Estate: Dickson (Croom Castle)

Associated Families

• Dickson (Kildimo)
• Power (Clonshire & Monroe)
• Dickson (Croom Castle)

Description

In the mid 19th century Major General William Dickson of Berkshire, fifth son of Samuel Dickson and Mary Norris and younger brother of Stephen Dickson and the Reverend Richard Dickson, held lands in the parishes of Lismakeery and Nantinan, barony of Connello Lower and Kilbradran, barony of Shanid, while the representatives of Samuel Dickson held land in the parishes of Kilmurry, barony of Clanwilliam, Adare, barony of Connello Upper and Croom, barony of Coshma. The Ordnance Survey Name Book for the parish of Ballingarry, barony of Connello Upper, records him holding land in that parish in the late 1830s. His agent was Samuel Dickson Power of Catherine Street, Limerick. Major General Dickson married Harriet Dallas and had two sons, Samuel Auchmuty Dickson of Croom Castle, county Limerick and Major General Willliam Thomas Dickson, 16th Lancers, neither of whom had children. In 1847 Fanny Charlotte, daughter of Major General Dickson, married Baron Sackville of Knole, Kent and there is reference to land at Glenogra, barony of Smallcounty, county Limerick in the Sackville archives. At the time of Griffith's Valuation Samuel A. Dickson owned at least seven townlands in the parish of Kilmoylan, barony of Shanid. It is probable that he inherited at least some of the estate of his uncle Stephen who had died in 1839. Croom Castle and its 107-acre demesne were advertised for sale in February 1864. Samuel A. Dickson died in 1870 and his brother Major General William Dickson is recorded as owning 8,559 acres in county Limerick and 513 acres in county Tipperary in the mid 1870s. The Dickson's county Tipperary estate was in the parishes of Rathlynin and Emly, barony of Clanwilliam. This family's surname is often spelt "Dixon" in contemporary official records.

Houses

House Name / Description	Townland	Civil Parish	PLU	DED	Barony	County	Map Ref
Altavilla (H2294) Bence Jones writes that this house was built by the Bateman family in the mid 18th century to the design of Francis Bindon. In 1786 Wlson refers to it as the seat of Jon Bateman. The Ordnance Survey Name Book records that Altaville House was a rectangular building of four storeys built in 1749 by Mr Bateman and that it was then [circa 1840] undergoing repairs by Peter Griffin of Corgrieff. At the time of Griffith's Valuation it was inhabited by Peter Griffin who had carding mills and offices closeby. He held the property from William Dickson. It is still extant.	Altavilla	Lismakeery	Rathkeale	Riddlestown 132	Connello Lower	Limerick	Lat/Lon: 52.56318 -8.97485 OSI Ref: R339 462 Discovery map #64. OS Sheet #20.
Lisduane (H2496) The seat of Walter Mason, situated on the estate of General Dixon [Dickson], circa 1840. Occupied by John [Leland] Mason at the time of Griffith's Valuation and held by him from the Court of Chancery. The buildings were valued at £12. William Harte Mason of Cooleen, Bruree owned 190 acres in the 1870s. A house and farm are still extant at the site.	Lisduane	Ballingarry	Croom	Ballygrennan 9	Connello Upper	Limerick	Lat/Lon: 52.44518 -8.76632 OSI Ref: R479 329 Discovery map #65. OS Sheet #38.
Croom Castle (H2564) Originally a Fitzgerald Castle, subsequently granted to the Duke of Richmond who sold it to John Croker in 1721. Reverend Fitzgerald writes that Croker was agent to the Duke. A residence was built with some of the stone from the old castle. Situated on the outskirts of the town of Croom this house was occupied by Samuel A. Dickson in the mid 19th century who held it from the Crokers. The buildings were valued at £30. Sold in the late 1880s to the Lyons family and bought by Michael Corry in 1936. Now functions as self catering accommodation. see http://www.croomcastle.com/history.html	Croom	Croom	Croom	Croom 16	Coshma	Limerick	Lat/Lon: 52.51648 -8.71894 OSI Ref: R512 408 Discovery map #65. OS Sheet #30.
Ballynacree House (H4108) A house valued at £10 and held from Samuel Dixon by Michael Manning in the mid 19th century. Ballynacree is still extant.	Ballynacree	Emly	Tipperary	Shronell	Clanwilliam	Tipperary	Lat/Lon: 52.48231 -8.30767 OSI Ref: R791 368 Discovery map #65. OS Sheet #66.
Castle View (H4795) A house valued at £10 was occupied by Edmond Dalton in the mid 19th century. It was held from Colonel William Dickson. A building is marked on the first edition Ordnance Survey map at this location. A larger building on later maps is named Castle View. Buildings are still extant at the site.	Balllinaclogh	Rathlynin	Tipperary	Rathlynin	Clanwilliam	Tipperary	Lat/Lon: 52.51506 -8.02799 OSI Ref: R981 404 Discovery map #66. OS Sheet #60.

