Dickson (Croom Castle)
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.
Associated Families
Houses
| Name | Townland | Civil Parish | PLU | DED | Barony | County | Map Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altavilla | Altavilla | Lismakeery | Rathkeale | Riddlestown 132 | Connello Lower | Limerick |
OSI Ref: R339 462
OS Sheet: 20 Discovery map: 64 |
|
| Lisduane | Lisduane | Ballingarry | Croom | Ballygrennan 9 | Connello Upper | Limerick |
OSI Ref: R479 329
OS Sheet: 38 Discovery map: 65 |
|
| Croom Castle | Croom | Croom | Croom | Croom 16 | Coshma | Limerick |
OSI Ref: R512 408
OS Sheet: 30 Discovery map: 65 |
|
| Ballynacree House | Ballynacree | Emly | Tipperary | Shronell | Clanwilliam | Tipperary |
OSI Ref: R791 368
OS Sheet: 66 Discovery map: 65 |
|
| Castle View | Balllinaclogh | Rathlynin | Tipperary | Rathlynin | Clanwilliam | Tipperary |
OSI Ref: R981 404
OS Sheet: 60 Discovery map: 66 |
Archival sources
- Landed Estates’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), Dickson, 9 Feb 1864, Vol 71 (41), MRGS 39/03, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives 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
- Sackville Papers, 12th-20th centuries, include reference to Glenogra, Co Limerick, 1881-1887. U 269; Kent History and Library Centre
- Archive of the Sackville family, Earls De La Warr, include 19th century documents relating to the Dickson family, c1280-1957. DLW ; East Sussex Record Office
- 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
- 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 Archives 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 ; National Library of Ireland
Contemporary printed sources
- ''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)
- PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. ''Return of owners of land of one acre and upwards, in the several counties .... in Ireland''. HC 1876, LXXX: 148, 161
- 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
- ''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