Westenra

Family title

Baron Rossmore

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Estate(s)

Name	Description
Westenra (Baron Rossmore)	Of Dutch origin, the Westenras settled in Ireland in the mid-17th century. General Robert Cuningham was created 1st Baron Rossmore of Monaghan in 1796. His wife Elizabeth Murray was a co-heir of her mother Mary, daughter and heir of Sir Alexander Cairnes Baronet of Monaghan. According to Shirley, in 1680 Alexander Cairnes bought that part of the Blayney estate which was situated in the barony of Monaghan. As the first Baron Rossmore and his wife had no children the title passed in 1801 by a revisionary clause to Mary Murray’s grandson Warner William Westenra, son of one of her other daughters and co heirs Harriet and her husband Henry Westenra, Member of Parliament for Monaghan. The 2nd Baron was born in 1765 and died in 1840. The estate of his son Henry Robert 3rd Baron, as recorded in Griffith’s Valuation, was principally in the parish of Monaghan where he held at least 52 townlands, with large portions also in the parishes of Tedavnet and Kilmore and smaller portions in the parishes of Aghabog, Donagh and Killeevan. In 1876 his son held the fifth largest estate in county Monaghan amounting to 14,839 acres.
Lewis (Co Monaghan)	In the 17th century the Lewis family of Welsh extract acquired lands in counties Kildare, Meath and Queen’s County. Arthur Gambell Lewis, High Sheriff of Monaghan in 1847 was the second son of Michael Lewis of Springhill, county Dublin. He married firstly Hester Westenra, daughter of Richard Westenra, uncle of the 2nd Baron Rossmore and secondly Henrietta only child and heiress of Henry Owen Scott of Scotstown, county Monaghan and widow of Richard Westenra, son of the 2nd Baron Rossmore. Henrietta’s mother Olivia was a daughter and co-heir of John Owen of Raconnell, county Monaghan. In 1876, Arthur Gambell Lewis' son by his second wife, Henry Owen Lewis of 43 Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin, owned 2,488 acres in county Monaghan and smaller acreages in counties Dublin, Meath and Longford. Griffith’s Valuation records the main part of the estate of Arthur Gambell Lewis as situated in the parishes of Tedavnet and Clones, barony of Monaghan. The remainder of the estate was located in the parishes of Aghabog, Currin, Drumsnat and Kilmore.
Scott (Scotstown)	The village of Scotstown, county Monaghan, was reputably founded by a George Scott. Catherine daughter of George Scott of Scotstown, county Monaghan, married James Dawson of Kilmore, county Monaghan in 1734. Henry Owen Scott of Clonamully, county Monaghan, married Olivia daughter of John Owen of Raconnell, county Monaghan and had an only daughter Henrietta who married firstly the Hon Richard Westerna, son of the 2nd Baron Rossmore and secondly in 1841 Arthur Gambell Lewis. In the mid-19th century Miss Henrietta Westenra (described as ‘a lunatic’) held an estate in the parishes of Tedavet, Kilmore and Aghabog. She was the only surviving child of Richard Westerna and his wife Henrietta (Scott). Henrietta Westenra owned 4,483 acres in 1876.
Fortescue (Clermont)	William Henry Fortescue of Clermont Park (Reynoldstown), county Louth was created Viscount Clermont in 1776 and raised to Earl in 1777. He married Frances Cairnes Murray. His mother-in-law Mary Cairnes Murray was heiress to the estate of her maternal grandfather Sir Alexander Cairnes. Lord Clermont and his wife Frances had no children and part of the Clermont estate passed to Lord Rossmore in the early 19th century.