McClintock of Seskinore

Category: Documents & Sources

  • Charles Eccles (1813-1869): A Landlord Remembered

    Ecclesville, Fintona, and the Human Face of a Tyrone Estate

    Introduction

    In the long history of the Eccles family of Ecclesville, few figures stand out as clearly—or as warmly remembered—as Charles Eccles (1813–1869).

    A landlord in an age often defined by tension and inequality, he belonged to a generation whose authority rested not only on land, but on relationship. Contemporary accounts suggest that he was not merely respected, but genuinely beloved—a distinction rarely granted in the Ireland of the 19th century.

    His life offers a rare and revealing glimpse into a different model of estate society: one built on mutual obligation, local presence, and a deeply personal connection between landlord and tenant.

    Inheritance and Responsibility

    Born on 9 April 1813, Charles Eccles came of age at a pivotal moment in the history of the estate.

    He inherited not only land, but expectation.

    The Ecclesville estate, long established in Fintona, required careful management—its prosperity dependent on agriculture, tenancy, and local stability. From an early stage, Charles appears to have understood that his role extended beyond ownership. He was, in effect, the central figure in a small but complex rural world.

    In 1835, he served as High Sheriff of County Tyrone, affirming his position within both local and regional society.

    The 1834 Dinner: A Defining Moment

    The character of Charles Eccles is perhaps best captured in a remarkable contemporary account from the Londonderry Sentinel (31 May 1834), describing a dinner held in his honour by his tenants.

    This was no ordinary gathering.

    Tenants, neighbours, and local figures assembled in Sherard’s Hotel, Fintona, not out of obligation—but out of genuine regard.

    When Charles rose to respond, his words revealed both humility and intention:

    “When I look around me… and see myself surrounded by such a numerous and respectable body of friends and neighbours… I feel a glow of lofty and laudable ambition.”

    He acknowledged that the respect shown to him had not yet been earned:

    “These flattering tokens of your esteem have not been earned by me, but by one of whom it would not be my place to speak here…”

    In that moment, he positioned himself not as a distant proprietor, but as a successor to a legacy of responsibility.

    He concluded with a principle that would define his tenure:

    “The old maxim, ‘live and let live,’ has long been the motto of the family… and on this principle I shall endeavour to act.”

    This was more than rhetoric. It was a statement of estate philosophy.

    Landlord and Tenantry

    Throughout his life, Charles Eccles appears to have maintained a notably strong relationship with his tenants.

    Accounts of the Ecclesville estate emphasise:

    • Moderate rents
    • Long-term security through leases
    • Encouragement of improvement
    • Personal accessibility

    He was not an absentee landlord. He lived among his tenants, knew them, and was known by them.

    This relationship formed the foundation of his reputation.

    A Reputation Beyond Rank

    By the mid-19th century, Charles Eccles had become a central figure in the social life of Fintona and the surrounding district.

    His influence extended beyond the estate:

    • As a magistrate
    • As a landowner
    • As a local leader

    Yet what distinguished him was not power—but perception.

    Unlike many of his contemporaries, he was remembered not with resentment, but with affection.

    Death and Public Reaction (1869)

    Charles Eccles died on 4 November 1869, after a prolonged illness.

    The reaction was immediate and profound.

    Contemporary accounts describe a level of public grief rarely associated with landlords of the period:

    “We shall not say that Mr. Eccles was esteemed… he was more… he was beloved.”

    His death was described as:

    • A public loss
    • Deeply felt by tenantry and neighbours alike
    • Comparable to the loss of a family member

    The language is striking—not formal, but emotional.

    It suggests that his relationship with the community had transcended the usual boundaries of class and status.

    The Estate He Left Behind

    At the time of his death, Ecclesville remained:

    • A functioning landed estate
    • A structured rural community
    • A centre of local economic life

    But the world in which Charles Eccles had operated was already beginning to change.

    Within a generation:

    • Land reform would dismantle the estate system
    • Ownership would pass from landlord to tenant
    • The social order he embodied would fade

    Historian’s Interpretation

    Charles Eccles represents a transitional figure in the history of the Irish landed class. His life illustrates a model of landlordism rooted in personal engagement, local responsibility, and a degree of mutual respect that was not universally present in 19th-century Ireland. The warmth of contemporary accounts suggests that his authority was accepted not simply because it existed, but because it was exercised with restraint and awareness. Yet his story also highlights the limits of such a system. Even at its most humane, landlordism remained structurally unequal—and ultimately unsustainable in the face of legal, economic, and social change. In this sense, Charles Eccles stands not only as an example of what the system could be at its best, but also as a reminder of why it could not endure.

