Berridge
In 1872 the Ballynahinch estate in county Galway, was bought by Richard Berridge, a London brewer, from the Law Life Assurance Society. In the mid 1870s he is recorded as owning over 160,000 acres in county Galway. Various surveys outline the Berridge ownership of property in county Mayo as well as Middlesex and Kent in England. In 1888 Bateman asserted that Richard Berridge was "the largest landowner in Ireland". The Galway estate was purchased for sporting purposes and the Berridges built a number of fishing lodges, including those at Inagh, Fermoyle and Screebe. The estate remained in the family's possession for only two generations. Over 70,000 acres,was vested in the Congested Districts' Board on 31 Mar 1915. The Berridge family retained a house in the locality and some fishing at Screebe until the late 20th century. A grandson of Richard Berridge married an Orme of Owenmore, Crossmolina, county Mayo, and a great-grandson currently produces well known Irish cheeses on his farm at Carrigbyrne in county Wexford.
Associated Families
Houses
| Name | Townland | Civil Parish | PLU | DED | Barony | County | Map Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballynahinch Castle | Ballynahinch | Moyrus | Clifden | Bencorr 32 | Ballynahinch | Galway |
OSI Ref: L763 472
OS Sheet: 36 Discovery map: 44 |
|
| Fermoyle Lodge | Glenicmurrin | Kilcummin | Oughterard | Camus 163 | Moycullen | Galway |
OSI Ref: M030 320
OS Sheet: 79 Discovery map: 45 |
|
| Inagh Lodge | Letterbreckaun | Ballynakill | Clifden | Bencorr 32 | Ballynahinch | Galway |
OSI Ref: L839 545
OS Sheet: 24 Discovery map: 37 |
|
| Screeb Lodge | Derravonniff | Kilcummin | Oughterard | Selerna 61 | Moycullen | Galway |
OSI Ref: L965 382
OS Sheet: 65 Discovery map: 45 |
|
Archival sources
- Solicitors' Papers, Land Commission papers, 1880s. Small Accs. Index 47, 2C 47 21; National Archives of Ireland
- Berridge Papers, contact descendants of Willcox Berridge; Private Possession
- Copy of grant of arms to Richard Berridge of Ballynahinch Castle, 20 Mar 1905. GO MS 111: 165-166; National Library of Ireland
- Papers concerning the executorship of Charles Tomkins and the estate of Richard Berridge of Bloomsbury, London, 1847-1923. ACC/1406; London Metropolitan Archives: city of London
- Ballynahinch press cuttings. 022/008; Irish Architectural Archive
- Fermoyle Lodge cuttings. 131/013; Irish Architectural Archive
- Copy will & grant of probate, Richard Berridge of Ballynahinch Castle & of Knowle Hall, Bridgewater, Somerset, 1887. T.2307; National Archives of Ireland
Contemporary printed sources
- PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. ''24th Annual Report of the Congested Districts' Board for Ireland'', [Cd 8356], HC 1916, vi, 564-586. Appendix VIII: 45
- PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. ''Return of Untenanted Lands in Rural Districts, Distinguishing Demesnes on Which There is a Mansion...'', HC 1906, c, 177: 310
- 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] : 32
- PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. ''Return of owners of land of one acre and upwards, in the several counties .... in Ireland''. HC 1876, LXXX: 293
- SLATER, Isaac. ''Royal National Directory of Ireland: List of the principal seats''. (Manchester: 1894) : xxi, 79
- BATEMAN, John. ''The great landowners of Great Britain and Ireland''. London: Harrison, 1883. : p.39
Modern printed sources
- SEMPLE, Maurice. ''Where the River Corrib flows''. Galway: the author, 1988: 116-119
- PINE, L.G. (ed). ''Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Ireland''. 4th ed. London: Burke's Peerage, 1958.: 79
- CHAMBERS, Anne. ''Ranji Maharajah of Connemara''. Dublin: Wolfhound Press, 2002: All
- ''Irish Architectural and Decorative Studies: the journal of the Irish Georgian Society''. : BOWE, Patrick. Irish Sporting Lodges. VII (2004), 106-139
- MONTGOMERY-MASSINGBERD, Hugh (ed). ''Burke's Irish Family Records''. London: Burke's Peerage, 1976: 106
- WALFORD, Edward. 'The County families of the United Kingdom''. London: Chatto and Windus, 1885): p.81