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FRANCIS GROSE [1731-1791] : A FINE ORIGINAL ANTIQUE COPPER ENGRAVING OF ATHLUMNY CASTLE, Co. MEATH, IRELAND.
London: M. Hooper, [1794]. An attractive antique eighteenth century copper engraving entitled Athlumny Castle, County Meath. The image shows a fine exterior view of Athlumny Castle with two figures and a donkey in the foreground. Originally produced for Grose's famous and historical work "Antiquities of Ireland" posthumously published by Samuel Hooper, his nephew Daniel (also an accomplished draughtsman) and antiquarian Dr. Edward Ledwich completing the project in 1796. Plate size 155mm x 205mm (approx. 6.in x 8.in) titled and dated underneath image, with excellent wide margins for mounting and framing. An unusally fine, bright and clean impression of this scarce original eighteenth century engraving. Please note the actual engraving is much more clearer and vibrant than that shown in the illustrations.
Athlumney Castle overlooks a key strategic point, where the Leinster Blackwater drains into the Boyne. The placename derives from the Irish for "Loman's ford", referring to Lommán of Trim. Archaeological digs uncovered an Early Christian souterrain.
The motte at Athlumney (which preceded the existing castle) was built in the years after 1172 when Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath granted the title of Baron Skryne to his ally Adam de Feypo; he in turn granted Athlumney to a relative Amauri de Feipo, who built the motte.
The older part of Athlumney Castle is a tower house (caiseal) built in the 15th century.
The newer part of the castle is a Tudor-style fortified house attached to the tower. This was built in the late 16th century or early 17th century. It had large corridors and its ground floor kitchen provided heat for the first floor rooms where the Lord lived. The doorway is cut limestone and there is an oriel window on its eastern wall.
In 1649 during Oliver Cromwell's Siege of Drogheda, the Maguire (Mac Uidhir) who held Athlumney Castle burned it down to prevent Cromwell taking possession of it.
The last Lord of Athlumney was Sir Launcelot Dowdall. The Dowdalls lost their land during the Cromwellian Plantation and got it back under Charles II. They backed the Catholic James II and Launcelot Dowdall was High Sheriff of Meath in 1686. After James' defeat at the Battle of the Boyne (which took place just 19 km / 12 mi from Athlumney Castle), Dowdall left for France and supposedly burned the castle down again.
The property later belonged to the Somerville family of Kentstown who took the title of Baron Athlumney. When the estate was broken up the land around the castle was bought by Bishop Nulty for the Sisters of Mercy. He had planned to build a seminary there but died before he could enact this, and his successor built a seminary in Mullingar instead.
FRANCIS GROSE, an eminent English antiquary was born in 1731, and having a taste for heraldry and antiquities, his father procured him a place in the college of arms, which, however, he resigned in 1763. By his father he was left an independent fortune, which he was not of a disposition to add to or even to preserve. He early entered into the Surrey militia....(Rising to rank of Captain, but still had very little skill in handling money)
...His losses on this occasion roused his latent talents: with a good classical education he united a fine taste for drawing, which he now began to cultivate; and encouraged by his friends, he undertook the work from which he derived both profit and reputation: his Views of Antiquities in England and Wales, which he first began to publish in numbers in 1773, and finished in 1776. The next year he added two more volumes to his English views, in which he included the islands of Guernsey and Jersey, which were completed in 1787. This work, which was executed with accuracy and elegance, soon became a favourite with the public at large, ... (A volume on Scotland soon followed). Before he had concluded this work, he proceeded to Ireland, intending to furnish that kingdom with views and descriptions of her antiquities, in the same manner he had executed those of Great Britain; but soon after his arrival in Dublin, being at the house of Mr. Hone there, he suddenly was seized at table with an apoplectic fit, on the 6th May 1791, and died immediately. He was interred in Dublin.
His literary history,” says a friend, “respectable as it is, was exceeded by his good-humour, conviviality, and friendship... He was the butt for other men to shoot at, but it always rebounded with a double force...He could eat with Sancho, and drink with the knight. In simplicity, probity, and a compassionate heart, he was wholly of the Pança breed; his jocularity could have pleased a prince. In the “St. James's Evening Post,” the following was proposed as an epitaph for him:
"here lies FRANCIS GROSE.
