Landed Estates
University of Galway

Maxwell (Farnham)

The first member of this family settled in Ireland at the end of the 16th century. The Reverend Robert Maxwell was appointed Bishop of Kilmore in 1643 and of Ardagh in 1661. In 1664, he bought the manors of Dromhill and Dromellan in the barony of Upper Loughtee, county Cavan, from Thomas Waldron. Other county Cavan purchases by the Maxwells were from Jane Culme in 1715; part of the Massareene estate in 1716; Hampson estate in 1719; Dunsany estate in 1740 which became the core of the Maxwells’ Fortland estate and purchases from John Carmichael in 1758 and 1768. This accumulation of lands all over the county led to the Maxwells being the largest landowners in the county. Members of the Maxwell family were political active and served as Members of Parliament for county Cavan and other counties, others were clergymen. John Maxwell of College Hall, county Armagh, a cousin of the Reverend Robert Maxwell, inherited the estate in 1737 and was elevated to the peerage in 1763 as Baron Farnham. His son, Robert 2nd Baron, became the Earl of Farnham in 1765. This title was granted and became extinct a couple of times when there was no direct heir resulting in collateral succession. The Barons Farnham also owned land in other counties Wexford, Carlow and Kildare (the Newtownbarry estate), through the marriage in 1719 of John Maxwell 1st Baron Farnham and Judith Barry. This estate was sold in the Encumbered Estates Court in the 1850s. They also owned extensive properties in and around the town of Cavan. Griffith’s Valuation (1856) records the main part of the Farnham estate in the parishes of Kilmore, Urney, Kildallan, Killashandra, Castlerahan, Killinkere and Drumlumman while the Fortland estate, mainly in the parishes of Ballymachugh, Kilbride and Crosserlough, was held by Somerset Maxwell, the 7th Baron’s brother. By 1876, the Farnham estate was comprised of 29,455 acres in county Cavan. Much of the estate was sold in the early years of the 20th century, the family retaining about 2,800 acres and the house. By the early 21st century the estate was reduced to 1,200 acres and was sold in 2001.

Associated Families

Houses

Name Townland Civil Parish PLU DED Barony County Map Ref  
Fortland Fortland Ballymachugh Cavan Ballymachugh Clanmahon Cavan OSI Ref: N448875
OS Sheet: 38
Discovery map: 34
Arley Cottage Fortland Ballymachugh Cavan Ballymachugh Clanmahon Cavan OSI Ref: N458865
OS Sheet: 38
Discovery map: 34
Lakeview (Garrison) Garrison Ballymachugh Cavan Ballymachugh Clanmahon Cavan OSI Ref: N415878
OS Sheet: 37
Discovery map: 34
Crover House Crover Ballymachugh Cavan Ballymachugh Clanmahon Cavan OSI Ref: N464866
OS Sheet: 38
Discovery map: 34
Woodlawn Crover Ballymachugh Cavan Ballymachugh Clanmahon Antrim OSI Ref: N469865
OS Sheet: 38
Discovery map: 34 		Photo of Woodlawn
Hollywell Lavagh Ballymachugh Cavan Ballymachugh Clanmahon Cavan OSI Ref: N443863
OS Sheet: 38
Discovery map: 34
St Swithin’s Cottage/Drumbar House Drumbar Urney Cavan Enniskeen Upper Loughtee Cavan OSI Ref: H399056
OS Sheet: 20
Discovery map: 34
Farnham Castle Farnham Urney Cavan Cavan Rural Upper Loughtee Cavan OSI Ref: H393060
OS Sheet: 20
Discovery map: 34
Ford Lodge Keadew Urney Cavan Upper Loughtee Cavan OSI Ref: H419054
OS Sheet: 20
Discovery map: 34
Lisdaran Lisdaran Urney Cavan Cavan Rural Upper Loughtee Cavan OSI Ref: H415062
OS Sheet: 20
Discovery map: 34
Arnmore Drumelis Urney Cavan Cavan Rural Upper Loughtee Cavan OSI Ref: H402059
OS Sheet: 20
Discovery map: 34

