Landed Estates
University of Galway

Saunderson (Castle Saunderson)

In June 1666, Colonel Robert Sanderson was granted an estate of 10,814 acres in county Cavan and 901 acres in county Meath. Robert Sanderson was descended from a Scottish family. From his third son Alexander descend the Saundersons of Castle Sanderson and Clover Hill. Robert built Castle Sanderson near Belturbet in county Cavan in the mid-17th century. A number of his descendants served as High Sheriffs of the county and represented the county in Parliament. One of these, Alexander, was High Sheriff in 1758 and it was he who reputedly changed the spelling of the family name to Saunderson. In 1779, Alexander’s son, Francis Saunderson, married Anne Bassett, daughter of Stephen White of Miskin, Glamorgan and heiress to the Bassett estates in Wales. In 1828 their son, Alexander, married a sister of the 9th Lord Farnham. In the mid-19th century the main part of Colonel Alexander Saunderson’s estate was in the parishes of Annagelliff and Lavey in the barony of Upper Loughtee but he also held sizable portions of land in the parishes of Larah, Annagh and Killinkere. He also bought some of the estate of the Earl of Mornington which was for sale in 1853. His brother, the Reverend Francis Saunderson, rector of Kildallan, county Cavan, held an estate in the parishes of Drumlane and Killashandra. Mary Anne Saunderson’s estate [Cloverhill] was mainly in the parishes of Kilmore, Annagelliff, Denn and Lavey in the barony of Upper Loughtee with further lands in the parishes of Annagh and Ballintemple. In 1876, Major Edward Saunderson of Castle Saunderson owned 12,362 acres, Llewellyn T. Saunderson of Drumkeen, county Cavan, owned 4,160 acres and Samuel Saunderson, formerly Winter, of Cloverhill, Belturbet, owned 2,560 acres in county Cavan.

Associated Families

Houses

Name Townland Civil Parish PLU DED Barony County Map Ref  
Drumkeen Drumkeen Annagelliff Cavan Cavan Rural Upper Loughtee Cavan OSI Ref: H411072
OS Sheet: 20
Discovery map: 34 		Photo of Drumkeen
Castle Saunderson Castlesaunderson Annagh Cavan Castlesaunderson Tullygarvey Cavan OSI Ref: H419199
OS Sheet: 11
Discovery map: 27A 		Photo of Castle Saunderson
Cloverhill Cloverhill Annagh Cavan Castlesaunderson Tullygarvey Cavan OSI Ref: H409156
OS Sheet: 15
Discovery map: 27A 		Photo of Cloverhill
Prospect House Knockateery Annagh Cavan Castlesaunderson Tullygarvey Cavan OSI Ref: N414415
OS Sheet: 15
Discovery map: 27

Archival sources

  • Incomplete will of [ ] Sanderson [Cavan?], 1879. 999/575/198; National Archives of Ireland
  • Estate and family memoranda of the Sanderson family of Cloverhill, Co Cavan, circa 1750-1888. Ms 9492; National Library of Ireland
  • Purdon of Cloverhill Papers include account and wages of Alexander Saunderson of Cloverhill, 1764-1780 and rent ledger of Saunderson of Cloverhill, 1808-1812, Chancery decree in case James Saunderson v Francis Saunderson and leases re lands of Drumcassidy, Co Cavan, 1734. P 4160; National Library of Ireland
  • Copy of royal licence to Samuel Winter of Clover Hill, to take the name Sanderson only, 2 Oct 1873. GO MS 153: 96-98.; National Library of Ireland
  • Copy of grant of arms to Samuel Winter of Clover Hill, son of Samuel Winter of Agher, Co Meath, by his wife Lucy, daughter of James Sanderson of Clover Hill, on his assuming under Royal Licence and in compliance with his marriage settlement with Anne Nicholson of Balrath, Co Meath, the name and arms of Sanderson, 14 Nov 1873. GO MS 109: 277-178.; National Library of Ireland
  • Rent roll of lands in Cavan settled on Mrs Anne Saunderson 1779; statement of title of Francis Saunderson to lands in Cavan, c 1779; costs of Lady Farnham, 1850. Ms 13,340.; National Library of Ireland
  • A letter from Francis Sanderson at Drumcarn near Cavan to John Foster reminding him that half a year's interest is still due on his and William Foster's Bond of the 25th June 1795. 17 July 1796. MIC500/27.; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland
  • Marriage and family settlements, and related deeds, including the settlement on the marriage of Sarah, third daughter of John Madden 'of Hilton' and Robert Sanderson of Dromkeen, Co. Cavan. 1781. D3465/C/4; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland
  • Small bundle of case papers arising from Colonel Samuel Madden's guardianship of the Sanderson minors [of Dromkeen, Co. Cavan?]. 1809-1828. D3465/E/1; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland
  • Co. Cavan. Early 20th century copy wills and probates, James Sanderson, Castlesaunderson, 1680; Alexander Sanderson, Drumkeevill [sic.], 1706; Robert Sanderson, Drumkeen, 1763; Wm. Sanderson, Red Hill, 1780; James Sanderson, Drumcassidy, 1786. T1859/2-/6; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland
  • Three boxes of title deeds and leases relating to the estates of the Saunderson family of Castle Saunderson, Co. Cavan, in both Cavan and Donegal (Manor Cunningham, etc), plus outsize maps of Manor Cunningham, 1771, 1832 and 1896, and of parts of the Cavan estate, 1806 and 1841. 1701-c.1923. D3480/13; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland
  • Scrapbook containing illustrated press cuttings relating to Home Rule in Ireland. The scrapbook was kept by Colonel E.J. Saunderson, an Anglo-Irish landowner and prominent Irish Unionist politician whose family seat was at Castle Saunderson, County Cavan. c. 1890. D4586; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland
  • The E.J. Saunderson papers compromise c.950 documents and 12 scrapbooks, 1866-1910, relating to the political and sporting career of the Rt Hon. Colonel Edward James Saunderson (1837-1906) of Castle Saunderson, Belturbet, Co. Cavan, MP for Co. Cavan, 1865-1874, and for North Armagh, 1885-1906, first leader of the Irish Unionist Party in the House of Commons. 1882-1910. T 2996 & MIC281; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland
  • Petition of Robert Sanderson of the County of Cavan. Petition of one O'Moriarty to the Queen (Anne). Case of John Forward, in relation to his service in the siege of Derry, in 1688. P1428; National Library of Ireland
  • Encumbered Estates' Court Rentals (O'Brien), Martin, 8 Jun 1858, Vol 52 (16), MRGS 39/025, (microfilm copy in NUIG) [Saunderson leased Drumbartagh to Martin 1694]; National Archives of Ireland
  • 13 rentals of Drumalee, co Cavan, 1833-1850. D520/14A-/14L; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland
  • Two copies of a marriage settlement between Francis Saunderson of Castle Saunderson, Co Cavan and Anne White, 24 Aug 1779. D 22,771-22,772.; National Library of Ireland
  • Religious journal in 2 volumes of a Methodist preacher John Saunderson, mainly located in Co Cavan but with some references to other parts of Ulster, 2 Apr-24 Dec 1791. Mss 21,156-21,157.; National Library of Ireland
  • Encumbered Estates' Court Rentals (O'Brien), Mornington, 16 Nov 1853, Vol 24 (39), MRGS 39/010, (microfilm copy in NUIG) 20,991 acres of estates in Kings & Queens Cos, Cos Dublin, Meath, Westmeath & Cavan. ; National Archives of Ireland

Contemporary printed sources

Modern printed sources