Grace
The Mantua estate in county Roscommon came into Grace ownership in the 18th century through the marriage of Oliver Grace, a member of the Grace family of Gracefield, Queen's county (county Laois) and Mary, daughter and heiress of John Dowell of Mantua. Oliver Dowell John Grace was one of the principal lessors in the parish of Kilcolagh, barony of Frenchpark and in the parish of Shankill, barony of Roscommon, at the time of Griffith's Valuation. In 1819 he married Frances Mary only daughter of Sir Richard Nagle Bt of Jamestown, county Westmeath. In 1828 he was a member of the Grand Panel of county Roscommon. The family seat was at Mantua, near Elphin. Oliver and Frances Grace's eldest son John Dowell Fitzgerald Grace was an immediate lessor in the parishes of Conry and Killare, county Westmeath at the time of Griffith’s Valuation (publ. 1854). In the mid-1870s he owned 1,329 acres in county Westmeath, 3,276 acres in county Roscommon and 2,111 acres in Queen's County. The estate passed by marriage to the Bowen family of county Donegal at the end of the 19th century.
Associated Families
Houses
| Name | Townland | Civil Parish | PLU | DED | Barony | County | Map Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mantua | Brackloon | Shankill | Boyle | Mantua 30 | Roscommon | Roscommon |
OSI Ref: M799 884
OS Sheet: 16 Discovery map: 33 |
Archival sources
- Pedigree of Grace of Cos Kilkenny, Queens Co (Co Laois), Dublin & Roscommon, 1534-1818. GO MS 171: 57-58; National Library of Ireland
- Marriage settlement documents relating to the Grace family of Mantua, 1819-1821. Acc. No. 999/385/22 & /24-/25; National Archives of Ireland
- Mantua photos. 013/059; Irish Architectural Archive
- Survey of Cloonkerin & Mantua bog, barony of Frenchpark, the estate of __ Wiles & Oliver Grace, by J. Longfield, Mar 1828. 21 F 45 (97); National Library of Ireland
- Bargain and sale by Oliver and Frances M. Grace, Mantua, Co. Roscommon to Sheffield Grace, Dublin City and the Honourable Thomas Packenham, Coolure, Co. Westmeath of the lands of Moantah, Corroys, Brachloon, Mullen etc. Co. Roscommon. Consideration: £3500. 21 June 1820. 999/385/24; National Archives of Ireland
Contemporary printed sources
- LEET, Ambrose. ''A directory to the market towns, villages, gentlemen's seats, and other noted places in Ireland''. Dublin: Printed by B. Smith, 1814 : 281.
- PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. ''Return of owners of land of one acre and upwards, in the several counties .... in Ireland''. HC 1876, LXXX: 316.
- WELD, Isaac. ''Statistical Survey of the county of Roscommon''. Dublin: Royal Dublin Society, 1832. : 651
- ''GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : Boyle Union, 131
- LEWIS, Samuel. ''A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland''. London: S. Lewis & Co., 1837: Vol II, 552
- ORDNANCE SURVEY NAME BOOKS, County Roscommon: Vol IV, 5 & 55
- TAYLOR, George & SKINNER, Andrew. ''Maps of the Roads of Ireland, surveyed in 1777 and corrected down to 1783''. Facsimile of 2nd edition. Shannon: Irish University Press, 1969: 69 & 239 (Underwood)
- 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] : 187
- WILSON, William. ''The Post-Chaise Companion or Travellers Directory Through Ireland''. The author: Dublin, 1786 : 108 (Mantua,[Underwood]), 421 (Mantua)
Modern printed sources
- BURKE, Sir Bernard. ''A genealogical and heraldic history of the Landed Gentry of Ireland''. London: Harrison & Sons, 1904: 57
- BURKE, Sir Bernard. ''A genealogical and heraldic history of the Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage''. London: Harrison & Sons, 1886: 602-603
- BENCE-JONES, Mark. ''A Guide to Irish Country Houses''. Revised ed. London: Constable, 1988. : 200-201
- GLIN, Knight of, GRIFFIN, D. J. & ROBINSON, N.K (eds).'' Vanishing Country Houses of Ireland''. Dublin: Irish Architectural Archive/Irish Georgian Society, 1989. : 127-128
- CRAIG, Maurice & Craig, Michael. ''Mausolea Hibernica''. Dublin: The Lilliput Press, 1999. : 110-111.
- ''The Irish Genealogist'': O'CONNELL, Basil. The Nagles of Mount Nagle. II No 12 (1955), 377-389 (includes information on the Grace family of Mantua)