    Legacy

    Today, little remains of The Ecclesville Estate itself.

    Yet the memory of Charles Eccles endures in:

    • Contemporary writings
    • Estate records
    • Local tradition

    He is remembered not simply as a landowner, but as a presence—one who shaped the lives of those around him in ways that were felt long after his death.

    Significance

    The life of Charles Eccles offers something rare:

    A portrait of landlordism not defined by conflict—but by connection.

    It is this distinction that ensures his place not only in the history of Ecclesville—but in the wider story of land, society, and change in Ireland.

    See Also

  • Ecclesville in 1830 (Full Text – Atkinson)

    Original Description from A. Atkinson

    ECCLESVILLE AND FINTONA.

    When we visited Ecclesville in 1830, it was then the seat of the late lamented John Dickson Eccles, Esq. proprietor of the Fintona estate, and a country gentleman of sterling worth, though of plain and unassuming manners.

    The demesne embraces about 250 acres of this property, lightly and ornamentally planted; but from its comparatively low position, it commands no prospect of the surrounding country; a fact in its topographic history, which need not be much lamented, since that country exhibits but little of the picturesque, and all that is necessary to a decent domestic landscape, may be found within the confines of Ecclesville demesne.

    The house, which stands at a short distance from the public road, at the bottom of a valley formed by gently sloping hills, is a plain but noble edifice (the expressive type of the founder’s honest mind, where the rich streams of benevolence, flowing through a retired valley to that invisible ocean, where they are now centred for ever, felt too deeply their own intrinsic worth, to court that sweet- smelling cowslip of popular applause, ‘which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven,’) and to this has been added all those plain and useful appendages of a family residence, which are necessary to decent rank and to substantial comfort.

    Fintona, a market and post town on this estate (which has several shops, and does some business in the corn trade) may be regarded as the capital of the property. It stands on a public road a little elevated above the valley of Ecclesville, of which it commands an imperfect view; and although the appearance of this town is not remarkably attractive, we understand a good deal of business is done there; to which the policy of granting to improving tenants, leases in perpetuity, of houses and plots for building, must largely contribute; while a similar indulgence to persons of neither property nor talent, would mar the improvement of the town, and inflict a needless wound upon the interests of the landlord. To this admirable plan of giving the tenant a perpetual interest in his town holding, we would recommend (in every possible case) the addition of a few acres of land for the accommodation of his town establishment. This land, being held at a moderate rent on a lease of lives or years, would have a favourable influence on the interests of the whole estate, as the value of farms approximating with it would advance in an exact ratio with the wealth and population of the neighbouring town; and we hope this also is the policy of the Eccles family.

    The valley of Ecclesville is separated from the town of Fintona by a water called the Casheron river, which passes through the Fintona estate. On this a corn mill has been erected for the accommodation of the tenantry, and a site for another mill with a fall of from seven to ten feet is said to exist upon the same river, and of course presents to some enterprising man of business, an inducement to form a bleaching or manufacturing establishment at that place. If the successors of the late Mr. Eccles follow his example, we have no doubt they will be found ready to give all due encouragement to this and every other instrument of employment to the poor that may be found to exist in their immediate neighbourhood; for from all that we could learn of the character of that lamented gentleman, as a landlord, a magistrate, and a man, his sudden removal by death, while we were travelling in his native county, was felt to be a public loss; and as such was very justly and generally deplored, by the poor and by the public.

    ‘Ireland in the Nineteenth Century, and Seventh of England’s Dominion: Enriched with Copious Descriptions of the Resources of the Soil, and Seats and Scenery of the North West District’

    By A. Atkinson. Esq.

  • Tony Joynson-Wreford’s Will and the Sale of Seskinore (1939–1952)

    Tony Joynson-Wreford’s will, signed on 18 March 1939, laid out careful provisions for the guardianship and financial security of his young daughter, Xenia, at a time of growing uncertainty, as Europe stood on the brink of the Second World War.

    Originally, he had appointed Captain Anthony C. S. Delmege—Leila’s cousin—and Lady Marjorie Edith Hare as Xenia’s guardians. However, by codicil dated 16 March 1940, just one week before his death, he revoked that arrangement and instead named his close friend Lieutenant-Commander John H. T. Boteler and Boteler’s wife, Sheila (née Hooper), as guardians.

