Wednesday 10 November 2021

Kilronan Castle

THE KING-TENISONS WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY ROSCOMMON, WITH 17,726 ACRES

This family is derived from the same stock as was the celebrated divine, DR THOMAS TENISON, advanced, in 1694, from the bishopric of Lincoln to the archiepiscopal see of Canterbury.

RICHARD TENISON, DD (1642-1705), born at Carrickfergus, County Antrim (second son of Major Thomas Tenison, one of the Sheriffs of the town of Carrickfergus, 1646), was stated to have been a cousin of the said Primate.

Thomas Tenison entered Trinity College, Dublin, in 1659, of which he eventually became Vice-Chancellor.

Dr Tenison was appointed to the deanery of Clogher in 1675; and, in 1681, he was consecrated Lord Bishop of Killala and Achonry, from which see he was translated, successively, to those of Clogher and of Meath, of which latter diocese he died in 1705, having had issue,
HENRY, MP for Monaghan, 1695-9, Louth, 1703-9;
RICHARD, MP for Dunleer, 1715-25;
THOMAS, of whom we treat;
William;
Norbury;
Elizabeth; Maria.
The third son,

CAPTAIN THOMAS TENISON (1692-1764), married Alice, daughter of the Rev William Mosse, Rector of Maryborough, Queen's County, and had issue,
THOMAS;
Mary Jane; Ann.
Captain Tenison was succeeded by his only son,

THOMAS TENISON (1730-c1788), MP for County Monaghan, 1775-83, who wedded, in 1758, Mary Anne, second daughter of Colonel John Daniel Degennes, of Portarlington, Queen's County (where he resided for some years afterwards at Rosefield, County Monaghan), and had issue,
THOMAS, his heir;
Frances, died unmarried.
His only son,

THOMAS TENISON (1761-1835), of Castle Tenison (now Kilronan Castle), MP for Boyle, 1792-7, Lieutenant-Colonel, Roscommon Militia, married firstly, in 1803, the Lady Frances Anne King, daughter of Edward, 1st Earl of Kingston, and had issue,
THOMAS, his heir;
EDWARD KING, successor to his brother.
He wedded secondly, Mary Anne, daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Coore, of Scruton, Yorkshire, and by her had an only daughter, Thomasine Sophia, who espoused Robert Saunderson, of County Cavan.

Mr Tenison was succeeded by his eldest son,

THOMAS TENISON, of Castle Tenison, who died unmarried at Florence, Italy, 1843, and was succeeded by his brother,

EDWARD KING-TENISON JP DL (1805-78), of Kilronan Castle, who wedded, in 1838, the Lady Louisa Mary Anne Anson, eldest daughter of Thomas William, 1st Earl of Lichfield, and had issue, two daughters, 
Louisa Frances Mary, m 12th Baron Dormer;
FRANCES MARGARET CHRISTINA.
Colonel King-Tenison's younger daughter,

FRANCES MARGARET CHRISTINA KING-TENISON (1845-1907), of Kilronan Castle, espoused, in 1872, Henry, 8th Earl of Kingston.


KILRONAN CASTLE, near Ballyfarnon, County Roscommon, was formerly called Castle Tenison.

It was built in the early 19th Century and replaced a house near the site of the present outbuildings.

The entrance to the earlier house was by the short avenue later used as the farm yard entrance.

The new building was a three storey, three bay symmetrical castellated block, with slender corner turrets or minarets.

The rooms were well proportioned and there was delicate fan vaulting plaster-work on the stairs and landing.


Isaac Weld visited the place in the late 1820s and referred to the castle as a spacious and costly modern built edifice of three storeys in height, in form nearly square with a round minaret tower at each angle; the whole embattled at the summit.

This was the castle to which Lady Louisa came to make her home.

The castle was extended by the 8th Earl of Kingston in 1876, with a five-storey over basement baronial tower and battlements.

During the Edwardian period, Lord and Lady Kingston enjoyed the estate until political and social change saw the closure and sale of Kilronan.

Kilronan Castle, although furnished, was seldom occupied.

In 1939, the contents of  the castle were sold by auction.

Eventually the Irish Land Commission acquired the property.

Kilronan Castle is now a hotel.

First published in April, 2012.

1 comment :

Demetrius said...

Ah, Anson of Lichfield. Smile please.