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The Anglican Communion | ||||
| Killiney Hill. |
| Killiney Hill stands in the townland of Mount Mapas, or Scalpwilliam. The lands of Scalpwilliam are first mentioned under that name in the beginning of the 17th century, and from that time followed the same devolutions of ownership as the Rochestown property. |
The obelisk, which stands on the summit of the hill, and which is a very prominent object, was erected by Mr. John Mapas, in 1741, a year of scarcity and hardship, when fever and famine devastated Ireland. It bears the quaint inscription: "Last year being hard with the poor the wall around these hills and this were erected by John Mapas, Esq. June, 1742." |
About the same time a house had been built on or near the site of Killiney Castle. It contained considerable accommodation, and its sea and land prospect was accounted the finest in Ireland. Except towards the sea, "where nature had sufficiently enclosed their'," the lands were surrounded by a stone wall, and were estimated to contain some 150 acres. The house had been originally called Mount Mapas, but, in 1755, was known as Roxborough. It was then in occupation of Captain Edward Maunsell, who served as High Sheriff of the County Dublin in that year. He had married a daughter of Philip Ridgate, LL.D, the widow of Mr. William Roberts, and on his death, which took place in 1765, in York-street, Dublin, left by her an only son. This son, Thomas Ridgate Maunsell, afterwards resided with his mother in Rochestown-avenue, and devoted much time to genealogical research, with the object of compiling a history of his family. Lead had been discovered on the lands of Roxborough, and mines had been, in 1751, opened, which, two years later, when a vein of great thickness was discovered, were reported to be in a most flourishing condition. They were closed a few years later, and a second attempt to work them in 1734 proved equally unsuccessful. |
Before his death Captain Maunsell assigned his interest in Roxborough to Colonel the Hon. Henry Loftus, M.P. for Bannow, in the County Wexford, the central figure in one of the most protracted and keenly-contested legal struggles of the 18th century. He was a descendant of the great Archbishop Loftus, of Elizabeth's reign, and was younger son of Nicholas Loftus, or the County Wexford, who was created a peer as Baron Loftus and Viscount Loftus of Ely. His brother, who had succeeded to those titles on the death of their father, and who had in addition been created an earl, died in 1766, leaving an only son. This son, now the second earl, who was of extreme delicacy of constitution, and had been persistently neglected and ill-treated by his father, was taken by his uncle, Colonel Loftus, under his protection. Through his mother, a daughter of Sir Gustavus Hume, of the County Fermanagh, who had long pre-deceased her husband, the young earl was entitled to large property, and his mother's family had, before his father's death, instituted proceedings to prove that he was incapable of managing his affairs. His case was ably conducted by his uncle (it did not come on for trial until after his father's death), and the decision was in favour of the young earl's sanity. Three years later, in spite of every care on his uncle's part, the young man died, making a will, by which he bequeathed all his property to his uncle. His mother's relatives sought to have this will set aside, as obtained by undue influence, but were again unsuccessful, and Colonel Loftus succeeded to his nephew's estates, as well as to the barony and viscountcy. |
The pages of "Baratariana," where the colonel figures prominently as Count Henrico Loftonzo, allege that he deserted his old political friends to obtain a favourable decision from "the innocent Phil Tisdal," who was Judge of the Prerogative Court, as well as Attorney-General, and also tell of the efforts of his wife to secure Lord Townshend, then Lord Lieutenant as husband for her niece, the lovely Dolly Monro, and Loftonzo 's own intrigues to obtain an earldom, which was afterwards conferred on him. |
Possessed with an unbounded passion for improvement, and a skill equal to that passion, as a contemporary writer says, Loftus converted the barren hills and rocks round Roxborough, called by him Loftus Hill, into good meadow and pasture lands, frequently being obliged to blast the rock, and to draw earth to cover it, in order to obtain his object. Round the hill he cut the present road, and planted the west side with trees and shrubs. The house was a large one, but the offices were small. It was his intention to rebuild them, but this he did not accomplish, as in Rathfarnham Castle, the ancient seat of the family, which he repurchased for his nephew, and succeeded to himself, he found greater scope for the extravagant magnificence which is displayed in the classic gateway on the Dodder, constructed by him. After his succession to the titles Lord Loftus disposed of Loftus Hill; in 1778 it was occupied by Mr. Medlicott, and subsequently by Mr. Minchin.. |
The hill was, in 1790, taken by Lord Clonmell, with the intention of erecting a mansion there in place of his seat at Temple Hill, but his improvements ended in the construction of a park, at a cost of some £3,000 which, on its completion, he stocked with deer. Nearly 200 men were employed by him at one time in that work, and in making roads and planting. |
A tourist in 1796 describes a handsome banqueting hall, which was built by Colonel Loftus, and mentions that in addition to the obelisk, which Lord Clonmell had restored, a memorial was about to be placed on the hill, in pursuance of the will of the last Mr. Mapas, who left a large sum for the erection of a monument to his family. |
During the last century the neighbourhood was much developed by Mr. Robert Warren, of Killiney Castle, whose name, as its restorer in 1840, the obelisk bears, and the hill having been purchased for a park, was, in 1387, opened and dedicated to the public use by the late Prince Albert Victor of Wales, in memory of Queen Victoria's Jubilee (plaque pictured left). |
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