Places: A Gentleman's Description of Summer Hill and Dangan in 1828

Dangan Castle

    Summerhill


" Being desirous of seeing the ancient castle of Dangan, the birth-place of the hero of our day (the Duke of Wellington who defeated Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815) we left Dublin for Summer Hill, a village about thirty miles from Dublin, and a very short distance from Dangan Castle. It was autumn, and, as we reached Summer Hill late, we went quietly to bed- deferring the object of our curiosity till the morning."

"We arose almost with the sun on the following morning, and after a rural breakfast in one of the prettiest villages in Ireland, Summer Hill, we set forth on our walk to Dangan.

Dangan


"The day brightened as we left the village, and we saw at a mile's distance the gates and woods of Dangan. We passed down the side of the domain wall, and, pursuing a noble road with woods on each side, at length reached an eminence, whence Dangan Castle burst on our view. Its windows glistened in the morning sun, and many coloured foliage added to its beauty."

"Having walked over the domain, we proceeded to the castle, and examined the interior of it. It is now quite a ruin, having been sold by Lord Wellesley, (father of the Duke of Wellington) and since the sale has passed through many hands. It had, moreover, suffered recently by some fire, so as to look more picturesquely in a distant prospect than upon a close inspection. The shell of the castle, which had so fine an effect, with its battlements and turrets amongst the surrounding woods, had a very different aspect as we approached it. Still it appeared to us as historic ground, and we lingered long in the domain and its vicinity"

"We passed the rest of the day in walking through the adjacent country, which is fertile and well cultivated. From every part of the landscape, the woods, and frequently the castle of Dangan were to be seen. We continued to walk through this wild and romantic scenery, and could not but be pleased with the varied landscapes of a fine corn country, always terminated, and, as it were, framed by the beautiful and extensive woods of Dangan. We stopped at an humble Irish cottage; the inhabitants produced a repast of potatoes and milk, of which we of course partook. How exceedingly cheaply are the Irish peasantry maintained- how cheaply might even an English family, and of the first respectability, live most substantially in Ireland. The largest and fattest fowl is six-pence or seven-pence- a goose thirteen pence- a turkey the same; taxes almost nothing, and labour not a shilling per day. The rent of land is about twenty-five shillings the English acre, and in taking a domain of fifty or sixty acres the house is rated as nothing, being included in the rent..."

"....The wages of maid-servants are about four pounds a year- of a coachman about ten. Every family makes their own candles and soap..." "..We returned to Summer Hill to sleep....in a quiet slumber at a village inn.


"With the first gleaming of the golden sun, illuminating the peaceful village, we set out for Trim.....we again approached Dangan Castle on our way to Trim..."


..."Proceeding toward Trim, a country town thirty miles from Dublin, we passed through some of the finest and best cultivated land we had seen in Ireland. Good farm-houses, large fields, and every appearance of good crops and proper cultivation, showed us what Ireland might become under due culture. "


Trim


"Upon bidding farewell to this interesting little spot we passed on to Trim, a considerable Irish country town. The old castle is the most striking and picturesque feature of the place. It is situated upon the memorable Boyne, which is here about as wide as the Thames at Richmond; and is beautifully blue. when Marquis Wellesley sold his castle at Dangan, he resided some time here. Trim is likewise remarkable for the occasional residence of (Jonathan) Swift (Church of Ireland cleric, later dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, best known for his book "Gulliver's Travels" written in 1726) his parsonage at Laracor being near it. "


"...Again we beheld the cradle of our Wellington, and the baronial edifice of King John, for in his reign it (the castle at Trim) was built. The first dawn of the morning was on its walls; the autumnal woods reddened with the rising sun; the cheerful redbreast poured forth its song; and the sheep grazed through the domain. It was altogether a picture of exquisite rural beauty and country repose."

Trim

Journal Source:
Mr. Peel- page 183-page 188  
Public Characters of the Year 1828
Printed by Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown and Green
Paternoster Row, 1828
(Pictures are not from the book- found on Google images)


  

Allen Blog-1841 Ireland- A 420 meter scroll and a new find!

       This is the 1841 signature of my great-great grandfather,  Richard Allen. This is significant, not just because it is his signature, but because it shows that unlike many Irishmen of the time, Richard Allen was literate.

                      George Howard- Lord Viscount Morpeth

I came across this by accident today, while researching another relative. In 1841, Lord Viscount Morpeth (George Howard) was retiring from his post as Chief Secretary for Ireland. He was given a gift of a 420 meter roll of parchment consisted of 652 pieces of paper signed by 160,000 people from all over Ireland. The signatures included men from all levels of Irish society. There were some famous people of course, including the great Daniel O'Conner, but most of the signatures were those of everyday farmers and businessmen.

In 2013 the scroll was sent on a 14 month tour of Ireland, where it could be seen by the public for the first time in 170 years. It was also digitized at Ancestry.com and can be seen online.

 If you look at my Allen Family Tree on Ancestry, you can see Richard Allen's signature on the scroll. Many of his relatives and neighbors at the time also signed the scroll.

Patrick Sweeney was a neighbor of Richard Allen in Great Umberstown, and likely the brother of Margaret Sweeney.

Peter Allen and John Allen of Dangan were likely Richard's brothers and Andrew Young of Dangan was the husband of Elizabeth Allen-likely Richard's sister. 

The scroll is full of the names of many neighbors and friends of the Allen's and Sweeney's.

The names led me to more questions (of course) What relation was this Francis Allen and this John Sweeney?

Here is a look at part of page 442- can you find Rich'd Allen?

Source: page 442, The 1841 Irish Testimonial to Lord Morpeth, Castle Howard, York, England
Caste Howard Estate Ltd., Ancestry.com. Ireland, Lord Viscount Morpeth's Testimonial Roll, 1841

Historical Morpeth Roll is digitised (Click to read article)