Durrow Abbey — Durrow Demesne

National Monument in State Ownership & Guardianship No. 313. The 18th century house built by the Stepney family of Durrow was known as Durrow Castle which indicates that it was probably built on the site of the stone castle of Durrow that is mentioned in 1562 when the lands of Durrow were leased to Nicholas Harberte. The 18th century house was renamed Durrow Abbey House when a new 19th century mansion was built by Lord Norbury. This house was badly damaged by a fire and was replaced by the current Durrow Abbey House. In 1562 the medieval stone castle of Durrow is described as 'a ruined castle' and was listed in an inquisition taken of the lands of Durrow in 1569 (FitzPatrick and O'Brien 1998, 101). After the dissolution of the monasteries, the lands of Durrow monastery were initially leased to Con O'Mulloy, the late prior of Durrow which included the 'site of the priory (OF009-005008-), lands of Dorrowe, Newton, and Taghtillyn [Tihilly], rectories of Kylbryde, Ballygroder, Fryvenaghe, Kilpallyge, and Dorrowe. To hold for 21 years at a rent of 5 marks' (Nicholls 1994, 58). The lands were then leased to Nicholas Harbert who in 1567 needed 'strongholds and castles well manned' in order to protect his lands from Irish attack and as a result he set about building two 'warrlyke castles for him and his sonnes to inhabit in' (Loeber 1991, 13). The precise location of these two 16th century stone castles has not been identified within the townland of Durrow Demesne. It is possible that the present Durrow Abbey House was built on the site of one of the 16th century castles. The Stepney family who lived at Durrow until the turn of the 19th century acquired the house through marriage with Philip Rawson a descendant of Sir Edward Herbert (De Courcy Williams 1897, 143). In the early 19th century the house was sold by the Stepney family to Lord Norbury. The Ordnance Survey Field Name Books of 1837-40 recorded that ‘The castle of Durrow, was levelled to the ground by the Stepneys about 60 years ago [1780s]’. The OS letters recorded that around the year 1780 'extensive ruins of the castle of Durrow were extant immediately to the north of the moat (OF009-005001-), but that these walls were pulled down by the Stepney family to build a mansion-house, which still exists, but much enlarged and amplified by the present Lord Norbury' (De Courcy Williams 1897, 128). This house belonging to Lord Norbury was substantially destroyed by fire and in 1897 it was recorded that 'one wall of it only remaining, where it was connected with the amplifications which O'Connor speaks of as being effected by Lord Norbury, which amplifications now form the present mansion-house of Durrow Abbey' (ibid.). The present Durrow Abbey House was described by the Nationl Inventory of Architectural Heritage as a 'detached L-plan multiple-bay two-storey over basement Jacobean Revival style house, built between 1837-43, with breakfront tower and gable to north elevation and canted bays to eastern projecting bay and southern bay, courtyard buildings to rear. Built on the site of the eighteenth-century house and set within grounds of Durrow Abbey demesne' (www.buildingsofireland.ie). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Offaly' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 22 April 2014