Westport House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Westport House |
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Teach Chathair na Mart
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Westport House East Front in 2023
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| General information | |
| Status | Private dwelling house |
| Type | House |
| Architectural style | Palladian Georgian |
| Town or city | Westport, County Mayo |
| Country | Ireland |
| Coordinates | 53°48′03″N 9°32′11″W / 53.800785°N 9.5363634°W |
| Estimated completion | 1731 |
| Owner | Hughes family |
| Technical details | |
| Material | limestone |
| Floor count | 3 over basement |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect |
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| Developer | John Browne, 1st Earl of Altamont |
Westport House is a beautiful old country house in Westport, County Mayo, Ireland. It's built in the Georgian style. For a long time, it was the home of the Marquess of Sligo and the Browne family. Famous architects like Richard Cassels, Thomas Ivory, and James Wyatt helped design it.
In 2014, the house and the title of Marquess were separated. The last Marquess, Jeremy Browne, 11th Marquess of Sligo, left the house to his five daughters. His cousin, Sebastian Ulick Browne, inherited the family titles.
In 2017, a local business family, the Hughes family (who own Portwest), bought Westport House.
Contents
History of Westport House
Colonel John Browne (1638–1711) built the first Westport House. It stood on the site of an old O'Malley castle called Cahernamart. He married Maud Bourke, who was a great-great-granddaughter of the famous pirate queen, Grace O'Malley.
John Browne was a Roman Catholic and fought for the Jacobite side in a war called the War of the Two Kings. Back then, the house was right by the sea, and the tide would come up to its walls.
His grandson, also named John Browne, changed his religion to the Church of Ireland. This helped him become very successful. He later became the First Earl of Altamont.
Building the Modern House
The Browne family rebuilt the house in the 1700s. Richard Cassels designed it in a Palladian style. This part of the house is the modern east section that faces the town.
In 1773, Thomas Ivory suggested adding more parts, but these plans weren't used. The house was made bigger around 1778, likely also by Ivory, but with a different design.
James Wyatt later redesigned one of the dining rooms in 1781. In 1796, he designed a greenhouse for John Browne, 3rd Earl of Altamont.
In 1808, Henry Holland designed a gate at the northeast end of the town. This gate was taken down around 1958.
In 1819, a south wing was added, designed by Benjamin Wyatt. This wing had a library. Sadly, it burned down in 1826 because of a problem with the heating system. It was then rebuilt. After the fire, the Second Marquess covered the open courtyard. He created a new library by building a walkway around the now enclosed inner wall.
In 1858, George Wilkinson designed a grand staircase made of Sicilian marble. This replaced the Second Marquess's library. Italian workers built it. The railing of the staircase has the Browne family's eagle symbol.
A model farm was built on the estate in the early 1800s. It had places for animals and their food. You can still see the remains of an old boathouse by the sea.
Westport House in the 21st Century
In 2007, the estate received money from the Heritage Council for repairs.
After the 11th Marquess of Sligo passed away in 2014, his five daughters inherited the house. This was possible because of a special law passed in 1993.
In 2017, the daughters sold Westport House to the Hughes family. This ended the Browne family's long connection with the house. The Hughes family plans to spend a lot of money to fix up and improve the house.
Architecture and Design
The east side of Westport House was built around 1730. John Browne, the grandson of Colonel John Browne, hired the architect Richard Cassels for this. The house is made from limestone from a quarry nearby.
The doors inside are made of mahogany wood. This wood was brought from the family's estates in Jamaica. You can still see some of the original drawings by James Wyatt and his son, Benjamin Wyatt, in the house. Benjamin Wyatt built the wings on the north and south sides of the house.
The grand staircase and the covering of the lightwell in the middle of the house were added later. The last part of the building project was creating the terraces on the west side of the house.
Inside Westport House: Art and Treasures
Even today, Westport House still has most of the original items collected by the Browne family.
- Paintings: You can see portraits by famous artists like Sir Joshua Reynolds. These include paintings of the 1st Earl of Altamont and Denis Browne. There are also paintings by William Beechey, including one of Howe Peter, the 2nd Marquess of Sligo. He was friends with King George IV and the poet Lord Byron. There's also a portrait of Earl Howe by John Singleton Copley. The house also has many landscape paintings of the local area by James Arthur O'Connor.
- Sculpture: On the marble staircase, there is a beautiful marble statue called the Angel of Welcome. American sculptor Charles Francis Fuller made it. The Third Marquess bought it in Rome in 1862.
- Other Treasures: Westport House also has a great collection of old English and Irish silver. This includes 18th-century Irish "potato" rings. You can also see Waterford glass and a library with many old Irish books. A special item is the Mayo Legion Flag. General Humbert brought this flag to Ireland when he invaded in 1798. His troops even stayed at Westport House for a time.
The Browne Family History
The Browne family owned Westport House for almost 300 years. Their ownership ended on January 17, 2017.
The Browne family came to County Mayo from England in the 1500s. They gained land by marrying into Irish families and by buying property. Because they were Catholic, their lands in Connacht were safe from Cromwell's land seizures.
John Browne III (1638–1711), a lawyer, became the landlord at Westport. He married Maud Bourke in 1669. She was a descendant of the 'Pirate Queen', Grace O'Malley. John Browne greatly increased his land in Mayo and Galway. This included Cahernamart, an old O'Malley fortress.
However, John Browne's good fortune changed during the Williamite Wars. He supported the Jacobite side and was a Colonel in their army. He supplied the army with cannonballs from iron mines on his land. When the Jacobite army lost, he faced financial ruin. By his death in 1711, his estate was much smaller. The Penal Laws that followed made it hard for Catholics. His grandson, John IV, had to change his religion to survive.