Archival sources

• Centre for Kentish Studies: Sackville Papers, 12th-20th centuries, include reference to Glenogra, Co Limerick, 1881-1887. U 269
• East Sussex Record Office: Archive of the Sackville family, Earls De La Warr, include 19th century documents relating to the Dickson family, c1280-1957. DLW
• National Archives of Ireland: Landed Estates’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), Dickson, 9 Feb 1864, Vol 71 (41), MRGS 39/03, (microfilm copy in NUIG)
• National Archives of Ireland: Deeds, testamentary, legal & miscellaneous records including documents re Col Samuel A. Dickson, mainly 19th century. A.Lane Joynt solicitor's collection, Small Accessions Index 51, Co.965-990, M.353-363, D.5534-5753, T.1176-1198
• National Library of Ireland: Documents re Dickson trust & lands at Ballygrenan, Co Limerick, 1868-1910. D 24,025-24,027
• National Library of Ireland: Confirmation of arms to descendants of Samuel Dickson of Ballynaguile, Co Limerick & to his grandson Lt Col Samuel Auchmuty Dickson of Clonlehard, Co Limerick & Beenham House, Berkshire, eldest son of Major General William Dickson, 8 Jan 1855. GO MS 108:55-56
• National Library of Ireland: Rental of the lands of Croom, barony of Coshma, held in fee with Landed Estate Court Title. The rental states that the estate which included Croom House & mill & Croom Castle & demesne was sold in 1867 for £28,500, post 1875. D 8257-8344 (folder of undated items)
• National Library of Ireland: Account of Col. William Dickson with W. M. Reeves concerning rents and arrears of the former's estates in Mough and Ballyclough, Co. Tipperary, 1835 - 1855. Ms. 3755

Contemporary printed sources

Many of these resources are now available online. For a list with Web links please see the Online Printed Sources Links

• GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : Barony of Connello Lower, 39 (Altavilla): Barony of Connello Upper, 31 (Lisduane): Barony of Coshma, 39 (Croom)
• GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : Barony of Clanwilliam, 74 (Ballynacree), 123 (Ballinaclogh)
• BATEMAN, John. The great landowners of Great Britain and Ireland. London: Harrison, 1883. : p.131
• HUSSEY DE BURGH, U. H. The Landowners of Ireland. An alphabetical list of the owners of estates of 500 acres or £500 valuation and upwards in Ireland. Dublin: Hodges, Foster and Figgis, 1878. [available online at www.askaboutireland.ie] : 128
• LEET, Ambrose. A directory to the market towns, villages, gentlemen's seats, and other noted places in Ireland. Dublin: Printed by B. Smith, 1814 : 12 (Artivilla - John Bateman)
• LEWIS, Samuel. A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland. London: S. Lewis & Co., 1837: II, 282 (Altavilla - T. G. Bateman)
• ORDNANCE SURVEY NAME BOOKS, county Limerick: I, 219-238 (Ballingarry), V, 50 & 56
• PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. Return of owners of land of one acre and upwards, in the several counties .... in Ireland. HC 1876, LXXX: 148, 161

Modern printed sources

• BENCE-JONES, Mark. A Guide to Irish Country Houses. Revised ed. London: Constable, 1988. : 3