    It seems likely that Tony’s decision was influenced by the uncertain wartime future. Having already suffered losses during the First World War, including the death of his brother Bertran, he may have feared that Captain Delmege, as an active serviceman, would not be able to provide stable long-term care.

    These decisions, made in the final days of his life, would shape not only Xenia’s upbringing, but the future of the Seskinore estate itself.

    Provision for Xenia

    The will established a trust to support Xenia’s upbringing and education until she reached the age of 21.

    To make this possible, Tony gave the trustees authority to sell Seskinore House if necessary.

    This provision would prove decisive in the fate of the estate.

    Sale of Seskinore House

    1940 Seskinore sale map

    In 1941, Seskinore House, together with 115 acres, 1 rood and 19½ perches, was sold to the Ministry of Agriculture.

    Importantly, the sale excluded the Garden of Remembrance where Leila was buried. Rights of access for members of the McClintock family were also preserved, ensuring that this deeply personal part of the estate remained protected even as the wider property passed out of family hands.

    Although the Ministry acquired the estate, they ultimately found no practical use for the great house. Over time, the building fell into disuse and disrepair.

    The End of the House

    In 1952, Seskinore House was demolished.

    A report in the Belfast Telegraph captured the stark reality of its final years with the headline:

    “The end of a house that nobody wanted. 30-room Ulster mansion to go.”

    With its demolition, the historic seat of the McClintock family—built up over generations—was brought to an end. Only the courtyard and outbuildings survived, standing as quiet remnants of what had once been a major country estate.

    Site of Seskinore House

    Significance

    Tony Joynson-Wreford’s will shaped the final fate of Seskinore.

    It determined the guardianship of Xenia, created the trust under which the estate was managed, and enabled the sale that brought an end to Seskinore House as a family residence.

    At the same time, by preserving the Garden of Remembrance and access rights to it, the will ensured that the most personal part of the estate would remain connected to the family even after the house itself was gone.

    Primary Source

    A full transcription of Tony Joynson-Wreford’s will and codicil is available here:

    See also:

    Continue the Story

    • The Break-Up of the Seskinore Estate
    • Xenia’s Early Life: Guardianship, Separation and Silence
    • Xenia’s Life Beyond Seskinore
    • Tony Joynson-Wreford: Final Years and Devotion to Leila
    • The Garden of Remembrance at Seskinore

     

  • The 1893 Marriage Settlement and the Future of the Estate

    The marriage of Colonel John Knox McClintock and Amy Henrietta Frances Eccles in April 1893 was accompanied by a formal legal settlement that had lasting implications for the future of the Seskinore estate.

    At the time, many landed estates were governed by strict entails, which restricted inheritance to male heirs. These legal structures were designed to preserve estates intact across generations but could also create difficulties where no direct male successor existed.

    The Disentailing Deed

    Shortly before the marriage, a disentailing deed was executed.

    This legal instrument allowed the existing entail governing the Seskinore estate to be broken and replaced with new terms. Such actions were not uncommon in the late 19th century, as families sought greater flexibility in managing inheritance.

    Terms of the Settlement

    The subsequent marriage settlement introduced a crucial change:

    The estate could now pass to a daughter in the absence of a male heir.

    This represented a significant departure from earlier restrictions and ensured that the estate would remain within the immediate family, even if no sons were born.

    Long-Term Consequences

    At the time of the marriage, the implications of this change may not have been fully apparent.

    However, the couple had only one child:

    Amelia (Leila) Isobel Eccles McClintock

    As a result, the estate ultimately passed through her.

    This shift in inheritance would later prove decisive, particularly following her early death in 1937 and the subsequent transfer of the estate into the Joynson–Wreford line.

    Significance

    The 1893 settlement represents a turning point in the history of the estate.

    It:

    • Altered the traditional line of succession
    • Enabled inheritance through the female line
    • Shaped the final phase of ownership

    Without this change, the later history of Seskinore—and its eventual transmission—would likely have been very different.

    See also:

  • The End of a House That Nobody Wanted

    This contemporary report from the Belfast Telegraph (1952) describes the final condition and proposed demolition of Seskinore House.

    The End of a House That Nobody Wanted

    30-Room Ulster Mansion to Go
    “Belfast Telegraph” Reporter (1952)

    The death penalty has been passed on another of Ulster’s stately homes—Seskinore Lodge, a 30-room mansion formerly the Tyrone seat of the McClintock family. It will soon follow the way of Kilwaughter Castle, Tollymore Park House, Newcastle, and Drumbanagher.