On Thursday, May 21, 1791
Death put an end to his
Views and prospects.”
London: M. Hooper, [1794]. An attractive antique eighteenth century copper engraving entitled Athlumny Castle, County Meath. The image shows a fine exterior view of Athlumny Castle with two figures and a donkey in the foreground. Originally produced for Grose's famous and historical work "Antiquities of Ireland" posthumously published by Samuel Hooper, his nephew Daniel (also an accomplished draughtsman) and antiquarian Dr. Edward Ledwich completing the project in 1796. Plate size 155mm x 205mm (approx. 6.in x 8.in) titled and dated underneath image, with excellent wide margins for mounting and framing. An unusally fine, bright and clean impression of this scarce original eighteenth century engraving. Please note the actual engraving is much more clearer and vibrant than that shown in the illustrations.
Athlumney Castle overlooks a key strategic point, where the Leinster Blackwater drains into the Boyne. The placename derives from the Irish for "Loman's ford", referring to Lommán of Trim. Archaeological digs uncovered an Early Christian souterrain.
The motte at Athlumney (which preceded the existing castle) was built in the years after 1172 when Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath granted the title of Baron Skryne to his ally Adam de Feypo; he in turn granted Athlumney to a relative Amauri de Feipo, who built the motte.
The older part of Athlumney Castle is a tower house (caiseal) built in the 15th century.
The newer part of the castle is a Tudor-style fortified house attached to the tower. This was built in the late 16th century or early 17th century. It had large corridors and its ground floor kitchen provided heat for the first floor rooms where the Lord lived. The doorway is cut limestone and there is an oriel window on its eastern wall.
In 1649 during Oliver Cromwell's Siege of Drogheda, the Maguire (Mac Uidhir) who held Athlumney Castle burned it down to prevent Cromwell taking possession of it.
The last Lord of Athlumney was Sir Launcelot Dowdall. The Dowdalls lost their land during the Cromwellian Plantation and got it back under Charles II. They backed the Catholic James II and Launcelot Dowdall was High Sheriff of Meath in 1686. After James' defeat at the Battle of the Boyne (which took place just 19 km / 12 mi from Athlumney Castle), Dowdall left for France and supposedly burned the castle down again.
The property later belonged to the Somerville family of Kentstown who took the title of Baron Athlumney. When the estate was broken up the land around the castle was bought by Bishop Nulty for the Sisters of Mercy. He had planned to build a seminary there but died before he could enact this, and his successor built a seminary in Mullingar instead.
FRANCIS GROSE, an eminent English antiquary was born in 1731, and having a taste for heraldry and antiquities, his father procured him a place in the college of arms, which, however, he resigned in 1763. By his father he was left an independent fortune, which he was not of a disposition to add to or even to preserve. He early entered into the Surrey militia....(Rising to rank of Captain, but still had very little skill in handling money)
...His losses on this occasion roused his latent talents: with a good classical education he united a fine taste for drawing, which he now began to cultivate; and encouraged by his friends, he undertook the work from which he derived both profit and reputation: his Views of Antiquities in England and Wales, which he first began to publish in numbers in 1773, and finished in 1776. The next year he added two more volumes to his English views, in which he included the islands of Guernsey and Jersey, which were completed in 1787. This work, which was executed with accuracy and elegance, soon became a favourite with the public at large, ... (A volume on Scotland soon followed). Before he had concluded this work, he proceeded to Ireland, intending to furnish that kingdom with views and descriptions of her antiquities, in the same manner he had executed those of Great Britain; but soon after his arrival in Dublin, being at the house of Mr. Hone there, he suddenly was seized at table with an apoplectic fit, on the 6th May 1791, and died immediately. He was interred in Dublin.
His literary history,” says a friend, “respectable as it is, was exceeded by his good-humour, conviviality, and friendship... He was the butt for other men to shoot at, but it always rebounded with a double force...He could eat with Sancho, and drink with the knight. In simplicity, probity, and a compassionate heart, he was wholly of the Pança breed; his jocularity could have pleased a prince. In the “St. James's Evening Post,” the following was proposed as an epitaph for him:
"here lies FRANCIS GROSE.
On Thursday, May 21, 1791
Death put an end to his
Views and prospects.”
GUARANTEED GENUINE ANTIQUE ENGRAVING FROM 1794.
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