Landed Estates
University of Galway

Browne (Westport)

A very large estate in county Mayo, much of it formerly Bourke property, was acquired by Colonel John Browne in the late 17th century following the Acts of Settlement. He also owned lands in a number of baronies in county Galway and other counties. Over 12,500 acres in counties Mayo, Galway and Roscommon were granted to him in May 1677 and he also received grants of smaller acreages in June and August of 1677 and in March 1681. Following the Jacobite War the Colonel was forced to sell much of his property but he retained most of his lands in the county Mayo baronies of Murrisk and Burrishoole and some of his property in the barony of Carra. These estates formed the nucleus of what became the largest estate in county Mayo owned by the Browne family of Westport. During the 18th century additional estates were purchased from the Bell family in the barony of Clanmorris; from Christopher Irwin in county Roscommon; from the Medlycotts at Newport Pratt; from John Evelyn at Oldhead and the remainder of the Bourke estate. In 1801 the Arbuthnot estate at Burrishoole, which included Aughness in the barony of Erris, was purchased and in 1818 the Lehinch estate in the baronies of Kilmaine and Clanmorris was bought from Henry Blake of Renvyle, county Galway. Although George Browne 3rd Marquess of Sligo sold some property in 1854, he remained the largest landholder in county Mayo, owning 114,881 acres in 1876. Most of the estate was sold to the Congested Districts Board in 1914 although the sale was not formally finalized until the early 1920s with the Land Commission. The family retained Westport House and are still resident today.

Associated Families

Houses

Name Townland Civil Parish PLU DED Barony County Map Ref  
Westport House Westport Demesne Oughaval Westport Westport Urban 155 Murrisk Mayo OSI Ref: L988 845
OS Sheet: 88
Discovery map: 31 		Photo of Westport House
Mount Browne Mountbrown Aghagower Westport Aghagower North 132 Burrishoole Mayo OSI Ref: M027816
OS Sheet: 88
Discovery map: 31
Oldhead House/Oldhead Lodge Oldhead Kilgeever Westport Louisburgh 143 Murrisk Mayo OSI Ref: L829 820
OS Sheet: 86
Discovery map: 30 		Photo of Oldhead House/Oldhead Lodge
Boathaven Lodge Oldhead Kilgeever Westport Louisburgh 143 Murrisk Mayo OSI Ref: L832 825
OS Sheet: 86
Discovery map: 30
Cherry Cottage Drumminaweelaun Oughaval Westport Westport Rural 154 Murrisk Mayo OSI Ref: L970 837
OS Sheet: 87
Discovery map: 31 		Photo of Cherry Cottage
Summerville/Villa Lodge Rossbeg Oughaval Westport Westport Rural 154 Murrisk Mayo OSI Ref: L971 838
OS Sheet: 87
Discovery map: 31 		Photo of Summerville/Villa Lodge
Delphi Lodge Tawnyinlough Kilgeever Westport Bundorragha 130 Murrisk Mayo OSI Ref: L845 661
OS Sheet: 115
Discovery map: 37 		Photo of Delphi Lodge
Aasleagh Lodge Srahatloe Aghagower Westport Erriff 131 Murrisk Mayo OSI Ref: L895643
OS Sheet: 116
Discovery map: 37 		Photo of Aasleagh Lodge

Archival sources

  • Westport Estate Papers 1594-1993, Collection List 78; National Library of Ireland
  • Landed Estates’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), Hastings, 6 Nov 1874, Vol 117, MRGS 39/053, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland
  • Microfilm of papers and rentals relating to Browne family of Westport, Co Mayo, originals now in NLI. p.940; National Library of Ireland
  • Pedigree of Browne of England and of The Neale, Westport, Breafwy, Palmerstown, Ellistron and Brownestown, Co Mayo 1438-1845. GO MS 172, 4-41; National Library of Ireland
  • Papers of legal firm of Cathcart and Hemphill relating to estates of Marquess of Sligo, 1677-1905. M.5788 (1-43); National Archives of Ireland
  • Map of Westport demesne and channel. 21.F.41(1); National Library of Ireland
  • Solicitors' Papers re Moy and other fisheries, Co Mayo and associated families of Gore, Browne, Ormsby, Jones, Atkinson, Little, Clarke, Orme, FitzGerald and Clive, 1611-1957. Acc. 1165; National Archives of Ireland
  • Correspondence of Howe Peter 2nd Marquess of Sligo, 1815-1839. Ms 6403; Trinity College Dublin
  • Delphi Lodge photos. 011/051; Irish Architectural Archive
  • Mahon of Castlegar Papers, sketch plans of Castlegar House and plan of farmyard at Westport House, c 1800. MS 24,593; National Library of Ireland
  • Irish Tourist Association. Topographical and General Survey, 1941-1945. File Mayo West 1-6, parish of Aghagower (Mountbrown); Mayo County Library
  • Records of Kelly, Burke & Gill, solicitors, Westport, include copy leases from the Brownes to John Gibbons and William Kelly, 1782, 1854. Business Records Survey, Mayo 4/1-2; National Archives of Ireland

Contemporary printed sources

Modern printed sources