    The fine old house, set amid 400 acres of beautiful Tyrone countryside—much of it woodland—was visited by the Duke of Gloucester during his stay in Northern Ireland in 1935, and the late Lord Craigavon, Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, was frequently entertained there.

    Seskinore Lodge is the house which nobody wanted.

    The Ministry of Agriculture purchased it along with the 400-acre estate, hoping some use might be made of it. Its suitability as an old people’s home, a hostel, and a hospital was considered.

    Workers’ Flats

    At one time it was proposed to divide the house into flats for estate workers, but the cost proved prohibitive.

    The land itself is now being put to excellent use by the Ministry as an afforestation nursery, but as the house has fallen into disrepair, tenders are being invited from contractors for its demolition.

    Though empty, the house still breathes an air of refinement. The bright, spacious drawing room looking out over the parklands, the bedrooms, library, billiard room, smoking room, and dining rooms—which once resounded with the footfalls of servants—are now silent.

    A Rat Scurried…

    I walked along the corridors and hallways of the house, which at present-day prices would cost over £20,000 to build.

    A rat scurried away behind a skirting board, and cobwebs draped the chandeliers. The great front door, which once opened in welcome to the huntsmen of the Seskinore Harriers, is locked. The fireplaces are empty; there are bell-pushes, but no bells.

    For many years, until 1936, the house was occupied by Lieut.-Col. J. K. McClintock, D.L., C.B.E., a leading figure in the public, social, and administrative life of Tyrone. He belonged to a family originally from Argyllshire, which settled in Ireland in 1597.

    Hospitality

    The family seat was first at Newtown House, Co. Louth, but when Seskinore was inherited from the Perry family, the Louth property was sold. The McClintocks were renowned for their hospitality, and many notable figures in Ulster life were entertained at Seskinore.

    The Seskinore Harriers regularly met at “the big house,” with Colonel McClintock serving for many years as Master of the Hunt.

    The house, with its numerous servants’ quarters, cellars, and extensive kitchens, was for many years guarded by the Special Constabulary. Colonel McClintock served as Commandant, and during the 1920s a guard was posted daily, with their quarters on the first floor.

    War Footing

    With the outbreak of war, Seskinore went onto a war footing. British and American troops were billeted in the grounds, and the house itself was given over to officers. It became one of the largest supply depots in Northern Ireland, with hundreds of R.A.S.C. lorries passing daily through the spacious courtyard.

    The only surviving relic of the American occupation is an old rifle rack bearing the names of servicemen—Faber, Bullen, Buffano, and Benio.

    When the house is demolished, only the out-offices—the kennels, loose boxes, harness rooms, carriage houses, lamp room, and fodder stores—will remain. These are in good repair and will continue to serve the Ministry of Agriculture, particularly as the Seskinore estate assumes increasing importance for afforestation.

    “Sorry”

    In the village below, Mr. B. Bratton, a close friend of the late Colonel, said:

    “We are sorry to see it go. Most of us remember the house in its happier days—the carriages and pairs rolling up to the door, the receptions at the hunts, and the round of hospitality at Christmas and Easter.”

    Major C. A. M. Alexander, M.C., D.L., of Pomeroy, another old family friend, added:

    “The Colonel loved the old house. There will be general regret that it is to come down.”

    Reproduced by kind permission of the Belfast Telegraph.

    See Also:

  • The 1854 Chancery Settlement and Extent of the Seskinore Estate

    1846 Seskinore estate, 4553 acres.

    The extent and composition of the Seskinore estate in the mid-nineteenth century is clearly defined in a Chancery record dated 17 June 1854.

    This legal record provides one of the most comprehensive descriptions of the lands comprising the estate following its transfer into the McClintock family.

    The Chancery Declaration

    By order of the Court of Chancery in Ireland, it was declared that George Perry McClintock was seized of an estate tail in possession of a substantial body of lands in County Tyrone and elsewhere.

    The record confirms the legal position of the estate and its descent under the provisions established following the will of George Perry.

    Extent of the Estate

    The lands described in the Chancery record include a large number of townlands, forming a coherent and extensive estate.

