as evidence for a spurious pedigree.
DeleteI am also a descendant of John "Tuscarora Jack" Barnwell, who emigrated to America after his father, Matthew Barnwell (Alderman in Dublin) was killed in the Siege of Derry in 1690 as a captain in James II's Irish Army, which attempted to restore the last Stuart king to the English throne.
ReplyDeleteDo you know if that Barnwell family is connected to the one you so thoroughly explore here?
Either way, well done on your excellent work!
I am afraid I have no information about a connection, although if Matthew Barnwell was an alderman he was evidently of reasonably high status so a connection is plausible.
DeleteHello! I am also a descendant of John Barnwell in America! I have him being the child of the 7th Baron Robert Barnewell and wife Genet Talbot.
DeleteTuscarora Jack cannot have been the John Barnewall who was a son of the 7th Baron, as that John would have been born in the late 16th century!
DeleteThere is a castle called Drimnauh which is located near Dublin that has been refurbished in the past 15 years or so. Is it connected to the Trimlestown Barnewalls?
DeleteDoes anyone have information on Fr. Bar well who was a priest in Clonmellon at start of Pensl Laws. He left money for the education of priests in the Irish language See Cogans History of the Diocese of Meath.
ReplyDeleteIs this the same document you were previously provided?
ReplyDeletehttps://pdfroom.com/books/descendants-of-sir-patrick-barnewall-kingsland/Gk203Nzwgpm
Can you state with 100% confidence that the Viscount title had not been passed to Richard or Patrick 1st then redirected two years later with their death? The first decendent to drop the Barnewall name was Isaac Barnewall Kingsland, who had moved to Barbadoes. Many of the Barnewall decendents came to America and in America if they gave the last name as Barnewall Kingsland - the government would take Barnewall as their middle name and Kingsland as their last name. The document from the link I provided was compiled from several Barnewall decendents who have an organization based in New Jersey.They did an extremely thorough job, even tracking down my Grandfather living in Vermont and listing him in the document. His mother was Jessie Kingsland also a decendent of Isaac Kingsland who was born in London.Did your search include births that may have occurred in other countries? Thank you. KC
Yes I think that is the same document, albeit at a different URL. The 1st Viscount's career is well recorded and I have no evidence that he ever lived outside Britain and Ireland. It is perfectly possible (since recording is far from perfect) that he had a son called Richard of whom I found no evidence, but if he (or Patrick) was living in 1663 they would have inherited the viscountcy. By 1663 civil society was more ordered after the convulsions of the Cromwellian period and record-keeping is better, so I think we can be 99% confident that no elder son inherited the peerage for a short period and was subsequently lost to record. The only thing I can conceive of is that Richard (if he existed) or Patrick went abroad in his father's lifetime and did not keep in touch with his relatives. It might then have been assumed - if he had not been heard of for fifteen or twenty years - that he was dead, enabling Henry to assume the title. I also find it curious that in this pedigree, Richard and Patrick are supposed to have died on the same day, but with no indication of where or how. I suspect that, if the pedigree has any authoritative basis, the date of death has been mistranscribed and should be, say, 1655.
DeleteI am an American Kingsland descendent of same family tree on which you received prior questions, and I agree with you about the unlikeliness of the Barnewall connection. The original American settlers of this Kingsland family were two Barbadoes planters who were granted a large swath of land in New Jersey (just several miles west of Manhattan - wish we still owned it!) on which one settled in the 1670s, with some of his relatives following from England in the 1680s. It appears little is known about the family's English origins. However, I would be most interested if you ever do come across anything indicating a Barnewall/Barbadoes/American Kingsland connection.
Delete(sorry, mistakenly hit "Reply" earlier, now reposting as Comment):
ReplyDeleteI am also an American Kingsland descendent, same family referred to in prior questions from Kingsland descendants. I agree about unlikelihood of Barnewall antecedents (my own limited online research of Barnewall genealogies has not unearthed any indicating American descendants with Kingsland surname). This Kingsland family started in America with a Barbadoes based Kingsland and his nephew obtaining a grant of land in New Jersey on which the nephew settled around 1670, and two other Kingsland nephews followed from England in the 1680s. It appears little is known about the family's likely English (as opposed to Anglo-Irish) origins. However, it would be most interesting if you ever do come across any other genealogies referring to a Barnewall/Barbadoes/Kingsland connection.