John IV slowly brought the family's wealth back. He expanded his estate and turned the old O'Malley castle into the Westport House we know today. He moved the old village of Cathair-na-Mart and created the new town of Westport. There, he started a successful linen industry. He was also a good farmer and improved his lands. In 1771, he became the 1st Earl of Altamont. In 1752, his son, Peter, 2nd Earl of Altamont, married Elizabeth Kelly. Her family's estates in Jamaica added more wealth to the Browne family.
John, 3rd Earl of Altamont, continued his grandfather's farming improvements. He created the lake west of Westport House and planted many trees. He also hired James Wyatt to decorate the house. He planned the main streets of Westport town, and many streets are still named after Browne family members today. He also built a theatre and the town of Louisburgh. In 1787, he married Louisa Catherine, whose father was the English Earl Howe. During his time, the 1798 Rebellion happened. His younger brother, Denis Browne, helped crush the rebellion. After the Act of Union in 1800, the 3rd Lord Altamont became the 1st Marquess of Sligo.
His only son, Howe Browne, 2nd Marquess of Sligo, inherited the title in 1809 when he was 21. He was known for being generous and adventurous. He was friends with Lord Byron and the Prince Regent. He traveled a lot in Europe. He even dug up ancient columns in Greece. To bring them back to Westport, he got into trouble and spent time in a jail. He married Lady Hester de Burgh and had 14 children. He then settled down at Westport. The 2nd Lord Sligo added the north and south wings and the library to the house. He also bought a lot of furniture, china, silver, and paintings. He bred racehorses, and one of his horses won the Derby. He owned the last two Irish wolfhounds.
In 1834, he became Governor of Jamaica. His job was to manage the system that prepared enslaved people for freedom. He faced a lot of opposition from plantation owners. He was the first to free the enslaved people on his family's Jamaican plantations. The first 'free village' in the world, Sligoville, was named after him. He was a liberal and supported Catholic Emancipation. He died in 1845, just as the Great Famine began in Mayo.
His son, George, 3rd Marquess of Sligo, inherited a difficult situation. The west of Ireland was hit hardest by the famine. Westport House was closed, and with no rent coming in, the 3rd Lord Sligo borrowed money and spent his own savings to help his tenants. He brought food to Westport Quay and supported the local workhouse, which was the only shelter for the very poor. He wrote many letters to the British Government, asking for more help for the famine victims. He even wrote a pamphlet suggesting ways to fix the economic problems that caused the famine. In 1854, he was offered an honor, but he refused it because he was unhappy with Britain's policies in Ireland.
Lord John Browne became the 4th Marquess of Sligo in 1896. He had to deal with big changes in land ownership in Ireland. He was a skilled farmer who made the estate profitable again through agriculture. He also had repairs done to the house and gardens.
Henry Ulick Browne, 5th Marquess of Sligo (1831-1913), another brother, became Marquess after the fourth Marquess died. He had retired from working in India and lived at Westport House with his wife.
George Browne, 6th Marquess of Sligo became Marquess in 1913. He was very active. He rebuilt the stable block and created the terraces by the lake. He added central heating, electric lights, and bathrooms to the house. He also planted many trees and started a salmon hatchery. He updated the inside of the house and created the Italian-style terrace on the west side.
Ulick de Burgh Browne, 7th Marquess of Sligo inherited the house in great condition in 1935. He died at Westport in 1941. His mother, the Sixth Marchioness, lived in Westport during World War II.
Arthur Howe Browne became the 8th Marquess in 1941. He had been in the British Army. In his time, some of the town lawns were taken for public housing. This changed the historical connection between the house and the town. His brother, Terence, 9th Marquess, succeeded him but died a year later.
Denis, 10th Marquess of Sligo, became Marquess in 1953. He and his wife, Jose Gauche, found that the farmlands were not making money. They decided to open the house to the public. Jose Browne worked hard to clear out old items and decorate the rooms. She was an artist and designed fabrics for the house. She is known for being the house's chatelaine (lady of the house) and interior designer. The 11th Marquess then took over the business. He passed away in 2014.
The Browne family sadly decided to sell Westport House in 2016. The Hughes family bought it on January 17, 2017. This ended the Browne family's long history with the house. The Hughes family has promised to improve the house and its facilities.
The Browne Family and Slavery
Some members of the Browne family owned enslaved people and plantations in Jamaica in the past. Howe Browne, 2nd Marquess of Sligo, and his wife, Lady Sligo, were prominent owners. The 2nd Marquess was also the Governor of Jamaica from 1834 to 1836.
An exhibit at Westport House calls the 2nd Marquess of Sligo the 'Champion of the Slaves'. While he did work to end slavery, it's important to remember that he benefited from slavery throughout his life. He did not free his enslaved people until slavery was officially ended by law. The 2nd Lord Sligo also received money from the British Government as payment for the loss of his enslaved people.
However, the 2nd Marquess of Sligo is known in Jamaica for creating the first free village for formerly enslaved people. This village, Sligoville, is still named after him today.
The Jamaican plantations and enslaved workers came into the Browne family through a marriage in 1752. Peter Browne married Elizabeth Kelly, whose father, Dennis Kelly, was a Chief Justice of Jamaica in the 1700s.
Music and Events
Westport House has hosted music festivals.
- In June 2012, the first Westport Festival of Music and Performing Arts took place. Artists like Jools Holland, The Waterboys, and Imelda May performed.
- In August 2017, Aiken Promotions used Westport House for the first Harvest Country Music Festival. Headliners included Miranda Lambert and Nathan Carter.
See also
- Hazelwood House, Sligo