    These include:

    • Drumconnolly
    • Tullyrush
    • Tullyharm
    • Tullytemple
    • Rarone
    • Upper Mullaghmore
    • Lower Mullaghmore (including the Mansion House and demesne lands)
    • Moylagh
    • Ranelly (including the mill)
    • Seskinore

    In addition to these, the estate also comprised lands in other baronies and counties, including:

    • Freighmore
    • Tullyvally
    • Kilgort
    • Camowen
    • Knockadreenan

    Scale of the Estate

    The total extent of the estate amounted to approximately 4,553 acres.

    This confirms the Seskinore estate as a substantial landed property within the region, reflecting both the earlier acquisitions of the Perry family and the subsequent consolidation under the McClintock line.

    Significance

    The 1854 Chancery settlement provides a definitive statement of the extent and legal structure of the Seskinore estate in the nineteenth century.

    It illustrates the culmination of a process that began with the establishment of the Perry estate at Mullaghmore in the seventeenth century, and its subsequent transfer and expansion under the McClintock family.

    As such, it represents a key documentary source for understanding the full scope and organisation of the estate.

    See also:

  • Will of George Perry (1823)

    The transfer of the Mullaghmore and Seskinore estates from the Perry family to the McClintock line was determined by the will of George Perry of Perrymount, dated 15 May 1823.

    George Perry (1762–1824), the last of his line to hold the estate at Mullaghmore, died without surviving issue. His will therefore made provision for the transfer of the estate beyond his immediate family.

    Terms of the Will

    By his will, George Perry devised the estate to his wife, Mary Perry, for the duration of her life.

    Following her death, the estate was to pass to his nephew, Samuel McClintock, for life, with remainder to the first and other sons of Samuel McClintock in tail male, together with further provisions in default of such issue.

    This arrangement ensured the continuation of the estate within a connected family line, while preserving the memory of the Perry inheritance.

    The McClintock Connection

    Samuel McClintock (1790–1852), named as successor under the will, was the son of Alexander McClintock of Newtown, County Louth, and Mary Perry, sister of George Perry.

    Through this maternal connection, the estate passed into the McClintock family while maintaining continuity with the Perry lineage.

    Effect of the Will

    Although the will was made in 1823, the transfer of possession did not take effect until after the death of Mrs. Perry.

    In 1845, Samuel McClintock entered into possession of the estate at Seskinore, an event marked by a well-recorded reception by the tenantry of the district.

    This moment represents the effective transfer of the estate from the Perry family to the McClintock line.

    Significance

    The will of George Perry forms the central legal instrument governing the succession of the Mullaghmore and Seskinore estates in the nineteenth century.

    It provides the mechanism by which the estate passed from the Perry family to the McClintock family, ensuring continuity of ownership through kinship rather than sale.

    This transfer, structured through inheritance, shaped the subsequent history of the estate and determined its ownership for the remainder of the nineteenth century.

    Full transcription of the Will of George Perry (1823)

    The following is a transcription of the will of George Perry of Perrymount, dated 15 May 1823.

