Ballymulvey Ho. — Ballymulvey

On the N bank of the Inny River, 1km to the E of Ballymahon. In 1569 Sir Robert Dillon was granted the lands of Ballymulvey and the monastery of Abbeyshrule (LF023-113----). In 1604 King James I granted William Taaffe lands in Co. Longford which included; 'Ballimullen, alias Ballimulvey in Clanconnor, late the lands of Gerald McHubbert Boy O'Farrell late of Ballinkernie, attainted, 1 cartron, rent 6s. 8d. Ir.' (Cal. pat. rolls Ire., Jas I, 2). In 1620 King James I granted Robert Dillon lands in Longford as part of the plantation of Ely O'Carroll's country which included the 'lands of Ballymulveyeightra, 76a arable and pasture, and 52a. moor and wood; Ballymulveymoghtra, 48a. arable and pasture, 22a. wood and moor' (Cal. pat. rolls Ire., Jas I, 466). According to the conditions of the land grant, Robert Dillon was to hold the lands 'in free and common soccage, but subject to forfeiture on assuming the name, style, or title of the Great O'Farrall, or on paying any rent, taxation, or service, or to divide the lands according to the Irish custom of gavelkind, and subject to the other conditions of the plantation' (ibid.). After the Irish Rebellion of 1641 the lands of Sir James Dillon, who lived at Ballymulvey, were confiscated and were subsequently granted to the Molyneaux family and later passed into the hands of the Shuldham family (Anon. 1846, vol. 3, 233). Described in the Civil Survey (1654-6) as ‘a castle in good repaire’ (Simington 1961, vol. 10, 48), it is depicted on the Down Survey (1655-6) map of Rathcline barony (NLI, MS 719) as a large house with several chimneystacks, situated beside the ‘High Way from Longford to Dublin’. Ballymulvey House, an 18th-century house (wall T c. 0.5m), now in ruins, appears to incorporate fragments of an earlier building (wall T c. 1m), possibly the castle referred to in the Civil Survey. A fish-pond (LF027-046001-) and earthworks (LF027-046002-) are associated. Ballymulvey House and walled garden (NIAH Reg. No. 13316002) described by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) as follows; 'Remains of walled garden associated by Ballymulvey House (now demolished), built c. 1730. Constructed of coursed rubble limestone with square-profile ashlar entrance piers to entrance from the north. Single-bay single-storey outbuilding with coursed roughly dressed rubble limestone walls and dressed limestone quoins, square-headed opening with dressed limestone voussoirs. Former entrance with pair of red brick piers to north-west elevation, now infilled with rubble limestone masonry. Located to the east of Ballymahon and adjacent to the River Inny (south). Set back from road. This former walled garden was originally constructed to serve Ballymulvey House, now demolished. Although now ruinous, the boundary walls are solidly constructed while the finely carved ashlar gate piers to the entrance are indicative of high quality craftsmanship. The scale of these walled gardens provides an interesting historical insight into the extensive resources needed to run and maintain a large country estate in Ireland during the eighteenth and the nineteenth century. It is indicated as the residence of a Revd.(?) Auchmuty (Auchmuty family had their main seat at Brianstown House) on a map of the area dated 1777 - 83 (Taylor and Skinner), and was described as the residence of a Thomas Achmuty in 1843. This site also has historic connections with the Bryanton, Molyneaux and Shuldham families. Oliver Goldsmith (1728 - 1774) was a relative of the Bryanton family and stayed at Ballymulvey House on a number of occasions during the late 1740s and the 1750s. The Shuldham family developed much of Ballymahon during the early-nineteenth century, including funding the construction of the market house and court house (13316010), c. 1819. The house itself was in ruins by 1914 (Ordnance Survey third edition six-inch map). This walled garden remains an important element of the built heritage and social history of the Ballymahon area' (www.buildingsofireland.ie; NIAH Reg. No. 13316002). Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 4 July 2022