Thank you so much for publishing such a comprehensive genealogy of the Barnewall surname.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if you had any knowledge of Jane Barnwell (sic) with whom the teenage Arthur Wellesley (who later became the Duke of Wellington) had an affair and who bore him an illegitimate daughter in 1787. According to Jimmy O’Toole in his book “The Carlow Gentry - What will the neighbours say!” the genealogical work was carried out in the 1950s by Sr. Ligouri Headen, a member of the Loretta Order who died in Dublin in 1970.
According to O’Toole Jane Barnwell; “…was a member of a Catholic aristocratic family whose seat was at Timbleston (Trimlestown?), Co Meath”.
In her family tree Sr. Headen named the Honourable Miss Jane Barnwell as her great grandmother but omitted the name of her great grandfather. Apparently, however, she did confirm the affair between Jane and Arthur to her nephew before her death.
Jane (also a teenager at the time) was subsequently married to a member of the Hanlon family (wealthy Catholic tenant farmers in the county). The child was christened Jane Hanlon and was educated at Winchester Convent in England. It is believed that Arthur Wellesley funded her education.
She lived in Tullow and, when she died in 1867, she was buried in Grange cemetery.
Many thanks.
I am afraid I have not come across this Jane Barn(e)wall, but I would be far from confident that I have identified all the children of the 18th century members of this family, so I have no reason to doubt the plausibility of this story. Have you tried approaching it through modern biographies of the Duke of Wellington?
DeleteI am a relative of Sr Jane Francis Ligouri Hayden (formerly spelled Headon) and am very interested to know more about my Irish forebears: in particular, of the women's lives.
DeleteIf your information is reliable, Sean, I would very much like to know more. There is no mention of such a revelation in the compiled family history I inherited from my Rathellen Hayden relatives...and which includes a fascinating account written by Sr Jane Francis about her family's life in Dublin and Portarlington.
Could it be that Arthur Wellesley/ The Duke of Wellington's infamous quote: "publish and be damned" referred to the disclosure of my relative's so called "illegitimate" birth? Or were there other "affairs" that A.W. was keen to suppress?
In my brief search, I have not yet found any acknowledgement of Jane, his daughter with Jane Barnewall,...among the otherwise extensive coverage of his career. I was certainly glad to note that he financed her education. Thank you to all concerned for posting this fascinating history. I hope to bring more of my female relatives into the light -
albeit without the shame of harsh judgement which at least some must have borne. For now, I remain anonymous but send best wishes.
The uncertainty of Thomas Barnewall's status prior to his successful writ of summons in 1795 is reflected in an entry in the Register of Deeds, Dublin in 1788. It concerns repayment of a loan of about 1090 pounds to Robert and George Crowe. Each mention of his name is followed by 'called Lord Trimlestown' as though this was only a courtesy title. See Memorial 265686.
ReplyDeleteHi I have been researching my mothers Lyons family history and came across a marriage between Henry Lyons and Miss Barnwell (1772 - 1855) in a obsolete website at URL (https://docplayer.net/amp/52090987-Appendix-descendants-of-henry-lyons-miss-barnwell-generation-no-1.html) it goes on to say "He married a Miss Barnwell, whose inheritance from her wealthy, unmarried, doctor brother ...." and there is suggestion on many websites that the name Barnwell and Barnewall are derivatives of the original de Barneville (including your own webpage). you mention two or three male Barnewall's with no issue and passing to a sister (in one case) their estate. Hoping this may aid in extending your excellent work (if it proves correct?)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link. Unfortunately the Barnewalls (various spellings) had many branches. I can't see where your Miss Barnwell would fit into those discussed here, but I will bear her in mind!
Delete