    Prerogative Will Book. 182., K-Z

    In the name of God Amen I George Perry of Seskanore Lodge in the County of Tyrone Esquire being of Sound mind in memory and understanding thank God for the same do make this my last Will and Testament I give and devise all my Estate in Lands Tenements and hereditaments situate in the County of Tyrone or elsewhere to James Johnston Junior of Nappa in the County of Armagh Esquire and his heirs to for and and upon the several trusts use and purposes hereinafter mentioned of and concerning the same that is to say In trust to permit and suffer my beloved wife Mary Perry to have receive and take the rents issues and profits thereof for and during the term of her natural life and from and after her decease then as to all my lands tenements and hereditaments (except my house in Dublin) in trust to the use of my Nephew Samuel McClintock Esquire and his assigns for and during the term of his natural life and no longer and from and after the determination of that Estate to the use of the said James Johnston and his heirs to support and preserve the contingent uses and Estate hereinafter limitted [sic] from being defeated or destroyed and from and immediately after the decease of the said Samuel McClintock lawfully to be begotten and of the heirs male of the body of such first son lawfully issuing and for default of such issue then to the use of the second third and fourth and all and every other son & sons of the said Samuel McClintock lawfully to be begotten severally successively and in remainder one after another as they shall be in seniority of age and purity of Birth and in default of such issue to the use of all and every the daughters and daughters of the said Samuel McClintock lawfully to be begotten in tail general equally to be divided between or amongst them if more than one share and share alike and they to take as tenants in common and not as joint tenants and if there shall be a failure of issue in any such daughter or daughters then as to the part or share of such daughter or daughters whose issue shall so fail to the use of the remaining or other of the said daughter in like manner and in case there shall be a failure of issue of all such daughters but one or if these shall be but one or if there shall be but one such daughter then to the use of such one daughter and the heirs of her body lawfully issuing and in default of such issue then to the use of my nephew John McClintock Esquire and his assigns for and during the term of his natural life and no longer and from and after the determination of that Estate to the use of the said James Johnstone and his heirs to support and preserve the contingent uses and Estate hereinafter limitted [sic] from being defeated or destroyed and from and immediately after the decease of the said John McClintock then to the use of the first son of the said John McClintock  lawfully to be begotten and of the heirs male of the body of such first son lawfully issuing and for default of such issue then to the use of the second third and fourth and all and every other son & sons of the said John McClintock lawfully to be begotten severally successively and in remainder one after another as they shall be in seniority of age and purity of Birth and in default of such issue to the use of all and every the daughters and daughters of the said John McClintock lawfully to be begotten in tail general equally to be divided between or amongst them if more than one share and share alike and they to take as tenants in common and not as joint tenants and if there shall be a failure of issue in any such daughter or daughters then as to the part or share of such daughter or daughters whose issue shall so fail to the use of the remaining or other of the said daughter in like manner and in case there shall be a failure of issue of all such daughters but one or if these shall be but one or if there shall be but one such daughter then to the use of such one daughter and the heirs of her body lawfully issuing and in default of such issue of my said nephew John McClintock then in trust to the use of my nieces Maria McClintock and Mary McClintock and their assigns for and during the term of their natural lives and no longer as tenants in common and not as joint tenants and from and after the determination of that Estate to the use of the said James Johnstone and his heirs to support and preserve the contingent uses and estate hereinafter limitted [sic] from being defeated and destroyed and from and immediately after the decease of the said Maria McClintock and Mary McClintock then to the use of the said first son of the said maria McClintock and of the first son of the said Mary McClintock lawfully be begotten and of the heirs male of the body of such first son lawfully issuing and for default of such issue then to the use of the second third and fourth and all and every the son and sons of them the said Maria McClintock and Mary McClintock lawfully begotten severally successively and in remainder one after another as they shall be in seniority of age and priority of birth and in default of such issue to the use of all and every the daughter and daughters of the said Maria McClintock and Mary McClintock lawfully to be begotten in tail general equally to be divided between or amongst them if more than one share and share alike and they to take as tenant in common and not as joint tenants and if there shall be a failure of issue in any such daughter or daughters then as to the part or share of such daughter or daughters whose issue shall so fail to the use of the remaining or other of the such daughters in like manner and in  case there shall be a failure of issue of all such daughters but one or if there shall be but one such daughter then to the use of such one daughter  and the heirs of her body lawfully issuing and in default of such issue then in trust to the use of my Grand Nephew Alexander Bird son of my niece Jane McClintock deceased for the term of her natural life and no longer and from and after the determination of that Estate to the use of the said James Johnston [sic] and his heirs to support and preserve the contingent uses and estate hereinafter limitted [sic] from being defeated or destroyed and from and immediately after the decease of the said Alexander Bird then to the use of the first

