Christopher Fleming, 17th Baron Slane facts for kids
Christopher Fleming, 1st Viscount Longford and 17th Baron Slane (born 1669, died 1726), was an important Irish nobleman. He was also a member of the Irish parliament in 1689.
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Christopher Fleming's Life and Work
Christopher Fleming was a Roman Catholic who studied in France at the University of Douai. He was the only son of Randall Fleming, who was the 16th Baron Slane. His mother was Penelope Moore. Christopher's father passed away when he was only seven years old. His grandmother, Lady Drogheda, then looked after him. She asked the King to give back the family lands that had been taken away during some political problems in the 1640s and 1650s.
Serving in the Army
Christopher Fleming became a colonel in the army of James II of England. He fought in the Irish war from 1689 to 1691. He took part in famous battles like the Battle of Boyne and the Battle of Aughrim. During the Battle of Aughrim, he was captured.
After he was set free, he traveled abroad. He served as a colonel in the French army. By 1704, he had joined the Portuguese army and became a lieutenant general. Because of his service, he was able to make peace with the British Crown. In 1709, a special law that had taken away his rights (called an attainder) was removed by the House of Lords.
Becoming Viscount Longford
In 1713, Queen Anne gave him a special document called a royal patent. This document officially made him the 1st Viscount Longford.
Where Christopher Fleming Died and Was Buried
Lord Longford, as he was then known, passed away at Fleming Hall, Anticur, in 1726. He was buried in the MacDonnell family tomb. This tomb is located in Bonamargy Friary near Ballycastle. It is also the burial place for the Earls of Antrim.
His Family and Who Came After Him
Christopher Fleming had only one child, a daughter named Helen Fleming. She lived and died in Paris on August 7, 1748. She never married and did not have any children.
The next person to inherit Fleming Hall and the title of Baron Slane was his nephew, William Fleming. William was the 23rd Baron Slane. He was the son of Thomas Fleming from Gillanstown in County Meath. William had a son named Christopher Fleming, who became the 24th and last Baron Slane. This Christopher lived at Fleming Hall and died there in 1771.
He left his daughter as his only heir. She married Felix O’Connor from County Donegal. After her husband passed away, she sold Fleming Hall. She then moved to Craigs, Finvoy, and later to America.
About Fleming Hall
Fleming Hall was bought by the Leslie family. They later sold it in 1847 to the Richards family. The Richards family owned it until 2012, when it passed to the current owners, the Wallace family.