Archival sources

  • Letters to Somerset Henry Maxwell, 10th Baron Farnham, and to his agent, Travers Blackley, from employees and tenants, 1896-1899. Mss. 18,617-18,618; National Library of Ireland
  • Farnham Papers. A collection of estate and family papers of the Maxwell family, Barons, Viscounts and Earls of Farnham of Farnham House, county Cavan, circa 1600- circa 1950. See Manuscript Collection List 95; National Library of Ireland
  • Farnham Estate Archive, P1.; Cavan County Archives Service, Small Private Collections
  • Additional Farnham Papers - Farnham Estate Papers, 1764-1830, P013/001-/006; Gowna National School relating to the Farnham Estate, 1997-2001, P023/001-003 and a donation, mainly of letters by 13th Baron Farnham, 1897-1983, P025/001-021.; Cavan County Archives Service, Small Private Collections
  • Miscellaneous papers, include leases, conveyances etc involving the Farnham estate, 1769, 1779, 1823-1895, 1916. P017/0017, P017/0022, P017/0031-/0032, P017/0052, P017/0099, P017/0113, P017/0139-/0140, P017/0177; Cavan County Archives Service, Small Private Collections
  • Bargain and sale by the Rt Hon. Henry Lord Baron Farnham, Farnham, Co. Cavan and Richard M. Fox, Foxhall, Co. Longford to Richard Wilson, Rathmines, Co. Dublin and John Wilson, Eton Sq., London affecting specified lands in bar. Moydow, Co. Longford. Consideration 5/=, 13 Feb 1844. 99/56/3/1; National Archives of Ireland
  • Pedigree of Maxwell of Monreith Barts and others and of Farnham Co Cavan, Barons and Earls of Farnham, c 1050-1847. GO MS 177: 9-102.; National Library of Ireland
  • Assignment of Farnham Manor and demesne and lands of Tullylough, by Richard Fox to Henry Baron Farnham, 17 Dec 1845. D 22,781.; National Library of Ireland
  • Documents relating to the Earls of Carrick include a grant of charges by the Reverend Henry Maxwell, Fortland, Co. Cavan and others, to the Committee affecting monies and estates. Consideration: £2500, 20 Dec 1824. 999/673/2/14; National Archives of Ireland
  • Farnham Papers, c 1810-1995. D3975; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland
  • Correspondence and other documentation in various collections in PRONI, for example Foster/Massereene Papers, see D207 and D562.; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland
  • Farnham Papers, including deeds, wills, rentals, farm and household accounts, 17th – 19th centuries, Ms 3117-3118, Ms 3502, Ms 5010-5013, Ms 11,490-11,491, Mss 19,091-19,147; Ms 18,600-18,635, D 20,409-75, D 8896-8926; National Library of Ireland
  • Maps (250) and rentals of the Farnham estate, including some with the names of the tenants, 1723-1919, mainly 19th century. 21 F 115-120.; National Library of Ireland
  • Lease by Robert, Earl of Farnham to George Moore of Tunnyloy, county Cavan, 1769. M 6150.; National Archives of Ireland
  • Map and survey of the demesne of Shannow, part of the estate of the Earl of Farnham, held by Thomas Babington, Feb 1792. 15 B 8(7-8).; National Library of Ireland
  • Four deeds relating to lands in Clonmacnoise, Co Offaly, parties include Earl of Farnham, Reverend Henry Maxwell of Fortland, Co Cavan and Henry Maxwell, Bishop of Meath, 1796, 1798, 1814. D18,646-18,649.; National Library of Ireland
  • Encumbered Estates' Court Rentals (O'Brien), Maxwell, Godley & McCreight, 20 Jun 1854, Vol 29 (34), MRGS 39/013, (microfilm copy in NUIG) 3,429 acres of the Farnham estate ; National Archives of Ireland
  • Encumbered Estates' Court Rentals (O'Brien), Maxwell, 15 Jun 1854, Vol 29 (23), MRGS 39/013, (microfilm copy in NUIG) Aghakilmore, parish of Ballymachugh, estate of Henry Maxwell; National Archives of Ireland

Contemporary printed sources

Modern printed sources