    son of the said Alexander Bird lawfully to be begotten and of the heirs male of the body of such first son lawfully issuing and for default of such issue then to the use of the second third and fourth and all and every other son & sons of the said Alexander Bird lawfully to be begotten severally successively and in remainder one after another as they shall be in seniority of age and purity of Birth and in default of such issue to the use of all and every the daughters and daughters of the said Alexander Bird lawfully to be begotten in tail general equally to be divided between or amongst them if more than one share and share alike and they to take as tenants in common and not as joint tenants and if there shall be a failure of issue in any such daughter or daughters then as to the part or share of such daughter or daughters whose issue shall so fail to the use of the remaining or other of the said daughter in like manner and in case there shall be a failure of issue of all such daughters but one or if these shall be but one or if there shall be but one such daughter then to the use of such one daughter and the heirs of her body lawfully issuing and in default of such issue to my own right heirs I authorize and impower whomsoever that shall take my said Estates pursuant to the limitations of this my will to have full power to make leases of the same or any part thereof for any term not exceeding one life or twenty one years to be concurrent in possession and not in reversion without fine or gift and at the best improved yearly value that can be had for the same such leases to contain the usual clauses between Landlord and Tenant I give devise and bequeath my house in Dominick Street in the City of Dublin and the furniture therein to my beloved wife Mary Perry in case the same shall not be disposed of in my lifetime I order and direct all my just debts to be paid out of my personal fortune and whatever money that remain after the payment thereof and after the payment of the legacies herein after bequeathed I order and direct that my said beloved wife Mary Perry shall take the interest therof during her life with a Power to her to dispose of any part or parcel there of not exceeding the whole the sum of three thousand pounds by her will in any manner she may think fit and the surplus of my said personal fortune subject as aforesaid (whatever the same may amount to) I leave and bequeath to my said Nephews John McClintock and Samuel McClintock and my said Nieces Maria McClintock and Mary McClintock and Alexander Bird share and share alike  I leave and bequeath to Miss Letitia Dick the sum of One thousand pounds payable on the death of my said beloved wife with interest on five hundred pounds part thereof in the mean time and until such the death of my said wife shall happen at the rate of six pounds per cent per annum I leave and bequeath to Sinclair Perry of Seskanore the sum of five hundred pounds payable on the death of my said beloved wife with interest in the mean time and until such the death of my said wife shall happen at the rate of six pounds per cent per annum I also leave and bequeath to the said Sinclair Perry and my Executrix hereinafter named the sum of five hundred pounds in trust and for the use of George Perry the son of Sinclair Perry payable on the death of my said beloved wife with a power to the said Sinclair Perry and my said Executors thereafter named to  raise the same soever at any time when it shall appear right and proper to them the said Sinclair Perry and my said Executors to put said George Perry into business or bind him an apprentice to learn some profession I leave and bequeath to my trustee hereinbefore named James Johnston Junior of Nappa Esquire the sum of Three hundred pound payable on the death of my said beloved wife for the trouble he may have in attending to the trusts of this my will I leave and bequeath to my good friend John Spiller of Omagh Esquire the sum of three hundred pounds payable on the death of my said beloved wife and request his Advice and Assistance to her when I am gone I leave and bequeath to Thomas Olphert of Torfeskin in the County of Louth Esq. The sum of One hundred pounds payable on the death of my said beloved wife I leave and bequeath to George Robinson of Blesinton St in the City of Dublin Esq Barrister at Law the sum of fifty pounds payable on the death of my said beloved wife I leave and bequeath to Edward Perry Brook son of Doctor Brook of the City of Dublin the sum of fifty pounds payable on the death of my said beloved wife I leave and bequeath to William Perry of Mullaghmore in the County of Tyrone the sum of Twenty pounds on my death I leave and bequeath to my said beloved wife all my stock crop and household furniture of every description in and at Seskanore lodge in the said County of Tyrone my plate I allow to be held and used by the person or persons who from time to time shall inherit my Estates agreeably to the limitations if this my will I hereby nominate constitute and appoint my said beloved wife Mary Perry Executrix and the said John Spiller of Omagh Executor of this my will and I hereby revoke and annull all or any other wills or will at any time by me heretofore made and declare this to be my last will and testament In witness whereof I have hereunto put my hand and affixed my seal this fifteenth day of May in the year of our Lord One thousand Eight hundred and twenty three.

    George Perry seal signed sealed published and declared by the testator as and for his last will and testament in our presence who became witnesses to the same at his request and in the presence of each other and in his presence John Stewart No. 2 Dominick St Sol[icito]r Jacob Hardy Cl[er]k to the above Peter Gallagher.

    I make and publish this codicil to my foregoing Will I give and hereby grant to my beloved wife Mary Perry the express power of ascertaining as soon as she may think fit so to do after my decease the surplus of my personal fortune and instead of postponing the distribution thereof untill after her decease to pay the same when she may think proper to and amongst my Nephews John McClintock and Samuel McClintock and my Nieces Maria McClintock and Mary McClintock and the said Alexander Bird  or either or any of them according to her will and pleasure as to the time or times of doing so and their respective releases or accounts for the same shall be conclusive as to such payments or distribution of said surplus the same as if not made until after her death I also direct that  the interest on the legacies given by my foregoing will shall be paid from the time of my decease I leave my old clerk [I] Gracey twenty pounds given under my hand and seal this 21st of April 1824 four [sic] Geo Perry seal.

