Landed Estates
University of Galway

Lambert (Brookhill)

The Lamberts of county Mayo were descended from the county Galway family located at Cregclare and Aggard. From the early 18th century the county Mayo branch were leasing land in the barony of Kilmaine from such families as the Veseys, Ruttledges and Bowens. They lived at Togher and Rusheen or Thomastown but moved in the late 18th century to reside at Brookhill, parish of Crossboyne, barony of Clanmorris, leased from the Gonne Bells. They were closely linked to the Ruttledge family, Joseph Lambert of Brookhill having married in 1784 Barbara Ruttledge sister and heiress of Robert Ruttledge of Bloomfield. Their second son the Reverend Francis Lambert changed his name to Ruttledge and continued the family of that name at Bloomfield. Joseph Lambert married secondly Mary Clendining and their sons Joseph and Alexander C. were agents to many of the landowners in the locality. Alexander Clendining Lambert bought almost 1000 acres of the O'Donel of Newport estate in the Cong area in 1852 and sold it to Benjamin Lee Guinness in 1858. In 1854 he bought much of the land he was already leasing from the Brownes of Castlemagarret in the Encumbered Estates' Court and other property in 1860 from the sale of the Brownes of Claremount estate. In 1876 Alexander C. Lambert owned 1409 acres in county Mayo and 1121 acres in county Galway. His property in the barony of Ballynahinch was purchased from the Thomson family of Salruck. The Brookhill estate was gradually sold in the 1920s and 1930s and the house and about 100 acres in 1946 to Gerald Maguire, a solicitor in Claremorris. In the mid 20th century Alexander Fane Lambert, wrote a detailed account of the history of his family and its land holding, based on family papers still in the possession of a family member in London.

Associated Families

Houses

Name Townland Civil Parish PLU DED Barony County Map Ref  
Brookhill Brookhill Crossboyne Claremorris Crossboyne 77 Clanmorris Mayo OSI Ref: M332 732
OS Sheet: 101
Discovery map: 39 		Photo of Brookhill
Togher Togher Robeen Ballinrobe Newbrook 39 Kilmaine Mayo OSI Ref: M228 724
OS Sheet: 110
Discovery map: 38
Thomastown Rusheen or Thomastown Drum Castlebar Clogher 59 Carra Mayo OSI Ref: M198 788
OS Sheet: 100
Discovery map: 38
Abbey House Cong South Cong Ballinrobe Cong 31 Kilmaine Mayo OSI Ref: M146 552
OS Sheet: 120
Discovery map: 38 		Photo of Abbey House
Cranmore Ballinrobe Demesne Ballinrobe Ballinrobe Ballinrobe 23 Kilmaine Mayo OSI Ref: M190 641
OS Sheet: 118
Discovery map: 38 		Photo of Cranmore
Dernasliggaun Tullyconnor Ballynakill Clifden Cushkillary 30 Ballynahinch Galway OSI Ref: L820 620
OS Sheet: 11
Discovery map: 37

Archival sources

  • Lambert Estate and Family Papers, including 'The Lamberts of Brookhill' by Alexander Fane Lambert (1965), contact Mrs Marion Mollett, London; Private Possession
  • Copy of grant of arms to Rev Francis Lambert of Cornfield, Co Mayo on his assuming name and arms of Ruttledge, 27 Apr 1819. GO MS 106, 114; National Library of Ireland
  • Copy of confirmation of arms to Alexander Clendining Lambert of Brookhill and Cong Abbey, grandson of Francis Lambert of Toher and Thomastown, Co Mayo, 27 Apr 1857. GO MS 108, 173-174; National Library of Ireland
  • Westport Estate Papers, rental of the estate of Mrs Grace S. Lambert of Brookhill for the year ending Nov 1919. MS 41,078/3; National Library of Ireland
  • Cranmore House photos. 070/035; Irish Architectural Archive
  • Brook Hill press cuttings. 132/044; Irish Architectural Archive
  • Togher House, mounted photograph. 051/071; Irish Architectural Archive
  • Irish Tourist Authority. Topographical and General Survey, 1941-1945. File Mayo East 1-24, parish of Cong, Cross & The Neale; Mayo County Library

Contemporary printed sources

Modern printed sources