    John Spiller of Dominick St in the City of Dublin Esquire maketh oath and saith he knew and was acquainted with George Perry late of Seskanore Lodge in the County of Tyrone Esq. Deceased and with his the deceased usual character and manner of handwriting and subscription having seen him write and subscribe his name Saith he have carefully viewed perused and examined a paper writing herunto annexed purporting to be a codicil to the last Will and Testament of the said deceased beginning “I make and publish this a codicil to my foregoing Will” and ending this 21st of April 1824 four” and subscribed Geo Perry seal Saith every word letter and figure contained in said codicil and the name “Geo Perry” subscribed thereto are all the proper name handwriting and subscription of said deceased to the best of the Deponents judgement and belief John Spiller – sworn this 20th day of November 1824 Before is J Radcliff.

    The last Will and Testament and Codicil of George Perry late of Seskanore Lodge in the Co of Tyrone Esq deceased “having & soforth” was proved in common form of law and probate thereof granted by the most Red father John George & so forth to Mary Perry of 10 Dominick St in the City of Dublin Widow one of the Executors named in said Will she being first sworn personally saving the right of John Spiller the other Executor also saving and soforth dated the fifteenth day of December 1824.

    I certify the foregoing is a true and authentic copy made pursuant to the statute 30 & 31 Vic. C.(10)

    John Overend Overend

    The assistant Deputy Keeper of the Records

    29th August 1894

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  • Seskinore Lodge in 1830: Description from Atkinson

    A detailed description of Seskinore Lodge and its surroundings is given in A. Atkinson’s nineteenth-century account of the district, providing valuable insight into the appearance and condition of the estate around 1830.

    Extract from Atkinson (c.1830)

    “Seskinore Lodge, the seat of Mrs. Perry (relict of the late George Perry, Esq.), is part and parcel of the Seskinore estate, and comprehends a neat and fashionable lodge, a tastefully planted lawn, and about sixty Irish acres of a farm.

    The land is well adapted to the growth of flax and corn crops, and to that of garden vegetables and ornamental trees. The demesne, however, lies low, and the prospect from the lodge is confined to the beauties of the immediate surroundings, where the rose, the sweet William, and the sweet brier diffuse their fragrance.

    The ancient residence of this family was at Mullaghmore, denominated Perrymount during their occupation; and this, together with the village of Seskinore, erected by the Perry family, formed part of the same property.

    Seskinore lies within a short distance of the great coach road between Dublin and Derry, and about five miles from Omagh.

    A school for the education of Protestant children has been established near the village by Mrs. Perry, and was observed in 1830 to be well attended and satisfactorily conducted.”

    Source

    A. Atkinson, *Ireland in the Nineteenth Century*

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  • The 1774 Sale of Mullaghmore and the Estate of Samuel Perry

    The following notice is reproduced in full from the Londonderry Journal, 4 March 1774, relating to the sale and letting of the Mullaghmore (Perrymount) estate following the death of Samuel Perry.

    Extract from the Londonderry Journal (4 March 1774)

    “To be sold by public cant at Mullaghmore in the County of Tyrone on Monday the fourteenth day of March inst.

    All the household furniture which belonged to Samuel Perry, Esq., deceased, a considerable part of which has been but a short time in use; as also the farming utensils and stock of cattle belonging to the demesne of Mullaghmore, the stock consisting of several saddle and ‘draft’ horses, some extraordinary good milch cows, and other cattle. Six months credit will be given upon approved of security for every article above 20s. To be set also during the minority of the heir who is now about ten years of age, together or in parcels, and to be entered on immediately, the house offices and demesne of Mullaghmore; the house is large and in good order with stables coach-house and other offices, fit for the accommodation of a gentleman or farmer. The demesne consists of about eight plantation acres of arable and meadow ground, well enclosed into parks with quickest hedges in the high condition and well circumstanced as to firing, there being some hundred acres of turf bog in the farm; several acres are ‘plowed’ this season and any tenant that would take immediately may be accommodated at a reasonable value with turf hay and oats. It is situated about five miles from Omagh seven from Augher and three of Fintenagh good market towns to which the roads are very good. Proposals be received by Mr Samuel Galbraith of Greenmount near Omagh; a servant on the land will show the premises to any person inclined to take them.

    All person to whom the said Samuel Perry was indebted are desired to furnish their accounts and the nature of their demands to the said Samuel Galbraith one of the executors, that they may be discharged and to enable the executors to do which, all persons who were indebted to the said Samuel Perry are desired immediately to pay such debts to the said Samuel Galbraith, Wybrants Olpherts or James Hamilton, Attorney, the executors or either of them.”

    Source: Londonderry Journal, 4 March 1774

    This notice provides a contemporary description of the Mullaghmore estate at the time of Samuel Perry’s death, including its house, demesne, and agricultural stock.

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